Dissertation Research: 14th-century Ceramic Design Change and Reorganization in East-Central Arizona

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Under the direction of Dr. J. Jefferson Reid, Mr. Scott Keuren will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. He will use an innovative technology to examine whole ceramic vessels recovered from archaeological sites in east-central Arizona. All date from a limited time period, between ca 1275-1325 AD and document the change from the Pueblo III to IV period. The Southwest occupies an important place in Americanist archaeology because this region saw the rise of complex Anasazi civilization in a harsh semi-arid region. Lacking the wheel or domesticated animals Anasazi peoples constructed roads hundreds of kilometers in length and large multi-story apartment houses. Archaeologists wish to understand how this society developed and changed over time. The Pueblo III/IV transition is important because it marks major changes in population distribution. Many areas were abandoned and tighter and more centralized pattern appears. Preliminary data indicate that trade and other interactions between villages were altered as well. Mr. Keuren will use ceramic data in an attempt to trace the movement of people, their amalgamation and changes in production and trade strategies. Based on his own preliminary work he argues that through a very detailed analysis of designs painted on ceramic vessels, it is possible to identify micro styles each of which indicates a single shared learning pattern. By examining these styles closely, it is possible to determine how many groups are present in a village and the degree of interaction among them. Through comparison across sites, one can hopefully determine how people and the ceramics they produce moved over space. Mr. Keuren has developed computerized techniques which allow for easy storage and ready access of the ceramic designs and which facilitate their analysis. This research is important for several reasons. It will produce results of interest to many archaeologists and will increase our understanding of United States prehistory. The techniques which Mr. Keuren is developing, if successful, will have widespread applicability. This project will also assist in training a promising young scientist.