Social Interaction, Social Status, and the Organization of Medio Period Craft Production as Evidenced in Ground Stone Artifacts from 76 Draw

Ground stone artifacts from the Medio period (AD 1200 to 1450) settlement of 76 Draw, part of the Archaeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes, reveal distinct patterns in craft production compared to the regional political center. Analysis of 255 items shows a focus on utilitarian household tools, contrasting sharply with Paquimé’s assemblage, which emphasizes non-utilitarian ornaments and religiously significant effigies produced by specialists. This suggests that social differentiation evident at Paquimé did not extend across the broader Casas Grandes region, despite shared technological systems for utilitarian ground stone tools.

VanPool, T. L., Kircher, K. W., VanPool, C. S., & Rakita, G. F. M. (2017). Social Interaction, Social Status, and the Organization of Medio Period Craft Production as Evidenced in Ground Stone Artifacts from 76 Draw. Lithic Technology, 42(2-3), 77–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2017.1305483