Staying warm in the upland southwest: A “supply side” view of turkey feather blanket production

Contextualizing Ancestral Pueblo Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo spp.) Management

“…The presence of a nearby water source, and thus probable ancestral location for crop growth, suggested to Lipe and colleagues (among others;Powers 1984) that the most parsimonious explanation for the turkey evidence from the Turkey Pen site is that it was not the location of a formal enclosure for confinement of turkeys (Lipe et al 2016). Instead, these birds were likely drawn to this rockshelter through the presence of human activities (and food) and were ultimately exploited for their feathers (e.g., Lipe et al 2020).…”

“…While turkey-based research indicates that the role of these birds shifted through time from a bird exploited for feathers to a bird exploited primarily for food (Akins 1985;Badenhorst and Driver 2009;Lipe et al 2020;Muir and Driver 2002), there are not clear corresponding diachronic changes in turkey pens (Table 1). Site type change occurs-from small-scale Basketmaker settlements (~AD 1-900; often within cave and rockshelter settings) to larger Pueblo villages or village aggregates (~AD 900-1600; often in open-air settings)-but the adaptive characteristics of turkey penning remains unchanged through time.…”

“…This record, in association with conflicting documentation regarding the use of turkeys (i.e., whether they were consumed), influenced a long period of archaeological thought regarding ancestral human relationships with these birds. Small abundances of turkeys in Basketmaker-era sites, little evidence for cut marks and burning (or other evidence for consumption), but extensive indication for the use of feathers and intentional burials paired with a "historic" record suggesting a primarily non-food function resulted in a now standard interpretation-turkeys were originally kept for feathers, not for consumption (e.g., see Lipe et al 2020). Only later in the pre-contact era, once this evidence reverses, does turkey use supposedly shift to a primarily food function-turkeys were kept for food beginning in the Pueblo-era in the pre-contact SW/NW.…”

Understanding Turkey Management in the Mimbres Valley of Southwestern New Mexico Using Ancient Mitochondrial DNA and Stable Isotopes

“…Keywords: turkey (Meleagris gallopavo); animal management; mtDNA analysis; isotope analysis; Mimbres Valley; New Mexico Palabras clave: pavo (Meleagris gallopavo); manejo de animales; ADN antiguo; análisis de isótopos estables; Valle de Mimbre; suroeste de Nuevo México For nearly 2,000 years, people in the US Southwest and Northwest Mexico (SW/NW) have woven the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) into aspects of their economic, social, and ceremonial life (Lipe et al 2016(Lipe et al , 2020McKusick 1986McKusick , 2001McNeil 2022;Munro 2011). For example, some prehispanic groups relied on this bird for protein (Badenhorst and Driver 2009;Ellyson et al 2019), and they used the feathers and bones for clothing, ritual paraphernalia, tools, and musical instruments (Blinman 2001;Lipe et al 2020;Payne 1991). People also depicted turkeys on rock art and pottery, they buried these birds in ritual contexts (Hill 2000), and turkeys are central figures in oral traditions (McNeil 2022;Tyler 1979:85-106).…”

“…For nearly 2,000 years, people in the US Southwest and Northwest Mexico (SW/NW) have woven the turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ) into aspects of their economic, social, and ceremonial life (Lipe et al 2016, 2020; McKusick 1986, 2001; McNeil 2022; Munro 2011). For example, some prehispanic groups relied on this bird for protein (Badenhorst and Driver 2009; Ellyson et al 2019), and they used the feathers and bones for clothing, ritual paraphernalia, tools, and musical instruments (Blinman 2001; Lipe et al 2020; Payne 1991). People also depicted turkeys on rock art and pottery, they buried these birds in ritual contexts (Hill 2000), and turkeys are central figures in oral traditions (McNeil 2022; Tyler 1979:85–106).…”