Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: The Guadalupe Mesa Archaeological Project: An Archaeological Examination of Pueblo Revolt-Era Revitalization

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Under the supervision of Dr. Robert Preucel, Matthew Liebmann will conduct archaeological fieldwork in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. This research will focus on Pueblo Indian responses to Spanish colonization in the seventeenth century-specifically, sites dating to the Pueblo Revolt period (AD 1680-1696). In 1680, the Pueblo peoples banded together in rebellion, forcing their European colonizers out of Pueblo lands in what has been called "the first American Revolution." For twelve years they lived free from Spanish rule, a time of independence in which leaders of the Revolt encouraged their people to rid themselves of Spanish influences and return to traditional, pre-Hispanic ways of life. This study will focus on the architecture and ceramics of sites built and occupied by the Jemez Pueblo tribe in the wake of the Pueblo Revolt. This study is important for three main reasons: 1) it will help to fill in gaps in the historical record. Spanish documents detail what happened in New Mexico before 1680 and after 1692; however, much less in known about the events that occurred during the years of Pueblo independence from 1680-1692. Liebmann's research will address this gap in our knowledge regarding events in the Pueblo world, and specifically the Jemez area, during this tumultuous time. 2) The Pueblo Revolt and its aftermath was crucial in the formation of modern Pueblo culture and society, and had profound effects on the political organization, religion, and architecture of the Pueblo Indians. This research will aid in our understanding of the development of Pueblo culture, providing critical links between pre-Contact and modern Pueblo culture in the Jemez region. 3) The Pueblo Revolt is an example of a prominent anthropological phenomenon known as a revitalization movement, in which peoples attempt to rid themselves of foreign influences and return to "traditional" ways of life. Studies have demonstrated that these movements occur cross-culturally and in all likelihood, throughout human history. Yet no previous large-scale study has attempted to examine the material correlates of a documented revitalization movement. This project will help to redress this situation through the archaeological examination of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. In so doing, this research will establish a baseline from which future archaeological studies of revitalization movements can work. Beyond research questions of interest to anthropologists and historians, this project will have a broader impact through collaboration with Jemez Pueblo, building networks and enhancing partnerships between the Native American and archaeological communities. This research will help to increase the participation of indigenous peoples in archaeology by hiring project interns from Jemez Pueblo and working closely with the Jemez Department of Resource Protection. Furthermore, this study will develop and refine new techniques for non-destructive archaeological studies (ie: no excavation), serving as a methodological template for future projects. Finally, this research contributes to the training of a young scientist, providing instruction and experience in architectural and ceramic analysis as well as non-destructive geophysical sensing techniques that will aid in future investigations of ancestral Puebloan archaeology.