Postulation of Socio-Economic Groups from Archaeological Evidence

Exceptional preservation in a sheltered Pueblo III cliff site at Mesa Verde enables delineation of space units formerly occupied by socio-economic groups. These groups are not characterized by kinship relations but by durable remains of domestic cooperation, such as the juxtaposition of rooms with different functions, building sequences, patterns of movement indicated by doorway locations, and the placement of hearths and other domestic features. Three different groupings are recognized: household units or suites, courtyard units, and complete village-sized communities.