Theory: According to archaeologists of the 1930s, the people of the Tonto Basin may have migrated into other areas of the American Southwest between AD 1280 and 1450, bringing their unique lifeways with them. Early archaeologists termed this group the Salado. By 1945, some also used the term Salado for the 14th century Hohokam of the Phoenix basin, one area where the Salado were thought to have migrated.
However: Many archaeologists believe the population of the Tonto Basin was not large enough to support a migration of enough people to dominate other regions. Also, 14th century Hohokam lifeways appear to be rooted in their earlier lifeways.
Theory: Archaeologists in the 1970s proposed that contact with Hohokam society may have spurred changes in surrounding regions. Hohokam elites were believed to have instituted a trade network with surrounding areas to supply them with exotic items including Salado polychrome pottery. Peoples in distant locations may have adopted Hohokam lifeways to enable them to work and trade more efficiently with the Hohokam.
However: Other archaeologists see little evidence of a Hohokam elite controlling the trade of items like Salado polychrome pottery. The pottery appears to have been made for general household use, not for use by elites.
Theory: One theory in the 1980s proposed that Salado polychrome pottery styles and motifs may have been associated with the spread of a religion. The motifs may have derived from a mix of Pueblo pottery styles, perhaps representing a new belief system generated by the migration of several Pueblo groups into the same area.
However: Several lines of evidence support this theory, but it attempts to account only for the new Salado polychrome pottery style. It does not address architectural and other cultural changes observed across several regions. A single theory may not explain all the phenomena termed the Salado Horizon. Recent excavations, explored in this exhibit, shed light on the lifeways of the prehistoric inhabitants of the Tonto Basin. This research adds some pieces to the puzzle surrounding the pattern of cultural changes – the horizon – called Salado.