Violence and Social Structure in the Mimbres Region of Southwest New Mexico: Interpretations from Bioarchaeological Data

Abstract

A comprehensive bioarchaeological assessment of health and interpersonal violence was completed using data from a sample of 247 adult burials from Late Pithouse (AD 550–1000) and Pueblo (AD 1000–1350) sites in the Mimbres region of the American Southwest. The results of skeletal analysis demonstrate evidence of social interactions that have not been well described in case studies that have highlighted individual burials and/or singular communities. This larger sample of adult burials reveals mostly nonlethal trauma among 11.3% of crania, suggesting that previous assertions of a peaceful existence may not be entirely accurate. While Mimbres communities do not appear to have experienced endemic raiding and warfare, conflict was still present throughout the majority of their chronology. Social mechanisms including corporate group community structures may have promoted cooperation and reduced lethal trauma among Mimbres adults.

Una evaluación bioarqueológica comprensiva de la salud y de la violencia interpersonal se llevó a cabo usando los datos de una muestra de los enterramientos de 247 adultos de los sitios del Pithouse Tardío (550–1000 D.C.) y del Pueblo (1000–1350 D.C.) en la región de Mimbres en el sudoeste americano. Los resultados del análisis esquelético demuestran evidencia de interacciones sociales que no se han descrito bien en los casos prácticos en que se han destacado enterramientos individuales y/o comunidades singulares. Esta muestra más grande de enterramientos de adultos revela, en su mayoría, un trauma no letal entre el 11,3% de los cráneos, lo cual puede sugerir que las afirmaciones previas de una existencia pacífica no sean totalmente exactas. Mientras las comunidades de Mimbres no parecen haber experimentado incursiones y guerras endémicas, el conflicto estaba presente en efecto a lo largo de la mayor parte de su cronología. Los mecanismos sociales, incluyendo las estructuras comunitarias del grupo corporativo, pueden haber promovido la cooperación y reducido el trauma letal entre los adultos de Mimbres.

Keywords:

• Mimbres
• Mogollon
• Bioarchaeology
• Osteology
• Violence
• Trauma
• Corporate groups

Acknowledgments

Immense gratitude is extended to Barbara Roth and Debra Martin for guidance during this research. Thank you to Barbara Roth, Patricia Gilman, and anonymous reviewers for comments at various stages of the manuscript development.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Not all injuries will affect the skeleton but this study documents those that are observable.

2 The sample in this study was substantially dictated by preservation status. Additionally, while it is likely that thousands of Mimbres burials have been professionally excavated since the early 1900s, not all were retained in collections at repositories.

3 The sample resulted in an injury on one Post-Classic individual as well (Walsh 22-5F-5B).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, the New Mexico Archaeological Council, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Graduate College.