Ancient Cultural Interplay of the American Southwest in the Mexican Northwest

Postclassic expansion of Mesoamerican biocultural characteristics into Sonora, Mexico

“…The presence of non-local goods across regions, does not support the idea of Mesoamerican mercantilism (Punzo and Villalpando 2015) nor is it an explanation for the evolution of Southwest cultures (McGuire 1980; but see Punzo and Villalpando 2015;and Wilcox et al 2008). Many others identify that this trade likely went through, or was focused on, the intermediate region of West Mexico (Carpenter 2002;Mathiowetz 2011;McGuire 1980;Wilcox et al 2008).…”

“…Arguments extend across a continuum from American Southwest isolation and independent development and progression (Frisbie 1983), to direct immigration and imperialist control by Mesoamerican elites (Di Peso 1974;Kelley 1971). Most scholars addressing this debate identify a principal need to fill a gap in the archaeological record between these well-studied regions, specifically in the northwest Mexican state of Sonora (McGuire 1980;McGuire and Villalpando 2007;Wilcox et al 2008). This report directly contributes to that goal by describing one such site, El Cementerio (the Cemetery), located along the Río Yaqui (Yaqui River) in southern Sonora (FIG.…”

“…Archaeologists have long debated the nature and extent of connections between Mesoamerica and the American Southwest (southwest U.S./northwest Mexico) throughout much of the Prehispanic cultural sequence (Mathien and McGuire 1986;Wilcox et al 2008). Arguments extend across a continuum from American Southwest isolation and independent development and progression (Frisbie 1983), to direct immigration and imperialist control by Mesoamerican elites (Di Peso 1974;Kelley 1971).…”

“…Others assert that during the Medio period Paquimé received significant influence from Mesoamerican religious, political, and social systems (Riley 2005), while some like Whalen and Minnis (2001) propose that Paquimé is the result of a longer evolution of local phenomena. Many authors have extensively evaluated the arguments and contend that there is little or no evidence for direct contact between Mesoamerica and the Southwest (Mathien and McGuire 1986;Mathiowetz 2011;McGuire 1980;McGuire and Villalpando 2007;Wilcox 1986;Wilcox et al 2008). More recently, Punzo and Villalpando (2015) not only evaluate the proposals of macro-regional interaction but additionally propose, based on current work in Sonora, an important interaction between Paquimé and Cerro de Trincheras (located in north-central Sonora) based on the trade of finished shell ornaments.…”

“…A.D. 1100 associated with the expansion of the Aztatlán complex (Riley 2005). The cultures of West Mexico participated as part of a macro-regional economy (Wilcox et al 2008), trading with Mesoamerica and the Southwest alike.…”