AN INTRODUCTION TO RECENT RESEARCH IN THE EASTERN MESA VERDE REGION

Abstract

The archaeology of the northern Southwest is often thought to have been typified by the events that occurred in the Central Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon areas. In fact, these areas represent only portions of the larger region inhabited by Ancestral Puebloan peoples. The collection of articles in this issue focuses on recent research of Ancestral Puebloan lifeways in the Eastern Mesa Verde area of the northern Southwest, a region that has received little synthesis in recent decades in spite of the large number of CRM projects and academic research programs that have been conducted in the area. The articles in this issue draw upon diverse scientific frameworks and data sets to illuminate the dynamics of ancient Puebloan lifeways and cultural histories that unfolded uniquely within the confines of the Eastern Mesa Verde region. The primary issues discussed include social identity formation and maintenance, demographic movement and population histories, inter- and intra-regional interaction, settlement patterns, land use, and human responses to climatic events. Though synthesis for the region is far from complete, these articles greatly enhance our knowledge and understanding of the nature of the archaeological record in this corner of the Mesa Verde world. This introduction describes the theme of this issue, summarizes recent research in the area, and briefly summarizes each of the articles that follow.