Under the supervision of Dr. Patricia Crown, Hannah Mattson will conduct her dissertation research on the meaning and use of ornaments from two of the largest archaeological sites associated with the Chaco Culture, Pueblo Bonito and Aztec Ruin. During the 11th and early 12th centuries, Chaco Canyon was the center of a complex cultural system that extended across the northern U.S. Southwest. Pueblo Bonito, an 800-room pueblo located in Chaco Canyon, was the major ceremonial and/or political center for the Chacoan regional system during its florescence (A.D. 950-1100). Aztec Ruin, a 450-room structure located 60 km north of Chaco Canyon, was a major center in the 13th century, after the decline of the canyon communities. Cross-cultural research has shown that personal adornment is often a key visual indicator of social group identity; worldwide, jewelry signals social differences of various kinds, including tribal affiliation, gender, age, status, and ideological beliefs. It is expected that ornaments would convey such social information in the past as well. Archaeologists have recovered large numbers of ornaments at both Pueblo Bonito and Aztec Ruin, particularly in association with other unique artifacts in burials and ritual structures. Ornaments are thus an ideal artifact type for investigating change in Chacoan identity in the period of demographic reorganization represented by the shift from Pueblo Bonito to Aztec as regional centers. Ms. Mattson's research will advance knowledge of changes in social identity and ritual practice that accompany periods of demographic upheaval. In addition, her research focuses on an understudied artifact class, ornaments, and includes the study of museum collections that have never been fully analyzed, such as the collection of ornaments from Aztec Ruin. Furthermore, the study involves the application of a relatively new and non-destructive technique within archaeology - the use of a spectrophotometer for color measurements of ornaments. This research will also have broader impacts by reinforcing partnerships between several national parks and research institutions. The results of this research will be presented at professional meetings and submitted for publication in national journals, as well as provided to descendant native communities. Upon completion, the research will also be presented to both native jewelers and the general public at various museums. Public lectures for visitors will be given at Aztec Ruins National Monument and at Chaco Canyon Historical Park. Finally, as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, the research will aid in the training of a young scientist.
Under the supervision of Dr. Patricia Crown, Hannah Mattson has conducted her dissertation research on the meaning and use of ornaments from two of the largest archaeological sites associated with the Chaco Culture, Pueblo Bonito and Aztec Ruin. During the 11th and early 12th centuries, Chaco Canyon was the center of a complex cultural system that extended across the northern U.S. Southwest. Pueblo Bonito, an 800-room pueblo located in Chaco Canyon, was the major ceremonial and/or political center for the Chacoan regional system during its florescence (A.D. 950-1100). Aztec Ruin, a 450-room structure located 60 km north of Chaco Canyon, was a major center in the 13th century, after the decline of the canyon communities. Cross-cultural research has shown that personal adornment is often a key visual indicator of social group identity; worldwide, jewelry signals social differences of various kinds, including tribal affiliation, gender, age, status, and ideological beliefs. It is expected that ornaments would convey such social information in the past as well. Archaeologists have recovered large numbers of ornaments at both Pueblo Bonito and Aztec Ruin, particularly in association with other unique artifacts in burials and ritual structures. Ornaments are thus an ideal artifact type for investigating change in Chacoan identity in the period of demographic reorganization represented by the shift from Pueblo Bonito to Aztec as regional centers. Research activities completed as part of this dissertation improvement grant include the analysis of ornaments housed at the American Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of the American Indian. A total of 17 weeks of research has been conducted at these institutions, including the analysis of over 11,000 artifacts. Analysis activities included the recording of 38 different physical attributes for each ornament, including size, color (wavelength as measured with a spectrophotometer), reflectivity, raw material type, ornament type and subtype, and shape. Archival research included both manual and digital searches of field notes, maps, sketches, and photographs. Although statistical analyses have not yet been completed, several interesting differences and similarities are evident in the ornament assemblages from the two sites. Importantly, it appears that certain physical attributes of ornaments are linked to specific contexts of deposition at each Pueblo Bonito and Aztec Ruin. This indicates that ornaments with specific shapes, sizes, and colors referenced different aspects of social identity before and after the collapse of cultural system centered on Chaco Canyon. This research advances our knowledge of changes in social identity and ritual practice that accompany periods of demographic upheaval. In addition, this research focuses on an understudied artifact class, ornaments, and includes the study of museum collections that had never been fully analyzed, such as the collection of ornaments from Aztec Ruin. Furthermore, the study involves the application of a relatively new and non-destructive technique within archaeology—the use of a spectrophotometer for color measurements of artifacts. The broader impacts of this research include reinforcing partnerships between several national parks and research institutions. In addition, the results will be presented at professional meetings and submitted for publication in national journals, as well as provided to descendant native communities. Furthermore, this research will be presented to both native jewelers and the general public at various museums and both Aztec Ruin National Monument and Chaco Canyon Historical Park.
