The Archaeology of Kinship: Advancing Interpretation and Contributions to Theory

9. Hohokam Descent Groups

161 CHAPTer nIne Hohokam descent Groups Hohokam archaeologists have made only limited attempts to interpret descent groups. As was the case with household-scale organization, there are occasional vague interpretations of possible descent groups. wilcox (1991) suggests that compounds in the Civano phase may indicate “corporate groups.” wilcox et al. (1981), Henderson (1987b:10), and Clark and Gilman (2012:64) suggest that village segments may indicate corporate descent groups. McGuire (1992a) has also suggested that certain residential arrangements indicate descent groups and that certain artifacts were associated with lineages. As noted previously, some have confused household-scale residential groups with vague notions of lineages or “descent groups” (e.g., Clark and Gilman 2012:64; Herr and young 2012:10). settlement structure is more often, and perhaps increasingly, used for other purposes. for example, despite variation, normative generalizations of formal settlement layouts are used as models for vague speculation on ideologies created to promote social cohesion: as leaders’ responses to environmental or population pressures (e.g., Herr and young 2012:11–12) or to link “disparate” groups into a community (e.g., wallace and lindeman 2012:43). Clark and Gilman (2012) interpret informal layouts as evidence for a lack of continuous occupation and formal layouts as evidence for permanent occupations. other than pointing out the possibility for descent groups, no Hohokam literature to my knowledge has suggested a particular form of descent-based social organization , with one exception. Haury (1956) provided the only specific interpretation to date, suggesting patrilineal descent based on the practice of irrigation agriculture. 162 chapter nine Using the cross-cultural community patterns described in Chapter 8 as a middle-range approach to interpretation, this chapter returns to the case study for a diachronic analysis of changing descent group organization . The following analysis of descent-based social organization contextualizes the household-scale social organization interpreted in Chapter 6 and takes us far beyond the vague and normative interpretations previously made for the region on larger scales of social organization. The analysis includes diachronic spatial data from the same settlements: Pueblo Patricio (Cable and doyel 1987; Cable et al. 1985; Henderson 1995), snaketown (Gladwin et al. 1937; Haury 1976; wilcox et al. 1981), la Ciudad (Henderson 1987a, 1987b), and Pueblo Grande (Bostwick and downum 1994; Mitchell 1994a). The Red Mountain Phase The red Mountain phase in this analysis is represented only by the data from Pueblo Patricio. The two, possibly three, conjugal family dwellings dating to the red Mountain phase were widely scattered (see Chapter 6, figure 6.1) and not contemporaneous (from Ce 0 to 300), leading to an interpretation of neolocality. only one conjugal family occupied the area at any one given point in time within this phase. even if the dwellings were occupied at the same time, this ranchería settlement pattern would indicate bilateral descent with neolocality. The Vahki Phase The Vahki phase is represented here with intrasite spatial data from Pueblo Patricio and from snaketown. The community patterns at Pueblo Patricio reflect the cross-cultural pattern for bilateral descent. At snaketown , in contrast, the spatial distribution of households indicates matrilineage organization. Pueblo Patricio There were three recognized Vahki phase components at Pueblo Patricio. In the Vahki 1 component (Ce 300–450), there were two informally arranged aggregates of dwellings, leading to the interpretation of cognatic residential groups. These were located in Heritage square, on the east side of the site (see figure 6.2). The two households lack a formal spatial arrangement or association with a plaza or ceremonial structure, indicating bilateral descent. Hohokam Descent Groups 163 The overlapping Vahki 2 phase component at Pueblo Patricio (Ce 390–450) was located on the west side of the site in Block 24e (see figure 6.2). This occupation consisted of only one informal aggregate of conjugal family dwellings interpreted as a household for a cognatic residential group. If we assume noncontemporaneity with the Vahki 1 component , then this household was the only one present at the site, which would suggest bilateral descent. If assuming contemporaneity with the Vahki 1 component, then a ranchería settlement pattern would be evident , which also reflects bilateral descent. The Vahki 3 component structures at Pueblo Patricio (Ce 400–550) are widely spaced, two forming an aggregate in Block 24e, one in blocks 1 and 2 (see figure 6.3). The aggregate was tentatively interpreted as a household for a cognatic residential group. The conjugal family dwelling in...