Hohokam stone bowls

Rodriguez, Lesley Mae (2023) Hohokam stone bowls. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

This thesis explores Hohokam ground stone bowls from the Phoenix and Tucson areas of Arizona. Hohokam refers to the culture of the people inhabiting the lowland deserts of Arizona prehistorically. Ground stone bowls, a category which includes the artifacts often referred to as censers, are considered a hallmark of pre-classic Hohokam society, although they have received little attention as an artifact group. This research adds to existing knowledge by examining the range of variation in bowls, including censers, identifying existing patterning, and examining patterning and the range of variation in relation to temporal, spatial, or other factors. Using attribute data collected by my own artifact analysis, I have identified and thoroughly documented the range of morphological and decorative variation as well as assessed any evidence for burning or residues on this sample of Hohokam ground stone bowls. In doing so I created a typology of decorative motifs that can be used to standardize terminology and analyses for future research, similar to White’s (2004) work with Hohokam palettes (which are often associated with carved bowls/censers). Stone bowls, mortars, and censers were found to have some overlap. Even so, it was determined that enough strong evidence of burning was present to validate Haury’s (1976) theories about the use of certain objects to burn or heat an intermediate substance. This study also serves as a background population against which solitary finds can be held up against and compared.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Censer; Effigy bowl; Ground stone; Hohokam; Mortar; Stone bowl; Arizona antiquities; Pottery
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Social and Behavioral Science > Anthropology
Date Deposited:	28 Jul 2026 17:48
Last Modified:	28 Jul 2026 17:48
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6323

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