Mogollon

A prehistoric civilization that existed from before 500 BC to approximately 1400 AD in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico in the Mogollon Highlands. Its roots lie in the Cochise version of the Desert Culture in this area, but the Mogollon folk were settled agriculturists who lived in villages of pit houses; they were also strongly influenced by the Anasazi and Hohokam. Evidence of maize and bean horticulture found at Bat Cave dates to earlier than 2000 BC, but unequivocally characteristic traits, such as plain brown pottery, do not appear until 300 BC. Although the tradition was agriculturally based, hunting and gathering continued to play some part in subsistence activities. Before c 1000 AD, typical communities were small villages of pit houses, located in easily defensible positions such as high mesas. Larger villages often included a communal assembly building (possibly early kiva) and sometimes fortifications. From c 1000 AD, the Mogollon people came under the influence of their northern neighbors, the Anasazi, and began to build pueblos. To this late period belongs some of the finest pottery of the American southwest, Mimbres ware, painted with stylized black animals on a white background. The culture is chronologically divided on the basis of architectural and pottery changes (Pine Lawn period, about 200 BC-AD 500; Georgetown period, 500-700; San Francisco period, 700-900; Three Circle period, 900-1050; and Mimbres period, 1050-1200). Unlike the Anasazi culture, the Mogollon culture did not survive as a recognizable group of modern Native Americans. Remnants of the Mogollon may have merged with Anasazi peoples to become what is known as the Western Pueblo people. The tradition has a number of regional variants: Mimbres, Pine Lawn, Upper Little Colorado, Forestdale, and Point of Pines.

An early American agricultural tradition, with its heartland in the mountainous belt on the northern fringe of the basin and range region of Arizona and New Mexico. Immense regional variability in cultural traits and relatively few absolute dates have meant that a satisfactory chronology covering the entire tradition has yet to be worked out. However, the dates c300 bc to ad 1400 would embrace most chronological schemes. The Mogollon seems to have evolved from Desert culture adaptations, most probably Cochise Archaic. Evidence of maize and bean horticulture found at Bat Cave dates to earlier than 2000 bc, but unequivocally characteristic traits, such as plain brown pottery, do not appear until 300 bc. Pottery types such as Alma Plain and San Francisco Red persisted throughout Mogollon history, but the finely worked Mimbres pottery flourished only from ad 900-1200. Although the tradition was agriculturally based, hunting and gathering continued to play some part in subsistence activities. Before clOOO ad typical communities were small villages of pit houses, located in easily defensible positions such as high mesas. Larger villages often included a communal assembly building (possibly an early kiva) and sometimes fortifications. The period 1000-1400 is characterized by rapid change, much of which seems to have been associated with Anasazi immigration. Surface Pueblo dwellings replaced pit houses, populations concentrated into larger settlements, and a general movement from north to south occurred. After 1450 Mogollon traits survive mostly as a blend with Anasazi.