Hohokam farmers grew agave for centuries in the desert basins of central and southern Arizona. At times, they appear to have cultivated this drought-adapted succulent on a scale comparable to that of the more familiar corn, beans, and squash. This intensity of prehistoric cultivation contrasts with only minor garden plantings during post-contact times in the southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico, in conjunction with widespread gathering from wild stands. The recently recognized evidence for Hohokam cultivation consists of abundantly preserved plant remains, related artifacts, and ancient field locations. The role of agave as a crop in Hohokam economy and society can be reconstructed by examining the attributes and distributions of these archaeological elements within a framework of settlement and economy.

Figure 1.1.1  Agave murpheyi in Opuntia orchard at Rancho San Luisita, Sonora (Gentry :Figure 16.22).

Biology of Southwest Agaves

Ethnographic and Ethnohistoric Background
      Agave as a Source of Food and Fiber Among Southwest Indigenous Peoples
      Agave in Ideology and Social Relations
      Contemporary Uses of Agave

Archaeological Background
      Introduction to the Hohokam
      Evidence for prehistoric Hohokam agave cultivation in southern Arizona
      Video tour of prehistoric rockpile field near Tumamoc Hill
      Prehistoric agave foods and beverages in diet and social interactions
      Prehistoric agave fiber crafts in household and site economies

Assigned Readings

Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Links

Module Glossary