Did Hohokam have Ballcourts?
One of the most recognizable attributes of Hohokam culture is a form of public architecture that we call ballcourts. These sizeable basin-shaped structures with earthen embankments were built at most of the large villages throughout the region.
How many ancient Ballcourts do you think there are in Arizona?
Archaeologists have found more than 200 oval-shaped earthen depressions with embankments in central and southern Arizona that resemble the Mesoamerican ballcourts. These features date between roughly A.D. 750 and 1200 and are associated with the Hohokam culture.
Who are the Hohokam tribe?
Hohokam culture, prehistoric North American Indians who lived approximately from 200 to 1400 ce in the semiarid region of present-day central and southern Arizona, largely along the Gila and Salt rivers.
What were Hohokam ball courts used for?
These oval depressions were likely used to play a ball game that originated in southern Mexico, where the game was played with a rubber ball and had a very important role in reenacting the creation of humans in this world.
What were the Hohokam known for?
The Hohokam are probably most famous for their creation of extensive irrigation canals along the Salt and Gila rivers. In fact, the Hohokam had the largest and most complex irrigation systems of any culture in the New World north of Peru.
How was Hohokam pottery made?
Pottery was made using coils of clay that were bonded and thinned using a paddle-and-anvil technique. Polishing stones were used to smooth the surfaces of pots (my colleague Dr. Jenny Adams can identify polishers due to the distinctive wear present on them).
When did the Hohokam flourish?
The Hohokam represent one of the largest and most complex societies in the Southwest. At the cultural peak of the Hohokam in the “Classic” period of the A.D. 1100s through 1400s, there were tens of thousands of Hohokam people living in large villages scattered throughout the Phoenix and Tucson basins.
What was the Hohokam culture known for?
What is Hohokam pottery?
Hohokam pottery tends to be constructed of buff or light brown clay, and they were made using the paddle-and-anvil technique. Hohokam pottery is often decorated with red geometric designs, usually banded or allover patterns of repeated small motifs.