Reconstructing animal exploitation by Puebloan peoples of the southwestern United States using Mimbres pottery, AD 1000-1150

Much of prehistoric animal use can only be inferred from archaeological deposits, except when portrayed in prehistoric art. The Mimbres-Mogollon of the southwestern USA are known for their elaborately painted ceramic bowls, many of which depict naturalistic motifs. Examination of the more than 6300 Mimbres pottery archive files at the Maxwell Museum, University of New Mexico, and other published information, revealed less than 120 bowls that depict humans/human artifacts and animals together. On these vessels, detailed scenes of hunting, fishing, trapping, and snake ceremonies are depicted.