Ancient Culture Prompts Worry For Arid Southwest

NPR ^ | 7-10-2007 | Richard Harris

[randog]

Cornucopia explains that lack of water for drinking and for growing crops may have led them away. Not enough growth of trees failed to keep the Anasazi warm with firewood.

"The reason we're asking questions is because we're worried about global warming and what it might do to the Southwest," Overpeck says. "And it might be like when these guys left."

Yes, let's evacuate Arizona and New Mexico before they run out of firewood.

[blam]

GGG Ping.

And then, the Japanese came:

The Zuni Enigma

Nancy Yaw Davis

Did a group of thirteenth-century Japanese journey to the American Southwest, there to merge with the people, language, and religion of the Zuni tribe?

For many years, anthropologists have understood the Zuni in the American Southwest to occupy a special place in Native American culture and ethnography. Their language, religion, and blood type are startlingly different from all other tribes. Most puzzling, the Zuni appear to have much in common with the people of Japan.

In a book with groundbreaking implications, Dr. Nancy Yaw Davis examines the evidence underscoring the Zuni enigma, and suggests the circumstances that may have led Japanese on a religious quest-searching for the legendary "middle world" of Buddhism-across the Pacific and to the American Southwest more than seven hundred years ago.

Nancy Yaw Davis holds an M.A. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Washington. Author of numerous articles, she has long researched the history and cultures of the native peoples of North America. Her company, Cultural Dynamics, is located in Anchorage, Alaska, where she lives.

(BTW, this is a pretty good book)

[xcamel]

FReepmail me to get on or off

Click on POGW graphic for full GW rundown

New!!: Dr. John Ray's
GREENIE WATCH

Ping me if you find one I've missed.

---

...grasping at straws, now that 90% of anthropogenic GW has been debunked.

[Red Badger]

"The reason we're asking questions is because we're worried about global warming and what it might do to the Southwest," Overpeck says. "And it might be like when these guys left."

I just knew that was in there somewhere.........

[GATOR NAVY]

There have been no advances in technology in 800 years. We’re as helpless today as the Anasazi were. /s

[Sacajaweau]

Yup, they got in their cars and left.

[BenLurkin]

Interesting!

[Stayingawayfromthedarkside]

Of course they conveniently do not mention their were no cars and factories belching out toxic fumes.

[blam]

Historical Review: Megadrought And Megadeath In 16th Century Mexico (Hemorrhagic Fever)

"The epidemic of cocoliztli from 1545 to 1548 killed an estimated 5 million to 15 million people, or up to 80% of the native population of Mexico (Figure 1). In absolute and relative terms the 1545 epidemic was one of the worst demographic catastrophes in human history, approaching even the Black Death of bubonic plague, which killed approximately 25 million in western Europe from 1347 to 1351 or about 50% of the regional population.

"The cocoliztli epidemic from 1576 to 1578 cocoliztli epidemic killed an additional 2 to 2.5 million people, or about 50% of the remaining native population."

[cripplecreek]

I think there was a lot more global intermingling than is generally accepted. After all, the polynesians made it all the way to Easter island and Hawaii without any help.

[PeterFinn]

The disappearance of the Anasazi had more to do with the Aztecs eating them.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/doubleissue/mysteries/anasazi.htm

[Red Badger]

The Anasazi probably just moved on to better pastures and became some other tribe which we do know, like Navajo or Apaches..........

[thulldud]

So the Anasazi had to move out because they didn’t sign Kyoto?

[Da Coyote]

Guess those natives weren’t watching their “carbon footprint”. Wish Gore coulda been there.

[blam]

'Canyon Gardens: The Ancient Pueblo Landscapes of the American Southwest'

[okie01]

Cornucopia explains that lack of water for drinking and for growing crops may have led them away. Not enough growth of trees failed to keep the Anasazi warm with firewood.

Did the Anasazi have SUVs and fossil-fueled power plants?

Do Overpeck and Cole (and NPR) realize, I wonder, that they are making a marvelously effective argument that climate change -- when it happens -- is actually a function of natural cycles? That modern man has nothing more to do with it than the Anasazi?

[blam]

Dying For Dinner

Christy shut up the critics when he found a fossilized Corpolite (turd) that contained human protein.

[Red Badger]

So the Anasazi had to move out because they didn’t sign Kyoto?

Their Carbon Footprint was too large..........and they couldn't buy any Carbon Credits..........

[sean327]

There is another theory about Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. It’s premis is Pueblo Bonito was purely cerimonial in nature, due to the fact that there are very few grave sites in the immediate vicinity. There are other ancient ruins in the canyon that are strung out for 50 miles, this is where the people lived.

I saw this a couple months ago on the history channel, and thought it was a pretty interesting theory. I grew up in New Mexico and spent alot of time with my dad going to many of these old ruins. Chaco is a fascinating place. I believe the Anasazi became the modern day Pueblo tribes that are now strung out along the Rio Grande from Taos to Isleta, along with Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni(maybe the Hopi also, but I’m not to sure)