Prehistoric culture diffusion in the Gran Chichimeca

Graduation date: 1986The Gran Chichimeca is a North American area extending from\ud the Tropic of Cancer to the south to the thirty-eighth parallel in\ud the north, thus embracing northern Mexico and the American Southwest.\ud The rise of the great mesoamerican civilizations to the south\ud of the Gran Chichimeca and the consequent pressure of trade resulted\ud in a northward diffusion of cultural traits, many of which reached\ud the American Southwest.\ud The advantages of various possible routes over which mesoamerican\ud cultural traits might have been passed are discussed and\ud five specific traits are examined. In the American Southwest, especially,\ud these traits are but dimly perceived and are not accorded the\ud recognition which they merit.\ud These traits have been selected for their unique character\ud and their patent visibility. The character of these five traits and\ud their significance is demonstrated