ARCHAEOLOGY OF SONORA: ANCIENT CULTURES OF NORTHERN MEXICO AND THEIR ROLE IN ESTABLISHING TIES BETWEEN MESOAMERICA AND THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

Researchers of pre-colonial Mexico cultures are familiar with Mesoamerican Mayan civilization, the Aztecs, the Olmecs, etc. However, on the Northern outskirts of ancient Mexico developed traditions that were associated with the world of Indians of the South-West (USA) and Mesoamerica. The article studies ancient cultures of northwestern Mexico by the example of archaeology of the state of Sonora, taking into account the research of Mexico and US scientists. It claims the insignificant influence of elements related to Mesoamerica culture (early forms of traditional farming, the spread of copper ornaments, ceramics), interaction with the cultures of the South-West (Casas Grandes, Hohokam), material culture (gathering, farming, fishing), archaeological sites and objects (construction of terraces, formerly dwelling, stone tools, products and ornaments from sea-shells, etc.). There is evidence that human presence on the territory of the modern Sonora dates back as far as 10 000 BC. The first inhabitants of this area were nomadic hunters and gatherers who used stone tools made of limestone. The most ancient of these, common to Sonora and Arizona, are the various arrowheads well known to archaeologists and defined as clovis. They are associated with the activities of mammoth hunters and other fossil animals and chronologically refer to 9500-9000 BC Two main cultures associated with the peculiarities of the geographical environment formed on the territory of Sonora. The hunters, fishermen and seafood collectors lived on the dry coast of the Gulf of California. They used shellfish as a traditional food, and traded shells, seashells on beautiful pottery, copper bells, etc. from Arizona and Chihuahua. The inhabitants of the coast also developed ancient navigation. Rains are more common in the mountainous areas of the East of Sonora. In these places, there were conditions to borrow Mesoamerican type of agriculture from 1500 BC (cultivation of maize, beans, pumpkin). This area is characterized by the construction of stone terraces. Ceramics is an indicator of the emergence of permanent settlements and the formation of agriculture. Remains of pottery date back to the middle VII-XIII centuries. In the period of XI -mid. XIV complexes of small settlements with developed for that era trade (exchange) relations were constructed. Traditions of Sonora were associated with the cultures of Chihuahua (Casas Grandes), Arizona (the Hohokam), Sinaloa. Of particular importance in the spread of the influence of Mesoamerica were ancient cultures of Sinaloa (the role of mediator). The article analyzes the monuments of petro-glyphics as a manifestation of the culture of Sonora natives.

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