Aridoamérica Is the term that denominates the region that is in the zone north and center of Mexico and the south of the United States.
This term was coined to denominate the cultural region existing before the European colonization in these territories. It limits to the south with Mesoamerica and to the north with Oasisamérica.
Arid America is characterized by an arid and dry climate, with little ecological diversity since the conditions are hard. The water is scarce and is located in small streams and underground sources.
It has a latitude near the tropic of Cancer, reason why it has a very hot climate that can reach extreme temperatures. Because of this, the vegetation is scarce, with mostly cacti plants and small shrubs.
It is an extensive territory with a rugged orography, counting on several mountain ranges that cross it as they are the mountain range of the Eastern and Western Sierra Madre, as well as Sierra Nevada.
Main features of Aridoamérica
Territory
Arid America includes the northern territories of Mexico and the southern part of the United States. Specifically, it includes the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Coahuila, Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur, Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Durango and parts of the states of Zacatecas, Nayarit, and San Luis Potosí.
Aridoamérica is located in the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and part of the states of Kansas, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon.
In the northeast of Mexico we find the Sierra de Tamaulipas. It is one of the most inhabited areas of occupation in Arid America over the years.
In this territory, archaeologists found evidence of cultures dating back to the earliest years of the Christian era. The forms of agriculture of the oldest of America were located.
The Chihuahua desert is the largest desert in North America, with an area that reaches 300,000 km2. Within this desert climate stands out the zone of Four Ciénagas. This area stands out for the location of about 200 ponds and oasis and its own ecosystem.
The rest of the desert is practically uninhabitable; it is an expanse of barren land, since the characteristics prevent the development of flora and fauna, with no more water sources than the oasis of the zone of Four Ciénagas.
Extreme weather
Being in the latitude corresponding to the tropic of Cancer, counts on high temperatures throughout the year.
But the variations of temperature are extreme being able to reach to the 40ºC throughout the day, descending later until arriving at the 10º below zero during the night.
These climatic conditions make many parts of Arid America desert and semi-desert.
With very harsh conditions for the habitability of living things. In the desert zones can rise sudden winds that move large amounts of dust.
Being such an arid and dry area, when the torrential rainy season occurs, it can flood some areas, which are formed of limestone, causing greater erosion And soil wear.
Flora
With the extreme weather conditions, and an arid soil, the vegetation Is rather scarce. It has a large number of cacti plants.
This type of plants are perfect for climates so arid, because they have waterproof membranes inside that allow the accumulation of water in dry times, to survive.
In the most desert areas, vegetation is practically non-existent, since they are sandy areas and stony areas, where there is no soil layer with sufficient nutrients where the plants can enclave their roots.
In less arid places, usually near water sources, such as oases or river tributaries, some low shrubs and thorny plants of the cactus family may grow.
Fauna
As with flora, fauna is virtually non-existent in desert areas. At sites near water sources, we can find several animal species , Typical of desert areas such as scorpions, lizards, coyotes and pumas.
In less arid areas we can find buffalo, various species of carrion birds and small rodents.
Semi-nomadic Cultures
Having such an extreme climate, the area of Arid America is characterized by few human settlements.
The cultures that were happening in this area over the years were semi-nomadic, had fixed locations depending on the time of year.
These lived in a tribal way developing their own characteristics, such as language, culture or religion.
They lived on the basis of hunting and gathering. They lived in non-permanent buildings, the Tipies, made with sticks and animal skins.
Unlike its southern neighbors, such as Mayas or Aztecs , These towns did not develop writing or urban centers. However, they developed their own pottery and handicraft techniques.
Within the cultures that we find in this zone, we emphasize the Anasazi and Hohokam, which were of the few sedentary cultures in the zone of Aridoamérica.
In the Stone Age formed their settlements with rock and created networks of channels for the irrigation of the crops.
Commerce
Due to the characteristics of the land, so that the inhabitants of Arid America could survive had to trade with their neighbors of Mesoamerica and Oasis America.
They established commercial ties with the civilizations that surrounded them and, in addition to the products, benefited from the culture and advances of the great civilizations. They traded and acquired from their neighbors things like furs, pearls and fish.
When developing a Subsistence culture , Many engaged in war between them, thus stealing food from neighboring villages to survive.
Normally they came into conflict with their Mesoamerican neighbors, who referred to them with the term"Chichimecas"in a generic way.
When the Cultures of Mesoamerica Were losing power, many of these Chichimecs, instead of attacking them, joined them causing a mestization of cultures.
References
- KNOCH, Monika Tesch. Arid America and its southern border: Archaeological aspects within the middle zone Potosina. Nomads and sedentary in the North of Mexico. Homage to Beatriz Braniff, ed. Marie-Areti Hers, José Luis Mirafuentes, María de los Dolores Soto, and Miguel Vallebueno (Mexico: National Autonomous University of Mexico, 2000), p. 547-50.
- CHÁVEZ, Humberto Domínguez; AGUILAR, Rafael Alfonso Carrillo. The collecting and hunting towns of Arid America. 2008.
- ZAMARRÓN, José Luis Moctezuma. Arid America invisible: an ethnographic view. Field Routes, 2016, no. 4-5, p. 112-117.
- GARCÍA, Jesús Rojas. Historical evolution in North American cultural development zones: geographic and climatic aspects as a factor of change.TEPEXI Scientific Bulletin of Tepeji del Rio High School, 2014, vol. 2, paragraph 3.
- REYES, JONATHAN RAYMUNDO; GARCIA, VALERIA SINAHI; GAYTAN, JOVANA. PBL: THE FIRST POPULATORS OF THE STATE OF CHIHUAHUA.
- FONSECA, MC FRANCISCO JAVIER CASTELLÓN; FLORES, MC JUAN CARLOS PLASCENCIA. MEXICO HISTORY.
- CISNEROS GUERRERO, Gabriela. Changes in the Chichimeca border in the north-central region of New Spain during the sixteenth century. Geographical investigations, 1998, no 36, p. 57-69.