Gender Violence in the American Southwest (AD 1100-1300): Mothers, Sisters, Wives, Slaves

This volume uses osteobiography and individual-level analyses of burials from the La Plata River Valley (New Mexico) to illustrate the variety of roles that Ancestral Pueblo women played in the past (circa AD 1100–1300). It combines social theories about gender and violence with burial data and information from other sources to present a more accurate, nuanced, and complex picture of life in the past for mothers, sisters, wives, and captives.

Format: Hardback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 21 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This volume employs osteobiography and detailed examinations of burials recovered from the La Plata River Valley (New Mexico) to showcase the diverse range of roles that Ancestral Pueblo women fulfilled in the past (circa AD 1100–1300). The authors reconstruct the experiences of women based on their gender, age, and social status throughout their lives, taking into account the various forms of violence they faced and the impact of social violence on their health. By integrating social theories about gender and violence with burial data, along with information from various other sources such as archaeological reconstructions of homes and communities, ethnohistoric records of Pueblo society, and contemporary perspectives of Pueblo women, the authors demonstrate the usefulness of a modern bioarchaeological approach. This analysis provides a more accurate, nuanced, and comprehensive portrayal of life in the past for mothers, sisters, wives, and captives.

Osteobiography is a powerful tool for understanding the past, as it allows us to examine the lives of individuals in detail and gain insight into their experiences and relationships. By studying the bones of individuals, researchers can learn about their diet, health, and physical activity, as well as their social and cultural practices. In this volume, the authors use osteobiography to explore the lives of Ancestral Pueblo women in the La Plata River Valley (New Mexico) during the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The authors use a variety of sources to reconstruct the lives of these women, including archaeological evidence, ethnohistoric records, and contemporary perspectives. One of the key findings of this volume is that Ancestral Pueblo women played a variety of roles in their communities, including mothers, sisters, wives, and captives. The authors demonstrate that these women were subject to a range of gendered forms of violence, including sexual assault, domestic violence, and forced labor. However, the authors also show that these women were able to resist and challenge these forms of violence, and that they played important roles in their communities as healers, leaders, and artists. Another important finding of this volume is that social violence had a significant impact on the health of Ancestral Pueblo women. The authors show that women who experienced social violence were more likely to experience chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and arthritis, than women who did not experience social violence. The authors argue that this is likely due to the stress and trauma that social violence can cause, as well as the physical and emotional harm that it can inflict. The authors also suggest that social violence can have long-term consequences for communities, as it can lead to social and economic instability and undermine social cohesion. Overall, this volume provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the past and the roles that women played in it. By using osteobiography and a variety of other sources, the authors demonstrate that Ancestral Pueblo women were complex and multifaceted individuals who played important roles in their communities and faced a range of challenges and opportunities. The authors also show that social violence had a significant impact on the health and well-being of these women, and that it is important to consider the impact of social violence in our understanding of the past.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367642235