Cochise tradition facts for kids

The Cochise tradition (also called the Cochise culture) was a way of life for ancient people in the southern part of the Southwestern United States. It is one of four main groups from the Archaic period in the Southwest.

This tradition lasted for a very long time, almost 5,000 years! It began around 5000 BC and ended around 200 BC. The earliest part of this culture is called Sulphur Spring. The two later and better-known parts are the Chiricahua and San Pedro phases. The Cochise tradition was named after Lake Cochise, an ancient lake in Cochise County, Arizona. Many experts believe the Cochise people were ancestors of later cultures like the Mogollon and Hohokam.

The Cochise tradition is also part of a larger group called the Picosa culture. This name was created in the 1960s by Cynthia Irwin-Williams. It combines three areas where ancient people lived similar lifestyles and used similar tools: Pinto Basin (PI), Cochise tradition (CO), and San Jose (SA). Together, these form "Picosa."

Chiricahua Phase

The Chiricahua phase of the Cochise tradition is known for its many tools. These include different kinds of projectile points (like arrowheads or spear points) and many tools used to process seeds. This phase is thought to have lasted from about 3500 BC to 1500 BC, but it might have started even earlier. We know about this phase from discoveries made in places like Ventana Cave in Arizona and other sites in Arizona and western New Mexico.

San Pedro Phase

The San Pedro phase came after the Chiricahua phase. During this time, people made large projectile points with notches on the sides or corners. These points often had straight or rounded bases. Scientists have used radiocarbon dating to estimate that the San Pedro phase was active from about 1500 BC to 200 BC.

By the time of the San Pedro phase, more people seemed to be living in the American Southwest. These groups started using a wider variety of natural resources. They also sometimes lived in larger settlements that might have been more permanent. Some San Pedro sites have oval-shaped pithouses. These were homes dug about 1.6 feet (about 0.5 meters) into the ground. Building such homes would have taken a lot of effort, suggesting that people stayed in one place for longer periods. It is also believed that San Pedro communities began growing crops like maize (corn) and other plants.

See also

In Spanish: Cultura cochise para niños