Female Jar Carriers of the Mimbres

Probable Prehistoric Depictions of Water Transportation

Bibliographic Data

ID11380368
AuthorsBrian S Shaffer (University of North Texas, Denton), Brian Shaffer (University of North Texas, corresponding author), Karen M Gardner (Prewitt and Associates, Inc., Austin, Texas)
Year1999
Volume19
Issue3
Pages223-231
Publication date1999-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNorth American Archaeologist (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0197-6931 • E-ISSN: 1541-3543
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2190/jbrv-f8pd-vcu4-089y
OpenAlexW2325849087
LanguageEN
References cited14

Historically, the transportation of water for the Pueblos of the American Southwest was an important activity conducted primarily by females. Water commonly was transported in a jar, balanced on the top of the female's head. The antiquity of this practice has gone undetermined in the archaeological record because it represents a behavioral, instead of a material, aspect of society. As a result, virtually the only way to identify this practice and its antiquity in prehistory is through art. From the American Southwest, Mimbres painted pottery motifs documented females carrying jars on their heads, possibly representing water transportation, as early as 900 years ago

Ancient history · Archaeology · Geography · JAR · Pottery · Prehistory · Engineering · History · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology

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