Customer Reviews

The Hohokam Millennium (Popular Archaeology)

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A very insightful summary of current research of the Hohokam migration from Mesoamerica, their lifestyle, building projects, society, etc, The book is comprised of several articles by different authors who are working archaeologists in the areas in which the articles are focused. In many ways the Hohokam seem more advanced than the Anasazi and this is one of the most accessible books about their civilization I have read. There are many excellent illustrations of the general locations of Hohokam dwellings, ball courts and the the canals that they built to irrigate their crops. Many of the canals the Hohokam built are very close to where modern canals are now located which demonstrates the engineering capabilities of these people. In fact the grades chosen are mostly flat and wander around the hills in the Phoenix basin providing water for fields they cultivated in the flatlands. The article on the approximately 200 known ball courts along the Salt, Gila and Verde rivers built by the Hohokam and how the games were similar to those played in the Western area of Mexico, was especially interesting to me. I like how the book discusses different hypotheses and delineates the analysis of why certain views are more likely. In contrast I find Stephen Lekson's books much more focused on the commercial market, more biased and less interesting to read than this excellent and well researched book.