La Proveedora - Archeology in Sonora

Archeology in Sonora

The Sonora archaeological heritage of has a huge time depth, as demonstrated by evidence left by groups that 13,000 years ago populated this region. Towards northern Sinaloa and the coastal plains of the Fuerte, Mayo and Yaqui rivers, to the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, developed the Huatabampo tradition, formed by communities that farmed cotton, corn, beans and pumpkin, by taking advantage of a large variety of coastal resources.

Towards the east is the “Serrana Tradición”, on which after 1,000 A.D., changes in housing types are seen, these are built on surface, with walls resting on stone foundations. The best known site of this tradition is in Baviácora, in the municipality with the same name.

Towards the northeastern end of the state, in the river Bavispe, Bacerac, Huachinera and Sahuaripa basins, are communities very similar to prehispanic sites as Casas Grandes, although it seems to constitute a different tradition which might be termed Carretas. These little hierarchical settlement societies combined occupation of villages on river terraces with adobe houses in caves, possibly for winter use.

Towards the Northwest of Sonora in the basins of the rivers Magdalena, Concepción, Imuris, altar and Cucurpe, there are trinchera culture communities, whose villages with hole houses became more numerous after 700 AD.

Sonora has numerous sites with engraved or painted rock designs, the best known are “La Proveedora” in the trinchera tradition region and “La Pintada”, in the Central Coast area.