Power and Economy in Early Classic Period Hohokam Society: An Archaeological Perspective from the Marana Mound Site [No. 207]

Abstract

Foreword: This volume introduces the research design for investigations undertaken at the Marana Mound site (AZ AA:12:251 [ASM]) following the conclusion of the Northern Tucson Basin Survey (NTBS) in 1990, a brief summary of major fi ndings at this Early Classic center, and selected studies on more focused topics. Results of the previous NTBS survey have been published in a variety of venues, including journal articles, book chapters, monographs, and graduate student theses and dissertations. Comprehensive summary publications are The Marana Community in the Hohokam World edited by Suzanne K. Fish, Paul R. Fish, and John H. Madsen (1992a), The Northern Tucson Basin Survey: Research Directions and Background Studies edited by John H. Madsen, Paul R. Fish, and Suzanne K. Fish (1993), and Between Desert and River: Hohokam Settlement and Land Use in the Los Robles Community by Christian E. Downum (1993). The selected studies in this volume are an outgrowth of archaeological field classes and field schools that were held at the Marana Mound site during spring semesters between 1990 and 2003. The contributions were initially presented at a symposium at the 69th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) in Montreal, Canada, in 2004, and have been modified over the intervening years. As of this writing, studies of Marana collections continue and some of the findings reported here undoubtedly will be refined by this ongoing research as well as future analyses. In the meantime, these studies offer valuable insights on the organization of Hohokam society during the Early Classic Period (ca. AD 1150-1300) from the perspective of one uniquely well-preserved locale—the Marana Mound site.