Northern Plains Village Cultures

Internal Stability and External Relationships

Bibliographic Data

ID2979232
AuthorsW Raymond Wood (0000-0002-9675-9868, corresponding author)
Year1974
Volume30
Issue1
Pages1-16
Publication date1974-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Anthropological Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0091-7710 • E-ISSN: 2153-3806
PublisherUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/jar.30.1.3629916
OpenAlexW768736807
LanguageEN
Citations received10

Horticultural groups in the Northern Plains comprised a cultural continuum in stable equilibrium, having undergone only superficial modifications in technology, exploitative activities, and settlement patterning from their first appearance in the area. The positioning of villages along terraces overlooking the Missouri River floodplain placed the zoned resources within equal reach of all communities. Consequently, these politically autonomous villages were also economically self-sufficient. There was little reason for trade between villages, but there was extensive trade with nomads from outside the valley. This trade not only diffused elements between nomads and villagers, but it intensified the village way of life and helped stabilize it, thus reinforcing the division between nomad and villager. There were no village or regional specializations, and only a few social mechanisms to stimulate inter-village integration. These factors combined to help maintain the village groups at a tribal level of organization

Archaeology · Business · Cartography · Floodplain · Geography · Settlement (finance · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Archaeology and Natural History · Fermentation and Sensory Analysis · Horticultural and Viticultural Research

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