EMAP (1999) Survey of Seco Drainage

During 1997 and 1998, EMAP excavations also began to include earlier sites dating to the Classic Period (A.D. 1000-1150). Prior to these excavations, the majority of comparative data from the Classic Period came from the Mimbres Valley and Upper Gila regions. Excavation at eastern Mimbres sites was a step toward understanding the Classic Period in the eastern Mimbres area. The excavations revealed many material similarities between Mimbres Valley and eastern Mimbres Classic Period sites (Brady and Clark 1998). One of the most pronounced differences, however, is that estimated population density in the eastern Mimbres area is much less than estimated population density for the Mimbres Valley during the Classic Period. The upland areas of the Rio Grande side drainages would not have been able to support dense populations dependent upon maize agriculture (Brady 1999).
The 1999 Seco survey was designed with several goals in mind. Our first objective was to document Classic period settlement on the Seco drainage, in an effort to expand our settlement data for the eastern Mimbres for this time period. Second, we wished to revisit Classic Period Palomas sites in order to recheck locations, maps, and to take ceramic collections from these sites. Our third overall objective was to identify Postclassic Period sites on the Seco to determine whether the Postclassic reorganization was widespread in the eastern Mimbres area.

1997至1998年间，EMAP的考古发掘工作也开始涵盖可追溯至古典时期（公元1000年-1150年）的更早遗址。在此前的发掘工作中，古典时期的多数对比数据均来自明布雷斯河谷（Mimbres Valley）与希拉河上游地区（Upper Gila regions）。对东部明布雷斯遗址的发掘，是推动我们认知东部明布雷斯地区古典时期考古面貌的重要一步。本次发掘揭示出明布雷斯河谷与东部明布雷斯古典时期遗址间存在诸多物质遗存相似性（Brady与Clark，1998）。然而，二者最显著的差异之一在于：东部明布雷斯地区的估算人口密度远低于古典时期明布雷斯河谷的人口密度。里奥格兰德河（Rio Grande）旁侧流域的高地区域无法支撑依赖玉米农业的稠密人口（Brady，1999）。

1999年的塞科（Seco）考古调查预设了多重研究目标：首要目标是记录塞科流域的古典时期聚落，以扩充该时期东部明布雷斯地区的聚落研究数据；其次，我们希望重新勘查古典时期帕洛马斯（Palomas）遗址，复核其地理位置、测绘图纸，并采集这些遗址的陶瓷标本；第三项整体目标是识别塞科流域的后古典时期遗址，以探明后古典时期的聚落重组现象是否在东部明布雷斯地区广泛存在。