Between the bordering territories of the United States and Mexico, various ethnic groups developed in pre-Hispanic times, which were generally nomads and hunters due to the natural characteristics of the ecosystem. The cultural region that represented them was arid america, and in this article we will detail more about it.
What is Aridoamerica?
Aridoamérica is a large expanse of land between the north-central areas of Mexico and the south of the United States, its name was given by the German anthropologist Paul Kirchhoff in 1950, a constant researcher of these civilizations established in these places since the times before the arrival of the settlers.
Geography of Aridoamerica
The limits of Aridoamérica adjoin the cultural regions of Mesoamerica (in Central America and Mexico) and Oasisamérica (in the southern part of the United States), below are the states that occupy this territory according to each nation:
- The Mexican states that make it up are the following: Coahuila – Tamaulipas – Durango – Sonora – Nuevo León – Chihuahua – San Luis de Potosí – Querétaro – Jalisco – Guanajuato – Sinaloa – Zacatecas – Aguascalientes – Baja California.
- The regions of the United States are related to the following states: Arizona – New Mexico – California – Nevada – Colorado – Wyoming – Idaho – Oregon – parts of Kansas.
Cultures of Aridoamerica
In pre-Hispanic times, groups belonging to civilizations established in Mesoamerica and in regions of what is now the United States of America, decided to embark on a journey looking for new places to stay.
This is how a "small" group of civilizations decided to inhabit and spread through the desert areas of the territory that includes Aridoamérica. However, due to the natural environment they chose, it did not allow them to settle for a long time, on many occasions factors such as the climate were limiting, which led them to become nomadic or semi-nomadic civilizations.
These lands were not so fertile and they were forced to choose as sustenance, the animals they obtained during hunting, fishing and some other fruits they collected such as cocuyes, yucca flowers, peas, chia seeds, edible cacti and prickly pear fruit popsicles.
Despite the fact that the climate, the surface and the lack of some other basic elements to survive, the tribes ended up adapting to all these extensive territories; so when the supplies they collected were insufficient, they almost immediately mobilized in search of territories that would provide better living conditions.
The ethnic groups, who inhabited and moved for a long time in these desert places of Aridoamerica, are the following:
- From the Chichimeca that came to settle in these lands, 7 different tribes were derived, which likewise continued to move throughout Aridoamerica, these are: Guachichil, Coca, Caxcán, Guamare, Chichimeca-Jonaz, Zacateco and Pame.
- Similarly, there were ethnic groups identified as follows: Cochimí, Pericú, Kiliwa, Tepecanos, Pima, Tarahumara, Huichol, Seri, Shaft Tombs, Acaxee, Cucapá, Guarijiro, Tepehuán, Kumiai, Mogollón, Yaqui, Mayo, Opata, Teuchitlán, Guaicura, Yoreme, Pai Pai, Anazasi, Mongui and Hohokam.
It is important to specify that all these cultures did not share the same period of time, that is, they all inhabited what we know as Aridoamerica but some were present in certain years of its beginnings and the derivations of new groups, made cultures appear later than the originals.
Likewise, most of them did not receive any type of external influence, so it is common to see that these civilizations had characteristics that were very typical of them, something that can be seen in their: language, religious beliefs, customs and traditions.
At the time of settling down, they made their rooms or shelters in constructions that were easy to assemble and disassemble; These were a kind of tent or conical tent which was supported by wooden rods and for its covering, they used the skins of the animals obtained during the hunt.
However, two of the tribes that belonged to this cultural region, such as the Anasazi and the Hohokam, made more stable and durable constructions using stones and other materials, in addition to being able to ingeniously build a water collection system that could use it, both for crops as well as for its own consumption.
These cultures were also not able to develop methodologies or deep knowledge applicable to areas of study such as science, astronomy or other sciences; they did not develop any calendar, nor knowledge and novel ideas already advanced. However, they were possessors of applied techniques in the areas that represent the works of: textiles, ceramics, handicrafts, carpentry and boat manufacturing.
Likewise, they adored nature, this was in part one of the reasons for their impressive adaptability to the ecosystems they once inhabited; Similarly, in terms of their religion, they linked it closely to nature, so it was common to see their devotion to gods linked to each element that makes it up. In relation to their rituals, they had a complex system of rites, the most notable being the treatment of the bodies of their deceased at the time of giving them their holy burial.
As for its artistic manifestations, in many archaeological zones located in these territories a great variety of cave paintings and petroglyphs have been found, with character and natural as well as symbolic designs.
Their way of life was generally represented by large groups, but at the same time they did it independently; the support, union and assistance between them could be seen when, for example, there were armed conflicts, there they decided to act together to protect and save their peers.
Economy
The difficult conditions that were framed by the arid and desert ecosystem of Aridoamérica, without a doubt, marked not very positively the activities in which they could have developed: for this reason, they led a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle always ready to look for the basic supplies for their survival.
One of the activities that they did not develop or carry out was agriculture; motivated by the fact that the climate hindered its development, but this would change later years for some civilizations that constantly insisted on the development of this activity through the implementation of irrigation mechanisms and one or another technique learned by the neighboring civilizations of Mesoamerica.
However, their efforts were applied primarily to hunting, fishing, collecting fruits and pearls, as well as the manufacture of boats, fishing nets and various tools or utensils made with stones and wood; in itself this constituted the main economic activities of him.
Similarly, the rapprochement with more developed cultures, such as the Mesoamerican one, not only served as a means of exchange or barter for their products, but was also beneficial for sharing information about ideas, inventions, among others with the aim of improving their living conditions.
Relief
Due to its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, this region is warmer and quite extensive, it is crossed by various chains of mountain ranges such as: the eastern and western Sierra Madre and Sierra Nevada. Another huge territory of this is isolated from the humid winds of the coasts, for this reason desertification occurs with the exception of the cultural region called Oasisamérica, which has various oases and streams.
Flora and Fauna
Although it is a desert and waterless place, there is a lot of life that adapts to this type of surface and climate, among them we have:
Flora
With the exaggerated climatic conditions and the arid surface, the vegetation is quite rare. It has a large set of cactus plants, these types of plants are ideal for arid climates, since they have waterproof linings inside that access the water tank in times of drought in order to survive.
In all desert areas, the flora is generally non-existent, since they are sandy and rocky areas where a mantle of soil with enough nutrients does not coexist for the plants to secure their roots. In less arid areas, usually near water sources such as oases or stream tributaries, various low bushes and prickly flowers belonging to the cactus family manage to grow.
Fauna
Like the flora, the fauna is usually absent in desert areas. In the places near the water currents, we can find different types of animals that are characteristic of this desert area, such as scorpions, snakes, spiders, lizards, wolves and several pumas. In the less arid areas we could find cattle, various types of scavengers and some rodents.
Climate
Due to its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, this area has high temperatures almost all year round. However, the temperature differences are exaggerated, reaching 45°C during the day and slowly decreasing at night until reaching 15°C below zero. This climatic environment allows many areas of Arid America to be barren and semi-desert.
In very persistent circumstances for the habitability of humans and certain animals in desert areas, unexpected winds arise that raise large amounts of sand and dust. Being an arid and dry area, during the stormy rainy season it can flood certain places made of limestone, causing further wear and damage to the soil.
Pueblos
Despite the considerable group of the cultural region of Aridoamerica, they did not manage to achieve transcendental development or progress, for this reason this is one of the reasons why they faced so much instability and difficulty to improve their living conditions and evolve as a whole. society.
And this argument is supported, based on the various archaeological investigations that are carried out to know how they lived and each of the characteristics of each civilization.
In them, it was determined that a mega community could not be created in this cultural area of Aridoamerica due to the marked individuality that each ethnic group presented; For example, they could celebrate any festivity or ceremony together, but when they were brought together as a whole people, this was difficult; in part it may have been due to the lack of an empire or a powerful capital to sustain it.
Archaeological Zones of Aridoamerica
Of these ancient civilizations, various archaeological zones have been found where countless objects have been found that are very representative of their life and development. A model of this is the content in the tombs, they kept great respect for their deceased, for this reason they performed a series of rituals for their transcendence to the afterlife, for this they left tools and vessels in their last chambers. Among the most distinctive archaeological sites of these cultures are:
- The Sierra de Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico, in this place numerous objects have been found that have a place in the time of the Late Stone Age and others from the Christian era; Most of them date back to the XNUMXst century. Similarly, they found proof that these cultures began to develop agriculture in times after their beginnings. The most symbolic places regarding the existence of these groups in the mountains are found in the following caves:
- Nogales
- The dog
- The devil
- Devil's Canyon
- The Chihuahuan desert, the extension of this area, makes it one of the largest in North America. In these areas are the 4 Ciénegas, in which there are around 200 water ponds and a variety of animal and flora species; In this place countless cave paintings and petroglyphs made by these civilizations were found.
Problems of the Aridoamerica Concept
Many researchers have believed that the concept of Aridoamérica does not represent the essence of being a cultural super region. Motivated that at the time of bringing together all the cultures that settled in this region it could not be achieved, since due to their inconstant, individual and wild lifestyle, it did not allow the establishment of a great capital of power or the existence of great empires.
It is so much so, that between cultures there is the notion that a common dialect never existed. This differentiation was so fixed in them that when he visited distant civilizations such as the Nahuas, they used to identify them as foreigners, outsiders or barbarians.
So to give these foreigners a name, the Nahuas decided to use the Chichimeca word which was found and used later by Mexican archaeologists, establishing a nickname for the Aridoamerica region as the Great Chichimeca.
Differences between Aridoamerica and Mesoamerica
The first difference that is noted between these regions are the cultures that chose these regions, for their permanence and development. Obviously, Mesoamerica takes the lead due to the cultural richness that flooded these territories, unlike the few groups that inhabited the Aridoamerica region. And this marked differentiation may be largely due to their ecosystems, one being fertile and abundant in natural resources, and the other dry and lacking in resources.
For this reason, the Mesoamericans had the opportunity to develop agriculture and established their dwelling places in large cities, where they built large constructions, thus demonstrating their mastery of architecture.
The Aridoamericans were not benefited from the previous explanation, in their lands very little rainfall fell and there were very few water flows, which forced them to sustain themselves from hunting, fishing, the depletion of resources and constant transfers to new places, making it impossible for him to remain and at the same time the development of constructions and large cities.
The latter also determined the lifespan of crops to this day. The sedentary cultures of Mesoamerica had time to develop more sophisticated forms of writing, construction, and ceremonial customs, remnants of which may still remain. On the other hand, those of Aridoamérica had a culture with ephemeral productions, in which dance, song and wind instruments predominated.
oasisamerica
This is a zone after what was Aridoamérica, occupying some places of it; and in the same way, different cultures developed here. The most representative contrast between Oasisamerica and Aridoamerica is that from 500 BC to 1500 AD, the civilizations of this cultural zone began to implement techniques for the development of agriculture in these territories; These were learned from the Mesoamerican civilizations, using the vital resource "water" from the Gila and Asunción rivers.
The ethnic groups managed to spread through Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and California (territories of the United States) and Chihuahua and Sonora (states of Mexico).
Although there was a cultural diversity in these territories, only 3 were the most figurative: Anasazi, Mogollón and Hohokam. These, due to the change from nomadic to sedentary life, promoted the architectural development of this region, adding to their activities the production of ceramics, baskets and various types of handicrafts which they began to market.
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