Recent SRI Publications

SRI Press:

Fragile Patterns: The Archaeology of the Western Papaguería
Edited by Jeffrey H. Altschul and Adrianne G. Rankin (2007)
$49.95 • 760 pp. • perfect bound • ISBN 978-1-87944298-6

The Western Papaguería is characterized by a natural environment of stark, unparallelled beauty and a cultural history that is thus surprisingly rich and complex. Situated within the hottest and driest portion of the Sonoran Desert in southwest Arizona and northwest Sonora, it has been viewed by many as a barren and formidable place, best avoided and unfit for exploration. The opening chapters of Fragile Patterns profile the pioneers of Southwest archaeology, professional and amateur, who braved this harsh environment and toiled for decades in near obscurity to document the region’s archaeology. Their personal and professional challenges and their sometimes idiosyncratic approaches and personalities are richly described by fellow archaeologists. In subsequent chapters, this land of fragile patterns—in which each step can leave its mark for millennia—is explored by a cadre of archaeologists, geoscientists, historians, land managers, and Native Americans, who convey their findings, their hopes, and their concerns about the Western Papaguería and its people. A new generation of archaeologists and geoscientists presents findings on farming in the desert; native plant use; reservoirs, pottery; regional cultures; rock art, geoglyphs, and rock cairns; and trade and travel. Fragile Patterns concludes by interweaving Tohono O’odham and Hia C-ed O’odham perspectives with those of archaeologists and land managers, providing a rare forum for the voice and passion of the people of the Papaguería.

Fragile Patterns was also profiled on Arizona Illustrated on January 22, 2009. Watch editors Jeffrey Altschul and Adrianne Rankin discuss their book here.

Read a recent review of Fragile Patterns from the Journal of Archaeological Science here.

SRI Technical Series:

89 Ak Chin Farmers of the Desert: Archaeological and Historical Investigations at the Ak Chin Site (TO:GA:6 [TO]), Gu Achi District of the Tohono O'odham Nation, Arizona
Edited by : Jeffrey A. Homburg (2007)
Distribution at discretion of TON, contact Peter Steere at psteere@toua.net • 559 pp. • perfect bound • ISBN 978-1-879442-97-9

Ak Chin site (TO:GA:6 [TO]) is one of a few archaeologically studied ancient villages in the Santa Rosa valley of southern Arizona. The Ak Chin site and adjacent sites were occupied mainly during the Colonial through Classic periods (ca. A.D. 700—1500) of the Hohokam chronology. Ancient activities at the Ak Chin site focused on agricultural production, the processing and consumption of crops and wild-plant and animal foods, and production of flaked and ground stone tools and marine-shell ornaments. This synthetic report presents important new information on ancient activities in the Santa Rose valley as well as some of the factors leading to continuity and change in settlement and land use.