Tame or Wild? Emergent Ranching Cultures of the Spanish Colonial Pimería Alta
On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, Dr. Nicole Mathwich (San Diego State University) presented “Tame or Wild? Emergent Ranching Cultures of Spanish Colonial Pimería Alta” at the 2023-2024 Archaeology Café. This talk explored the emergent animal husbandry culture in the Pimería Alta through the first introduction of livestock to the region through the Spanish mission system (1687-1833). Dr. Mathwich compared and contrasted faunal bone from five mission sites from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. By examining the site of Mission Guevavi and she examine how levels of ferality were strategically employed at the mission.