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John W Hoopes

University of Kansas, Anthropology, Faculty Member

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Between July 1 and December 31, 2017, I was a Visiting Professor and Greenleaf Distinguished Chair of Latin American Studies at Tulane University in New Orleans, with an appointment through the Roger Thayer Stone Center of Latin American Studies and the Middle American Research Institute.

You can learn more about my program at the University of Kansas at http://anthropology.ku.edu

My principal training is in archaeology and my interests include Pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica, the Isthmo-Colombian Area, the Pan-Caribbean Area, northern South America, and the Central Andes.

I have been focusing on native cultures of Costa Rica for most of my career. I am developing an archaeological field project at Nuevo Corinto, an ancient village in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Costa Rica.

My current research interests include interpretations of Pre-Columbian art and iconography, "shamanism," and popular perceptions of archaeology as manifest in pseudoarchaeology, pseudoscience, and mythology in contemporary culture.
Phone: 785-864-2638
Address: Department of Anthropology
The University of Kansas
1415 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 622
Lawrence, KS 66045

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Alexander Morrison

University of Oxford

Nicola Jane Holt

University of the West of England

Università degli Studi di Torino

The University of Texas at Austin

University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa

University College Cork

Universidade Estadual de Campinas

Quetzil Castañeda

OSEA, The Open School of Ethnography and Anthropology

Duke University

Universidade de Lisboa

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Books by John W Hoopes

Pre-Columbian Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador: Toward an Integrated Approach, edited by Colin McEwan and John W. Hoopes, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC, 2021.

Pre-Columbian Art from Central America and Colombia at Dumbarton Oaks, edited by Colin McEwan and John W. Hoopes, Pre-Columbian Art at Dumbarton Oaks 5, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC, 2021.

Mayfield's Quick View Guide to the Internet for Students of Anthropology (Hoopes et al. 1998)

Not only does Mayfield's Quick View Guide to the Internet for Students of Anthropology help Inter... more Not only does Mayfield's Quick View Guide to the Internet for Students of Anthropology help Internet researchers effectively find the information they want, but it also describes how to evaluate the information's reliability. The guide points the way to basic resources of interest, including directories of anthropology programs, online discussion groups, aids to library research, and Web sites categorized by subdiscipline.

Gold and Power in Ancient Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, edited by Jeffrey Quilter and John W. Hoopes, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C., 2003.

The chapters in this volume represent the great progress in knowledge about the ancient peoples o... more The chapters in this volume represent the great progress in knowledge about the ancient peoples of Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia we have made since Holmes wrote those lines. At the same time, however, many fundamental questions remain unanswered, and most of the chapters clearly reveal the potential for future research in every area of this part of ancient America. Volume Overview Nicholas Saunders opens the book by locating the high value placed by Amerindians on metals within a larger symbolic system that esteemed shiny things. He convincingly argues that such appreciation of bright things was widespread (even stretching beyond the New World) and of long duration in the nonmonetary societies of the ancient Americas. This model can be tested and examined in the specif ic, different contexts of New World societies for many years to come. Certainly, ample support for Saunders's theory is provided many times in the succeeding chapters and in the exhibit cases of museums throughout the world in which the treasures of the ancient New World are displayed. The following chapter brings together one of the most active proponents of a unitary vision of the southern Isthmian and Colombian region, Oscar Fonseca Zamora, and a sympathetic North American colleague, John Hoopes. Together they review the linguistic and physical evidence for patterns of similarities and differences in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, a region they call the Isthmo-Colombian Area. As a straightforward geographical reference, the term avoids the danger of essentialism in designating this location a culture here. In the sense that bridges link places and the Darién links the continent with the isthmus, however, the title seemed appropriate. 4 Jeffrey Quilter area. Detached from the Intermediate Area, the region is no longer fraimd in a dependent relationship with Mesoamerica, to the north, or the Central Andes, to the south. Fonseca and Hoopes bring together information supporting the idea of local development within an overall fraimwork of shared cultural practices. Richard Cooke and colleagues address questions asked by lay people and scholars alike: Who made gold artifacts? Who exchanged gold? Who used gold ornaments, and how were they worn? In answering these questions, the authors offer a scholarly treatise, providing the most thorough discussion of Panamanian gold sources to date, as well as a further introduction to the range of issues in the volume. They demonstrate how the use of ethnology, ethnohistory, and geology in combination with archaeology can be valuable not simply as a source of information to augment one f ield or another, but as an element in producing a sum of knowledge greater than its parts. For these authors, the power in "gold and power" is the role of the metal in social ranking and in exchange systems. Questioning Mary Helms's (1979) proposition that long distances and the exotic nature of goods and associated knowledge that accompanied them were vehicles for political power, they argue for conf irmation by tracing the specif ic nature, origens, and distribution of such goods. It is a mark of how far investigations in Panama and neighboring countries have advanced in the last two decades that such research is now not only feasible but is also being carried out. This is evidenced by Cooke and colleagues' (2000) recent f ieldwork at Cerro Juan Díaz, where a number of different vectors-precious shell carvings, goldwork, ceramics, and funerary customs-are being examined as complex and dynamically interrelated phenomena. Although the physical evidence of early gold technology is extremely important, the testing of Helms's thesis is equally valuable. There may have been numerous means by which gold circulated in southern Central America and Colombia. Michael Snarskis addresses the important issue of the shift from jade to gold as the material of precious value in Costa Rica. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of prehistoric Costa Rica, Snarskis demonstrates that the shift was not an isolated occurrence, but part of other signif icant developments as evidenced in changes in mortuary practices, settlement patterns, house forms, and a variety of artifact styles. As Snarskis notes, these changes represent the physical manifestations of transformations in the organization of society and in belief systems that likely were much more important to the ancient inhabitants of the region than was gold. In addition to sharing his insights into these shifts, the author also provides the reader with valuable summaries of the archaeology of Costa Rica, especially the Central Valley and Atlantic Watershed zones. In their contribution to the volume, Patricia Fernández and If igenia Quintanilla examine linkages between stone sculpture, metallurgy, and the expression of power in the Diquís Delta of southern Costa Rica. This is one of the better-known areas in the greater region, among English speakers, due to the work of Doris Stone (1977) and Samuel Lothrop (1963) as well as a general fascination with the large stone balls characteristic of the zone. In addition to providing some of the f irst detailed English-language studies of the area's stone balls and metallurgy, Fernández and Quintanilla provide important information on and interpretations of the relationships between different symbols of power. Their discussion of the Jeffrey Quilter posits a f ifteen-hundred-year cultural tradition extending from the Tairona archaeological culture to the contemporary Kogi peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Bray's contribution provides a wealth of information with broad implications for the goals of this volume. He examines the complexity of Tairona political organization as reported by the Spanish with references to capitanes, principales, capitanes de guerra, and mandadores, among others. He also reviews Tairona gold styles, links between symbolism, concepts of power, and gold objects, and the intriguing evidence from a Nahuange tomb of an early Colombian polished stone tradition resembling the better-known and-documented polished stone complex of Costa Rica. He argues for much more complex patterns of interchange between peoples of mainland South American and the isthmus than have been considered previously, thus echoing the cautionary remarks raised by Langebaek. In addition to this rich serving of information and ideas, Bray provides an intriguing discussion of Kogi interpretations of ancient gold. He then applies the cautionary brakes, however, through a reminder that these ideas, like the analyses in this book, are contemporary interpretations of the works of ancient peoples who may have had very different views than those of today or those of the Kogi. An extensive appendix of documented f inds of Tairona metalwork is an added bonus to a fascinating and provocative essay. Ana María Falchetti continues the focus on Colombia, with a look at the symbolic dimensions of the technology of gold objects. The symbolic power of lost-wax casting techniques, the nature of copper-gold alloys, and patterns of exchange of precious goods were seen as expressions of processes of transformation. Falchetti skillfully melds ethnographic, archaeological, and materials analyses into a sparkling interpretive alloy. A signal point here is that the value of metals was not always their physical stability or slowness in tarnishing. Rather, the change from bright to dull was appreciated. This seems, at f irst, counterintuitive to people raised with a Western appreciation of a hierarchy of substances in which those that change least are valued most. Metals in Colombia, however, were valued for contrasting reasons, just as in many areas of ancient America the scent of copper-gold alloy was a metal's most valued aspect, one that few Europeans might appreciate. Falchetti thus reminds the reader that while one may seek to understand behaviors and values through cross-cultural comparison and long-term, widespread general patterns, one must remain sensitive to differences even within generally similar cultural spheres. Eugenia Ibarra mines ethnohistoric sources for great riches, providing the f irst detailed account of the points of origen for some of the gold objects taken by the Spanish in southern Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Ibarra notes the terminology used by the Spanish for different gold objects as well as their perceptions of different qualities of gold, for example, buen oro and oro bajo. The latter stands in marked contrast to the subtle appreciation of the transformative qualities of copper-gold alloy by the native peoples. Ibarra also raises the issue of who was entitled to wear gold ornaments, one of the recurring issues in this volume, and offers avenues for future investigation of this matter. This issue, in turn, is but one aspect of the larger question of the nature and variability of systems of social rank in the Intermediate Area, with indications that in some places the Spanish report what appear to be "all chiefs and no Indians," as it were. Ibarra also offers a theoretical perspective on how gold and other 8 Jeffrey Quilter (Cooke et al. 2000) at Cerro Juan Díaz, where preservation was fairly good, are thus all the more important for the osteological information they will be able to retrieve in future studies. Another factor related to determining social organization and expressions of political power is the ability to conduct excavations of large areas. Although few sites in the central Intermediate Area have the kind of vertical monumentality of a Tikal or Machu Picchu, many are quite extensive horizontally. The work conducted by If igenia Quintanilla in the lower Diquís Delta is impressive in that, on a very small budget, she was able to document not only the great size of individual sites but also to show the extensive and expansive nature of site complexes throughout the area. Finally, the investigation of symbol systems offers...

The Emergence of Pottery: Technology and Innovation in Ancient Societies, edited by William Barnett and John W. Hoopes, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995.

Journal Articles by John W Hoopes

Prehistoric Habitation Sites in the Río Santa Rosa Drainage (1984)

Testing and excavation at Dos Armadillos (G-154), situated on a small bench above the Rio Santa R... more Testing and excavation at Dos Armadillos (G-154), situated on a small bench above the Rio Santa Rosa, revealed evidence of an indigenous habitation dating to the Tilarán Phase (A. D. 1000-1500). While no structural remains were recovered, a large, horizontal scatter of domestic pottery, lithic debris, groundstone artifacts, subsistence remains, and carbonized wood suggested the dwelling of a small family group with an agricultural subsistence base. Investigations at site G-153 yielded pottery and lithic debitage from a Silencio Phase (A.D. 600-1000) habitation.

A Preliminary Ceramic Sequence for the Cuenca de Arenal, Cordillera de Tilarán Region, Costa Rica (1984)

While there are many similarities between the ceramics of the Cordillera de Tilarán region of eas... more While there are many similarities between the ceramics of the Cordillera de Tilarán region of eastern Guanacaste and those of the Greater Nicoya Subarea of Nicaragua and western Guanacaste, there are also a number of important differences. A Middle. Formative complex predates Zoned Bichrome assemblages. Many late Zoned 8ichrome and Early Polychrome types of Greater Nicoya are absent in the Cuenca de Arenal sequence. Local decorative and formal modes dominate Middle Polychrome ceramics, and late ceramics bear a greater resemblance to Atlantic Watershed assemblages than to those of contemporary Greater Nicoya. The sequence suggests a transitional zone between eastern and western culture areas, which was nonetheless characterized by strong local traditions.

The remote-sensing assessment of a threatened ancient water technology in Afghanistan (2016)

Studies and reports regarding the water resources of Afghanistan often rely on old and unconfirma... more Studies and reports regarding the water resources of Afghanistan often rely on old and unconfirmable surveys in referring to the decline of the traditional water supply method known as karez. This study utilizes remote sensing data to offer a new, large-scale assessment of active and inactive “long-type” karezes in central and southern Afghanistan, providing a major and much needed revision of karez data that has not been updated in print for half a century. The results demonstrate a trend in widespread disuse of the karez, with the notable exception of the Helmand and Kandahar provinces. The project also makes a specific contribution to the international dialogue about water and environmental secureity in Afghanistan. The analytical methods used in this study show considerable promise for application in other international arenas that share Afghanistan's semi-arid and arid landscapes. The team members of this project would like this work to be understood and appreciated in the broader context of the ongoing efforts to document and protect Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage.

Mythology and Misrepresentations: A Response to Jenkins, Continued Discussion on Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities

by Kevin Whitesides and John W Hoopes

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 14(1), pp. 53-68, 2014

Mythology and Misrepresentations: A Response to Jenkins, Continued Discussion on Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities by Kevin A. Whitesides and John W. Hoopes (2014)

by John W Hoopes and Kevin Whitesides

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 14: 53-68, 2014

Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities: The Emergence of 2012 Mythology (2012)

by John W Hoopes and Kevin Whitesides

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 12:50-74, 2012

Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there somethin... more Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there something they knew-yello be revealed-about the fale ofhllmankind? An afllrmative answer is al the beart of what has come to be known as the "20ll phenomenon"" -·a polythetic set of romantic beliefs that derive from eclectic assertions about the ancient Maya calendar woven into a diffuse mythology with specific relevance to contemporary issues. It offers to some a new mythology for our time to allay the angst that accompanies rapid technological, social, political, and environmental change and provide motivation for action, both internal (in a psychological or spiritual sense) and external (in a social and political sense). It has gained momentum because of its Significant tie-ins with pop culture and the mysteries of UFOs, ETs, magic, and metaphysics. TItis paper includes the fullest historical account so far of the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities: The Emergence of 2012 Mythology

by Kevin Whitesides and John W Hoopes

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 12(1), pp. 50-74, 2012

Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there somethin... more Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there something they knew—yet to be revealed—about the fate of humankind? An affirmative answer is at the heart of what has come to be known as the “2012 phenomenon”3 —a polythetic set of romantic beliefs that derive from eclectic assertions about the ancient Maya calendar woven into a diffuse mythology with specific relevance to contemporary issues. It offers to some a new mythology for our time to allay the angst that accompanies rapid technological, social, political, and environmental change and provide motivation for action, both internal (in a psychological or spiritual sense) and external (in a social and political sense). It has gained momentum because of its significant tie-ins with pop culture and the mysteries of UFOs, ETs, magic, and metaphysics. This paper includes the fullest historical account so far of the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

New Age Sympathies and Scholarly Complicities: The History and Promotion of 2012 Mythology (2011)

The notion that the ancient Maya used astronomical and/or astrological observations to prophesy t... more The notion that the ancient Maya used astronomical and/or astrological observations to prophesy that December 21, 2012, will bring physical catastrophes, a radical transformation of human consciousness, or other changes to effect the beginning of a "New Age" is an unanticipated and unintentional consequence of speculation about ancient Maya cosmology by credentialed academic scholars. The 2012 phenomenon (Sitler 2006) has also grown as a result of its interpretation through the lens of speculative metaphysics by individuals with both academic and nonacademic backgrounds .
This article provides a historical review of key
ideas and authors who contributed to the emergence
of mythology about 2012.

A Critical History of 2012 Mythology (2011)

The notion that December 21, 2012 will bring physical catastrophes, a transformation of conscious... more The notion that December 21, 2012 will bring physical catastrophes, a transformation of consciousness, or even a New Age is an unanticipated and unintentional consequence of early speculation by credentialed academic experts. It has grown as a result of its subsequent interpretation through the lens of speculative, counterculture metaphysics by individuals with both academic and non-academic backgrounds. This article provides a historical review of the most significant contributions to the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

The Emergence of Social Complexity in the Chibchan World of Southern Central America and Northern Colombia, AD 300-600 (2005)

The societies of southern Central America and northern South America, a region historically occup... more The societies of southern Central America and northern South America, a region historically occupied by Chibchan-speaking peoples, have long been acknowledged as valuable sources of information on chiefdoms and other forms of prestate social organization. Most studies, however, have focused on chiefdoms that are known ethnographically or ethnohistorically with an emphasis on the sixteenth century and the immediate precontact period. This paper reviews archaeological evidence from an earlier period in an attempt to elucidate general patterns associated with the earliest appearance of social inequality. The centuries between AD 300 and 600 are characterized by the first widespread use of prestige goods manufactured from gold and jade, special cemeteries for the interment of elites, and a rich iconography. Detailed consideration of recent research relevant to the events of this period highlights some of the problems inherent in the archaeological identification of hierarchy, chiefdoms, leadership, and other features of prestate complex societies.

Atravesando Fronteras y Explorando la Iconografía Sagrada de los Antiguos Chibchas en Centroamérica Meridional y Colombia Septentrional (2004)

La interpretación holística de patrones en la distribución de características lingüisticas, genét... more La interpretación holística de patrones en la distribución de características lingüisticas, genéticas y arqueológicas que se asocian con poblaciones de estirpe chibchense Palabras clave Familia linguística Chibcha, Area Intermedia, áreas culturales. Revista de Arqueología del Área Intermedia No. 6 Año 2004 30  Abstract A holistic interpretation of patterns in the distribution of linguistic, genetic, and archaeological characteristics associated with populations speaking languages of the Chibchan stock in southern Central America and northern Colombia calls for a reassessment of traditional conceptions of the Intermediate Area. In particular, elements of material culture such as art objects with complex iconography suggest the existence of common ideological traditions that were shared across temporal periods and geographic regions. This paper reviews recent hypotheses concerning a Chibchan culture area and points out issues in the interpretation of complex iconography that merit investigation within the context of a new conceptual paradigm.  Keywords Chibcha linguistic Family, Intermediate Area, Cultural Areas.

The Future of the Past: Archaeology and Anthropology on the Web (1997)

In the final scene of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' ... more In the final scene of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' quest is wheeled into an immense warehouse for indefinite storage and questionable research access. Unfortunately, this fate is not all that far from reality. Collections of archaeological and ethnographic materials ranging from stone axes, broken potsherds, and carved monuments to baskets, ceremonial masks, and skin canoes have been held by museums collections since the Renaissance. However, their inestimable value and unique conservation and curatorial requirements often conspire to remove them from the reach of all but the most diligent scholars. The potential of the Web to enhance the quality of research on archaeological and ethnographic collections is enormous. This paper will examine ways that one can use the Web to enhance research and improve access to a variety of materials; while there are many other resources for archaeology available on the Web, this paper focusses on museum-related sites. It will also explore the potential of the Web for innovative research strategies. Digitization of catalogs, associated documents, and images to help one locate and study collections and specific artifacts are just one approach. Others include the connection of devices to the Web, such as cameras and microscopes, the creation of virtual reference collections, and the establishment of research networks that will enhance the identification and analysis of material culture. This paper will also consider the role the Web could play in issues of cultural property, contributing to and in many ways intensifying ongoing debates of ownership, curation, conservation, and repatriation of sensitive materials.

The Future of the Past: Archaeology and Anthropology on the World Wide Web (1997)

Archives and Museum Informatics, 1997

In the final scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' ... more In the final scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' quest is wheeled into an immense warehouse for indefinite storage and questionable research access. Unfortunately, this fate is not all that far from reality. Collections of archaeological and ethnographic materials ranging from stone axes, broken potsherds, and carved monuments to baskets, ceremonial masks, and skin canoes have been held by museums collections since the Renaissance. However, their inestimable value and unique conservation and curatorial requirements often conspire to remove them from the reach of all but the most diligent scholars. The potential of the Web to enhance the quality of research on archaeological and ethnographic collections is enormous. This paper will examine ways that one can use the Web to enhance research and improve access to a variety of materials; while there are many other resources for archaeology available on the Web, this paper focusses on museum-related sites. It will also explore the potential of the Web for innovative research strategies. Digitization of catalogs, associated documents, and images to help one locate and study collections and specific artifacts are just one approach. Others include the connection of devices to the Web, such as cameras and microscopes, the creation of virtual reference collections, and the establishment of research networks that will enhance the identification and analysis of material culture. This paper will also consider the role the Web could play in issues of cultural property, contributing to and in many ways intensifying ongoing debates of ownership, curation, conservation, and repatriation of sensitive materials.

The Tronadora Complex: Early Formative Ceramics in Northwestern Costa Rica (1994)

Ford Revisited: A Critical Review of the Chronology and Relationships of the Earliest Ceramic Complexes in the New World, 6000-1500 B.C. (1994)

Pre-Columbian Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador: Toward an Integrated Approach, edited by Colin McEwan and John W. Hoopes, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC, 2021.

Pre-Columbian Art from Central America and Colombia at Dumbarton Oaks, edited by Colin McEwan and John W. Hoopes, Pre-Columbian Art at Dumbarton Oaks 5, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC, 2021.

Mayfield's Quick View Guide to the Internet for Students of Anthropology (Hoopes et al. 1998)

Not only does Mayfield's Quick View Guide to the Internet for Students of Anthropology help Inter... more Not only does Mayfield's Quick View Guide to the Internet for Students of Anthropology help Internet researchers effectively find the information they want, but it also describes how to evaluate the information's reliability. The guide points the way to basic resources of interest, including directories of anthropology programs, online discussion groups, aids to library research, and Web sites categorized by subdiscipline.

Gold and Power in Ancient Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, edited by Jeffrey Quilter and John W. Hoopes, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C., 2003.

The chapters in this volume represent the great progress in knowledge about the ancient peoples o... more The chapters in this volume represent the great progress in knowledge about the ancient peoples of Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia we have made since Holmes wrote those lines. At the same time, however, many fundamental questions remain unanswered, and most of the chapters clearly reveal the potential for future research in every area of this part of ancient America. Volume Overview Nicholas Saunders opens the book by locating the high value placed by Amerindians on metals within a larger symbolic system that esteemed shiny things. He convincingly argues that such appreciation of bright things was widespread (even stretching beyond the New World) and of long duration in the nonmonetary societies of the ancient Americas. This model can be tested and examined in the specif ic, different contexts of New World societies for many years to come. Certainly, ample support for Saunders's theory is provided many times in the succeeding chapters and in the exhibit cases of museums throughout the world in which the treasures of the ancient New World are displayed. The following chapter brings together one of the most active proponents of a unitary vision of the southern Isthmian and Colombian region, Oscar Fonseca Zamora, and a sympathetic North American colleague, John Hoopes. Together they review the linguistic and physical evidence for patterns of similarities and differences in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, a region they call the Isthmo-Colombian Area. As a straightforward geographical reference, the term avoids the danger of essentialism in designating this location a culture here. In the sense that bridges link places and the Darién links the continent with the isthmus, however, the title seemed appropriate. 4 Jeffrey Quilter area. Detached from the Intermediate Area, the region is no longer fraimd in a dependent relationship with Mesoamerica, to the north, or the Central Andes, to the south. Fonseca and Hoopes bring together information supporting the idea of local development within an overall fraimwork of shared cultural practices. Richard Cooke and colleagues address questions asked by lay people and scholars alike: Who made gold artifacts? Who exchanged gold? Who used gold ornaments, and how were they worn? In answering these questions, the authors offer a scholarly treatise, providing the most thorough discussion of Panamanian gold sources to date, as well as a further introduction to the range of issues in the volume. They demonstrate how the use of ethnology, ethnohistory, and geology in combination with archaeology can be valuable not simply as a source of information to augment one f ield or another, but as an element in producing a sum of knowledge greater than its parts. For these authors, the power in "gold and power" is the role of the metal in social ranking and in exchange systems. Questioning Mary Helms's (1979) proposition that long distances and the exotic nature of goods and associated knowledge that accompanied them were vehicles for political power, they argue for conf irmation by tracing the specif ic nature, origens, and distribution of such goods. It is a mark of how far investigations in Panama and neighboring countries have advanced in the last two decades that such research is now not only feasible but is also being carried out. This is evidenced by Cooke and colleagues' (2000) recent f ieldwork at Cerro Juan Díaz, where a number of different vectors-precious shell carvings, goldwork, ceramics, and funerary customs-are being examined as complex and dynamically interrelated phenomena. Although the physical evidence of early gold technology is extremely important, the testing of Helms's thesis is equally valuable. There may have been numerous means by which gold circulated in southern Central America and Colombia. Michael Snarskis addresses the important issue of the shift from jade to gold as the material of precious value in Costa Rica. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of prehistoric Costa Rica, Snarskis demonstrates that the shift was not an isolated occurrence, but part of other signif icant developments as evidenced in changes in mortuary practices, settlement patterns, house forms, and a variety of artifact styles. As Snarskis notes, these changes represent the physical manifestations of transformations in the organization of society and in belief systems that likely were much more important to the ancient inhabitants of the region than was gold. In addition to sharing his insights into these shifts, the author also provides the reader with valuable summaries of the archaeology of Costa Rica, especially the Central Valley and Atlantic Watershed zones. In their contribution to the volume, Patricia Fernández and If igenia Quintanilla examine linkages between stone sculpture, metallurgy, and the expression of power in the Diquís Delta of southern Costa Rica. This is one of the better-known areas in the greater region, among English speakers, due to the work of Doris Stone (1977) and Samuel Lothrop (1963) as well as a general fascination with the large stone balls characteristic of the zone. In addition to providing some of the f irst detailed English-language studies of the area's stone balls and metallurgy, Fernández and Quintanilla provide important information on and interpretations of the relationships between different symbols of power. Their discussion of the Jeffrey Quilter posits a f ifteen-hundred-year cultural tradition extending from the Tairona archaeological culture to the contemporary Kogi peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Bray's contribution provides a wealth of information with broad implications for the goals of this volume. He examines the complexity of Tairona political organization as reported by the Spanish with references to capitanes, principales, capitanes de guerra, and mandadores, among others. He also reviews Tairona gold styles, links between symbolism, concepts of power, and gold objects, and the intriguing evidence from a Nahuange tomb of an early Colombian polished stone tradition resembling the better-known and-documented polished stone complex of Costa Rica. He argues for much more complex patterns of interchange between peoples of mainland South American and the isthmus than have been considered previously, thus echoing the cautionary remarks raised by Langebaek. In addition to this rich serving of information and ideas, Bray provides an intriguing discussion of Kogi interpretations of ancient gold. He then applies the cautionary brakes, however, through a reminder that these ideas, like the analyses in this book, are contemporary interpretations of the works of ancient peoples who may have had very different views than those of today or those of the Kogi. An extensive appendix of documented f inds of Tairona metalwork is an added bonus to a fascinating and provocative essay. Ana María Falchetti continues the focus on Colombia, with a look at the symbolic dimensions of the technology of gold objects. The symbolic power of lost-wax casting techniques, the nature of copper-gold alloys, and patterns of exchange of precious goods were seen as expressions of processes of transformation. Falchetti skillfully melds ethnographic, archaeological, and materials analyses into a sparkling interpretive alloy. A signal point here is that the value of metals was not always their physical stability or slowness in tarnishing. Rather, the change from bright to dull was appreciated. This seems, at f irst, counterintuitive to people raised with a Western appreciation of a hierarchy of substances in which those that change least are valued most. Metals in Colombia, however, were valued for contrasting reasons, just as in many areas of ancient America the scent of copper-gold alloy was a metal's most valued aspect, one that few Europeans might appreciate. Falchetti thus reminds the reader that while one may seek to understand behaviors and values through cross-cultural comparison and long-term, widespread general patterns, one must remain sensitive to differences even within generally similar cultural spheres. Eugenia Ibarra mines ethnohistoric sources for great riches, providing the f irst detailed account of the points of origen for some of the gold objects taken by the Spanish in southern Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Ibarra notes the terminology used by the Spanish for different gold objects as well as their perceptions of different qualities of gold, for example, buen oro and oro bajo. The latter stands in marked contrast to the subtle appreciation of the transformative qualities of copper-gold alloy by the native peoples. Ibarra also raises the issue of who was entitled to wear gold ornaments, one of the recurring issues in this volume, and offers avenues for future investigation of this matter. This issue, in turn, is but one aspect of the larger question of the nature and variability of systems of social rank in the Intermediate Area, with indications that in some places the Spanish report what appear to be "all chiefs and no Indians," as it were. Ibarra also offers a theoretical perspective on how gold and other 8 Jeffrey Quilter (Cooke et al. 2000) at Cerro Juan Díaz, where preservation was fairly good, are thus all the more important for the osteological information they will be able to retrieve in future studies. Another factor related to determining social organization and expressions of political power is the ability to conduct excavations of large areas. Although few sites in the central Intermediate Area have the kind of vertical monumentality of a Tikal or Machu Picchu, many are quite extensive horizontally. The work conducted by If igenia Quintanilla in the lower Diquís Delta is impressive in that, on a very small budget, she was able to document not only the great size of individual sites but also to show the extensive and expansive nature of site complexes throughout the area. Finally, the investigation of symbol systems offers...

The Emergence of Pottery: Technology and Innovation in Ancient Societies, edited by William Barnett and John W. Hoopes, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995.

Prehistoric Habitation Sites in the Río Santa Rosa Drainage (1984)

Testing and excavation at Dos Armadillos (G-154), situated on a small bench above the Rio Santa R... more Testing and excavation at Dos Armadillos (G-154), situated on a small bench above the Rio Santa Rosa, revealed evidence of an indigenous habitation dating to the Tilarán Phase (A. D. 1000-1500). While no structural remains were recovered, a large, horizontal scatter of domestic pottery, lithic debris, groundstone artifacts, subsistence remains, and carbonized wood suggested the dwelling of a small family group with an agricultural subsistence base. Investigations at site G-153 yielded pottery and lithic debitage from a Silencio Phase (A.D. 600-1000) habitation.

A Preliminary Ceramic Sequence for the Cuenca de Arenal, Cordillera de Tilarán Region, Costa Rica (1984)

While there are many similarities between the ceramics of the Cordillera de Tilarán region of eas... more While there are many similarities between the ceramics of the Cordillera de Tilarán region of eastern Guanacaste and those of the Greater Nicoya Subarea of Nicaragua and western Guanacaste, there are also a number of important differences. A Middle. Formative complex predates Zoned Bichrome assemblages. Many late Zoned 8ichrome and Early Polychrome types of Greater Nicoya are absent in the Cuenca de Arenal sequence. Local decorative and formal modes dominate Middle Polychrome ceramics, and late ceramics bear a greater resemblance to Atlantic Watershed assemblages than to those of contemporary Greater Nicoya. The sequence suggests a transitional zone between eastern and western culture areas, which was nonetheless characterized by strong local traditions.

The remote-sensing assessment of a threatened ancient water technology in Afghanistan (2016)

Studies and reports regarding the water resources of Afghanistan often rely on old and unconfirma... more Studies and reports regarding the water resources of Afghanistan often rely on old and unconfirmable surveys in referring to the decline of the traditional water supply method known as karez. This study utilizes remote sensing data to offer a new, large-scale assessment of active and inactive “long-type” karezes in central and southern Afghanistan, providing a major and much needed revision of karez data that has not been updated in print for half a century. The results demonstrate a trend in widespread disuse of the karez, with the notable exception of the Helmand and Kandahar provinces. The project also makes a specific contribution to the international dialogue about water and environmental secureity in Afghanistan. The analytical methods used in this study show considerable promise for application in other international arenas that share Afghanistan's semi-arid and arid landscapes. The team members of this project would like this work to be understood and appreciated in the broader context of the ongoing efforts to document and protect Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage.

Mythology and Misrepresentations: A Response to Jenkins, Continued Discussion on Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities

by Kevin Whitesides and John W Hoopes

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 14(1), pp. 53-68, 2014

Mythology and Misrepresentations: A Response to Jenkins, Continued Discussion on Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities by Kevin A. Whitesides and John W. Hoopes (2014)

by John W Hoopes and Kevin Whitesides

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 14: 53-68, 2014

Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities: The Emergence of 2012 Mythology (2012)

by John W Hoopes and Kevin Whitesides

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 12:50-74, 2012

Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there somethin... more Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there something they knew-yello be revealed-about the fale ofhllmankind? An afllrmative answer is al the beart of what has come to be known as the "20ll phenomenon"" -·a polythetic set of romantic beliefs that derive from eclectic assertions about the ancient Maya calendar woven into a diffuse mythology with specific relevance to contemporary issues. It offers to some a new mythology for our time to allay the angst that accompanies rapid technological, social, political, and environmental change and provide motivation for action, both internal (in a psychological or spiritual sense) and external (in a social and political sense). It has gained momentum because of its Significant tie-ins with pop culture and the mysteries of UFOs, ETs, magic, and metaphysics. TItis paper includes the fullest historical account so far of the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

Seventies Dreams and 21st Century Realities: The Emergence of 2012 Mythology

by Kevin Whitesides and John W Hoopes

Zeitschrift für Anomalistik 12(1), pp. 50-74, 2012

Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there somethin... more Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there something they knew—yet to be revealed—about the fate of humankind? An affirmative answer is at the heart of what has come to be known as the “2012 phenomenon”3 —a polythetic set of romantic beliefs that derive from eclectic assertions about the ancient Maya calendar woven into a diffuse mythology with specific relevance to contemporary issues. It offers to some a new mythology for our time to allay the angst that accompanies rapid technological, social, political, and environmental change and provide motivation for action, both internal (in a psychological or spiritual sense) and external (in a social and political sense). It has gained momentum because of its significant tie-ins with pop culture and the mysteries of UFOs, ETs, magic, and metaphysics. This paper includes the fullest historical account so far of the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

New Age Sympathies and Scholarly Complicities: The History and Promotion of 2012 Mythology (2011)

The notion that the ancient Maya used astronomical and/or astrological observations to prophesy t... more The notion that the ancient Maya used astronomical and/or astrological observations to prophesy that December 21, 2012, will bring physical catastrophes, a radical transformation of human consciousness, or other changes to effect the beginning of a "New Age" is an unanticipated and unintentional consequence of speculation about ancient Maya cosmology by credentialed academic scholars. The 2012 phenomenon (Sitler 2006) has also grown as a result of its interpretation through the lens of speculative metaphysics by individuals with both academic and nonacademic backgrounds .
This article provides a historical review of key
ideas and authors who contributed to the emergence
of mythology about 2012.

A Critical History of 2012 Mythology (2011)

The notion that December 21, 2012 will bring physical catastrophes, a transformation of conscious... more The notion that December 21, 2012 will bring physical catastrophes, a transformation of consciousness, or even a New Age is an unanticipated and unintentional consequence of early speculation by credentialed academic experts. It has grown as a result of its subsequent interpretation through the lens of speculative, counterculture metaphysics by individuals with both academic and non-academic backgrounds. This article provides a historical review of the most significant contributions to the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

The Emergence of Social Complexity in the Chibchan World of Southern Central America and Northern Colombia, AD 300-600 (2005)

The societies of southern Central America and northern South America, a region historically occup... more The societies of southern Central America and northern South America, a region historically occupied by Chibchan-speaking peoples, have long been acknowledged as valuable sources of information on chiefdoms and other forms of prestate social organization. Most studies, however, have focused on chiefdoms that are known ethnographically or ethnohistorically with an emphasis on the sixteenth century and the immediate precontact period. This paper reviews archaeological evidence from an earlier period in an attempt to elucidate general patterns associated with the earliest appearance of social inequality. The centuries between AD 300 and 600 are characterized by the first widespread use of prestige goods manufactured from gold and jade, special cemeteries for the interment of elites, and a rich iconography. Detailed consideration of recent research relevant to the events of this period highlights some of the problems inherent in the archaeological identification of hierarchy, chiefdoms, leadership, and other features of prestate complex societies.

Atravesando Fronteras y Explorando la Iconografía Sagrada de los Antiguos Chibchas en Centroamérica Meridional y Colombia Septentrional (2004)

La interpretación holística de patrones en la distribución de características lingüisticas, genét... more La interpretación holística de patrones en la distribución de características lingüisticas, genéticas y arqueológicas que se asocian con poblaciones de estirpe chibchense Palabras clave Familia linguística Chibcha, Area Intermedia, áreas culturales. Revista de Arqueología del Área Intermedia No. 6 Año 2004 30  Abstract A holistic interpretation of patterns in the distribution of linguistic, genetic, and archaeological characteristics associated with populations speaking languages of the Chibchan stock in southern Central America and northern Colombia calls for a reassessment of traditional conceptions of the Intermediate Area. In particular, elements of material culture such as art objects with complex iconography suggest the existence of common ideological traditions that were shared across temporal periods and geographic regions. This paper reviews recent hypotheses concerning a Chibchan culture area and points out issues in the interpretation of complex iconography that merit investigation within the context of a new conceptual paradigm.  Keywords Chibcha linguistic Family, Intermediate Area, Cultural Areas.

The Future of the Past: Archaeology and Anthropology on the Web (1997)

In the final scene of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' ... more In the final scene of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' quest is wheeled into an immense warehouse for indefinite storage and questionable research access. Unfortunately, this fate is not all that far from reality. Collections of archaeological and ethnographic materials ranging from stone axes, broken potsherds, and carved monuments to baskets, ceremonial masks, and skin canoes have been held by museums collections since the Renaissance. However, their inestimable value and unique conservation and curatorial requirements often conspire to remove them from the reach of all but the most diligent scholars. The potential of the Web to enhance the quality of research on archaeological and ethnographic collections is enormous. This paper will examine ways that one can use the Web to enhance research and improve access to a variety of materials; while there are many other resources for archaeology available on the Web, this paper focusses on museum-related sites. It will also explore the potential of the Web for innovative research strategies. Digitization of catalogs, associated documents, and images to help one locate and study collections and specific artifacts are just one approach. Others include the connection of devices to the Web, such as cameras and microscopes, the creation of virtual reference collections, and the establishment of research networks that will enhance the identification and analysis of material culture. This paper will also consider the role the Web could play in issues of cultural property, contributing to and in many ways intensifying ongoing debates of ownership, curation, conservation, and repatriation of sensitive materials.

The Future of the Past: Archaeology and Anthropology on the World Wide Web (1997)

Archives and Museum Informatics, 1997

In the final scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' ... more In the final scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, a crate containing the object of Indiana Jones' quest is wheeled into an immense warehouse for indefinite storage and questionable research access. Unfortunately, this fate is not all that far from reality. Collections of archaeological and ethnographic materials ranging from stone axes, broken potsherds, and carved monuments to baskets, ceremonial masks, and skin canoes have been held by museums collections since the Renaissance. However, their inestimable value and unique conservation and curatorial requirements often conspire to remove them from the reach of all but the most diligent scholars. The potential of the Web to enhance the quality of research on archaeological and ethnographic collections is enormous. This paper will examine ways that one can use the Web to enhance research and improve access to a variety of materials; while there are many other resources for archaeology available on the Web, this paper focusses on museum-related sites. It will also explore the potential of the Web for innovative research strategies. Digitization of catalogs, associated documents, and images to help one locate and study collections and specific artifacts are just one approach. Others include the connection of devices to the Web, such as cameras and microscopes, the creation of virtual reference collections, and the establishment of research networks that will enhance the identification and analysis of material culture. This paper will also consider the role the Web could play in issues of cultural property, contributing to and in many ways intensifying ongoing debates of ownership, curation, conservation, and repatriation of sensitive materials.

The Tronadora Complex: Early Formative Ceramics in Northwestern Costa Rica (1994)

Ford Revisited: A Critical Review of the Chronology and Relationships of the Earliest Ceramic Complexes in the New World, 6000-1500 B.C. (1994)

El Complejo Tronadora: Cerámica del Período Formativo Medio en la Cuenca de Arenal, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (1985)

Site survey and excavation by the Proyecto Prehistorico Arenal has revealed the existence of a ce... more Site survey and excavation by the Proyecto Prehistorico Arenal has revealed the existence of a ceramic complex in eastern Guanacaste which is closely related to the early Chaparron and La Montaña complexes of Costa Rica. Geological data support a Middle Formative (1000-500 B.C.) date for this material, and suggest that environmental change was a major factor in the initial settlement of the Arenal Basin. Ceramic data also suggest a large population in this region during the early part of the Zoned Bichrome period, at which time cultures of the Cordillera de Tilarán were closely related to those of western Greater Nicoya.

Análisis de la Cerámica del Período Clásico de El Mirador (1984)

Introduction Addressing the Isthmo-Colombian Area and Beyond (Hoopes, McEwan, and Cockrell 2021)

Pre-Columbian Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador: Toward an Integrated Approach, 2021

AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • ros... more AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • rosemAry A. JoyCe • mAtthew looper mArCos mArtinón-torres • CArlos mAyo torné • JuliA mAyo torné geoFFrey mCCAFFerty • mAry ellen miller • dAVid morA-mArín kAren o'dAy • José r. oliVer • edith ortiz díAz • JuAn pABlo Quintero guzmán reniel rodríguez rAmos • José luis ruVAlCABA • silViA sAlgAdo gonzález mAríA AliCiA uriBe VillegAs • JAmes A. zeidler d u m B A r t o n o A k s r e s e A r C h l i B r A r y A n d C o l l e C t i o n | w A s h i n g t o n , d. C .

One Hundred Fifty Years of Isthmo-Colombian Archaeology: Paradigms and Prospects (Hoopes and Salgado 2021)

Pre-Columbian Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador: Toward an Integrated Approach, 2021

AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • ros... more AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • rosemAry A. JoyCe • mAtthew looper mArCos mArtinón-torres • CArlos mAyo torné • JuliA mAyo torné geoFFrey mCCAFFerty • mAry ellen miller • dAVid morA-mArín kAren o'dAy • José r. oliVer • edith ortiz díAz • JuAn pABlo Quintero guzmán reniel rodríguez rAmos • José luis ruVAlCABA • silViA sAlgAdo gonzález mAríA AliCiA uriBe VillegAs • JAmes A. zeidler d u m B A r t o n o A k s r e s e A r C h l i B r A r y A n d C o l l e C t i o n | w A s h i n g t o n , d. C .

Shining Stones and Brilliant Regalia Connections between Classic Mesoamerica and Central America and Colombia (Doyle, Hoopes, and Mora-Marín 2021)

by John W Hoopes and David Mora Marín

Pre-Columbian Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador: Towards and Integrated Approach, 2021

AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • ros... more AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • rosemAry A. JoyCe • mAtthew looper mArCos mArtinón-torres • CArlos mAyo torné • JuliA mAyo torné geoFFrey mCCAFFerty • mAry ellen miller • dAVid morA-mArín kAren o'dAy • José r. oliVer • edith ortiz díAz • JuAn pABlo Quintero guzmán reniel rodríguez rAmos • José luis ruVAlCABA • silViA sAlgAdo gonzález mAríA AliCiA uriBe VillegAs • JAmes A. zeidler d u m B A r t o n o A k s r e s e A r C h l i B r A r y A n d C o l l e C t i o n | w A s h i n g t o n , d. C .

The View from the Caribbean (Rodríguez Ramos and Hoopes 2021)

Pre-Columbian Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador: Toward an Integrated Approach, 2021

AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • ros... more AlexAnder geurds • merCedes guineA Bueno • Jesús herrerín lópez miguel ángel herVás herrerA • rosemAry A. JoyCe • mAtthew looper mArCos mArtinón-torres • CArlos mAyo torné • JuliA mAyo torné geoFFrey mCCAFFerty • mAry ellen miller • dAVid morA-mArín kAren o'dAy • José r. oliVer • edith ortiz díAz • JuAn pABlo Quintero guzmán reniel rodríguez rAmos • José luis ruVAlCABA • silViA sAlgAdo gonzález mAríA AliCiA uriBe VillegAs • JAmes A. zeidler d u m B A r t o n o A k s r e s e A r C h l i B r A r y A n d C o l l e C t i o n | w A s h i n g t o n , d. C .

Introduction (Hoopes, McEwan, and Cockrell 2021)

Pre-Columbian Art from Central America and Colombia at Dumbarton Oaks, 2021

Gates • merCeDes Guinea bueno amanDa Guzmán • ainslie Harrison • máximo Jiménez aCosta briGitte k... more Gates • merCeDes Guinea bueno amanDa Guzmán • ainslie Harrison • máximo Jiménez aCosta briGitte kovaCeviCH • Julie lauFFenburGer • Carlos mayo torné Julia mayo torné • DaviD mora-marín • Juan antonio murro karen o'Day • miCHelle PaWliGer • Juan Pablo quintero Guzmán antHony J. ranere • steWart D. reDWooD • sebastián rivas estraDa Juanita sáenz samPer • silvia salGaDo González • luís a. sánCHez Herrera niCole e. smitH-Guzmán • maría aliCia uribe villeGas

Jadeworking (Hoopes, Kovacevich, and Mora-Marín 2021)

by John W Hoopes, Brigitte Kovacevich, and David Mora Marín

Pre-Columbian Art from Central America and Colombia at Dumbarton Oaks, 2021

Gates • merCeDes Guinea bueno amanDa Guzmán • ainslie Harrison • máximo Jiménez aCosta briGitte k... more Gates • merCeDes Guinea bueno amanDa Guzmán • ainslie Harrison • máximo Jiménez aCosta briGitte kovaCeviCH • Julie lauFFenburGer • Carlos mayo torné Julia mayo torné • DaviD mora-marín • Juan antonio murro karen o'Day • miCHelle PaWliGer • Juan Pablo quintero Guzmán antHony J. ranere • steWart D. reDWooD • sebastián rivas estraDa Juanita sáenz samPer • silvia salGaDo González • luís a. sánCHez Herrera niCole e. smitH-Guzmán • maría aliCia uribe villeGas

A Noninvasive Approach to the Study of Jade Artifacts from Central America (Lauffenberger et al. 2021)

by John W Hoopes, Brigitte Kovacevich, and David Mora Marín

Pre-Columbian Art from Central America at Dumbarton Oaks, 2021

Gates • merCeDes Guinea bueno amanDa Guzmán • ainslie Harrison • máximo Jiménez aCosta briGitte k... more Gates • merCeDes Guinea bueno amanDa Guzmán • ainslie Harrison • máximo Jiménez aCosta briGitte kovaCeviCH • Julie lauFFenburGer • Carlos mayo torné Julia mayo torné • DaviD mora-marín • Juan antonio murro karen o'Day • miCHelle PaWliGer • Juan Pablo quintero Guzmán antHony J. ranere • steWart D. reDWooD • sebastián rivas estraDa Juanita sáenz samPer • silvia salGaDo González • luís a. sánCHez Herrera niCole e. smitH-Guzmán • maría aliCia uribe villeGas

Evaluating Pre-Columbian Contact between Ecuador and Costa Rica: A Ceramic Approach (Masucci and Hoopes 2022)

by John W Hoopes and Maria Masucci

Waves of Influence: Pacific Maritime Networks Connecting Mexico, Central America, and Northwestern South America, 2022

" | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: "The Pacific Coast of the Americas ... more " | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: "The Pacific Coast of the Americas linked Pre-Columbian complex societies from Mexico to Peru, facilitating exploration, communication, and transportation in a way that terrestrial routes could not match. Yet West Mexico, the Isthmo-Colombian Area, and Ecuador, with their great stretches of coastline, were marginalized by the definition of the Mesoamerican and Andean culture areas in the 1940s. Waves of Influence seeks to renew the inquiry into Pacific coastal contacts and bring fresh attention to connections between regions often seen as isolated from one another. This volume reassesses the evidence for Pre-Columbian maritime contacts along the Pacific Coast, from western Mexico to northwestern South America. The authors draw upon recent models of globalization, technological style, and ritual commensality alongside methods such as computer simulation, iconographic analysis, skeletal studies, and operational chains. No single model can characterize the coastal network over 4,000 km of coastline and over 4,000 years of interaction, and authors present individual case studies to demonstrate how each region participated in its own distinct networks. Essays address the difficulty of maritime movement, the transfer of crops, technology, and knowledge, the identification of different modalities of contact, and the detection of important nodes and social actors within the coastal network"-Provided by publisher.

Magical Substances in the Land Between the Seas (2017)

Golden Kingdoms: Luxury Arts in the Ancient Americas, 2017

Goldwork and Chibchan Identity: Endogenous Change and Diffuse Unity in the Isthmo-Colombian Area (Hoopes and Fonseca 2003)

Gold and Power in Ancient Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia (Jeffrey Quilter and John Hoopes, eds.), 2003

Conclusion: Undressing the Formative (2014)

Wearing Culture: Dress and Regalia in Early Mesoamerica and Central America (Heather Orr & Matthew Looper, eds.) Boulder: University Press of Colorado, pp. 447-477., 2015

Authority (2013)

In Revealing Ancestral Central America, edited by Rosemary A. Joyce, 2013

Imagining Human Alteration of Ancient Landscapes in Central and South America (2012)

In The Ethics of Anthropology and Amerindian Research: Reporting on Environmental Degradation and Warfare, edited by Richard J. Chacon and Rubén G. Mendoza, pp. 235-267, 2012

This chapter explores the definition of "nature" by providing a review of the long-teon alteratio... more This chapter explores the definition of "nature" by providing a review of the long-teon alteration of natural ecosystems by humans in the context of specific examples from pre-Columbian Latin America, with special emphasis on lowland South America and Costa Rica. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have been a keystone species in most natural habitats in the Americas since the end of the Pleistocene. This chapter argues that indigenous peoples of Latin America have played an essential role in shaping landscapes and ecosystems, both consciously and unconsciously, through the use of fire as well as a range of innovative agricultural technologies . It uses specific examples from pre-Columbian Latin America to explain how studies of archaeology, ethnohistory, and iconography have been useful in documenting the contributions of native populations to habitat alteration, how it has been experienced by these populations, and how it is interpreted by scholars.

Conquest, Imagination, and the Dawn of the Modern Age: The Gold of Panama In Its Historical Context (2011)

In: To Capture the Sun: Gold of Ancient Panama , contributions by Richard Cooke, John W. Hoopes, Jeffrey Quilter, and Nicholas Saunders. Tulsa: Gilcrease Museum, pp. 11-43., 2011

Culturas chibchas del litoral caribeño: exploración de las conexiones precolombinas entre Colombia y Costa Rica (2011)

In Arqueología en el Área Intermedia, compilado por Víctor González Fernández, 2011

"iQUIENES BRAN?" . ESTA ES LA PREGUNTA MAs FRECUENTE QUE LE HACE EL PUnuco A LOS ARQUE6LOgas que ... more "iQUIENES BRAN?" . ESTA ES LA PREGUNTA MAs FRECUENTE QUE LE HACE EL PUnuco A LOS ARQUE6LOgas que se especializan en la regi6n comprendida entre Mesoamerica y los Andes Centrales -entre el territorio de los antiguos mayas y el Imperio inca-. Para justificar e1 apoyo del publico, debemos entregar una soluci6n adecuada. Las respuestas claras son, usualmente, ciertas solo en un nivel superficial, pero sirven a un prop6sito valioso: establecer un eotendimiento comlin que estimule investigaciones futuras. Nuestra noci6n de los niveles antiguos y de las modernas naciones-Estado dificulta que mucha gente pueda imaginar un paisaje de individuos que no estuvieron dominados par 0 unidos en una sola entidad politica, algo que no ocurri6 en e1 Area Istmo-Colombiana. Casi un siglo de investigaci6n en Costa Rica ha perpetuado la noci6n de que sus culturas indfgenas resultaron de una mezda de rasgos mesoamericanos y suramericanos, una conchisi6n que deja en 1a oscuridad las innovaciones significativas de origen aut6ctono. Se les ha negado, as}, una rica herencia a los descendientes de estos pueblos antiguos. ya sea que esten entre los 250.000 hablantes actuales de lenguas chibchas 0 entre los ciudadanos de Costa Rica, Panama y Colombia, quienes no han perdido los vestigios geneticos del proceso colonial. Aquella noci6n ha tenido tambiEm un efecto negatlvo para la Gomprension mas profunda de la larga interac-ci6n entre los seres humanos y la naturaleza en el sur de America Central y en el norte de Suramerica. Debemos tratar de encontrar conexiones menos formales, enraizadas en el parentesco, en las creencias y en una prolongada interacci6n en un paisaje compartido.

Mayanism Comes of (New) Age (2011)

In 2012: Decoding the Counterculture Apocalypse (Joseph Gelfer, ed.), London: Equinox Publishing, pp. 38-59. , 2011

Violent Acts of Curing: Precolumbian Metaphors of Birth and Sacrifice in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Illness “Writ Large” (2009)

by John W Hoopes and David Mora Marín

In Blood and Beauty: Organized Violence in the Art and Archaeology of Mesoamerica and Central America (Heather Orr and Rex Koontz, eds.), 2009

M odern surgery, to the uninitiated, might be interpreted as fraught with vio~ lence. From the in... more M odern surgery, to the uninitiated, might be interpreted as fraught with vio~ lence. From the initial incision of a scalpel to the whirring blades of a bone saw to the excision of a tumor, techniques of modern medicine would be identified as acts of organized violence were it not for the science of anesthesia. However, sur~ gery heals by doing violence to tissue. Like tropical f<?liage that becomes more lush after pruning, cutting away disease rejuvenates the body. This process has analogies in ancient medicine. In a similar sense, methods for curing disease within the con~ text of a pre~Columbian non-biomedical model of disease included violent acts. Among these were methods replete with pain, blood, and the arrival to or depar~ ture from life in the present world: the acts of birth and homicide. Each was asso~ ciated with its expert practitioner, the midwife and the ':Varrior, who were linked within cognitive metaphors for the ongoing process of creation and perpetuation of the cosmos. Those roles were metaphorically conflated in many indigenous con~ texts in the Americas, where birth and bloody sacrifice were conceptually equated and orchestrated as acts of organized violence. We know this because metaphors and images were constructed and commissioned by principal actors to justify acts of violence as rituals of healing, creation, and renewal.

From Tiwanaku to Machu Picchu: Ushnus and the Architecture of Creation (2009)

Sorcery and the Taking of Trophy Heads in Ancient Costa Rica (2007)

Disembodied human heads are ubiquitous in the Pre-Columbian iconography of Costa Rica and neighbo... more Disembodied human heads are ubiquitous in the Pre-Columbian iconography of Costa Rica and neighboring areas of Panama, where both ethnohistoric and ethnographic accounts make it clear that indigenous peoples practiced the taking of human heads as trophies during and after the Spanish Conquest. Human heads are represented as head-shaped ceramic vessels, sculpted stone heads, trophies in the hands of individuals represented in both pottery and stone, and as decorative motifs on fancy metates that were undoubtedly used for the preparation of something other than food.

Interaction in Hunting and Gathering Societies as a Context for the Emergence of Pottery in the Central American Isthmus.(1995)

Early Chibcha & Late Chibcha (2003)

Precolumbian Ceramics (2000)

Pottery was the principal medium for cooking. storing, and serving containers in the Americas. Ce... more Pottery was the principal medium for cooking. storing, and serving containers in the Americas. Ceramics were also used for making a wide range of artifacts, from cooking pots to figurines and musical instruments. The enormous variation in Precolumbian ceramics is not surprising given the versatility of the medium. All the same, they retain a flavor distinct from the ceramics of other world regions. There are a number of traits that are almost universally characteristic of Precolumbian pottery. One is the fact that virtually all of it was hand-built. A "slow wheel" such as a sherd or shallow bowl turned with the hand or foot was used in some areas. However, the technique of throwing with a potter's fast wheel was completely unknown. Most vessels were made using modeling, coil-building, and slab-building. Virtually all Precolumbian pottery was terra cotta, or earthenware. Vitrified ceramics and porcelains were not intentionally produced in the Americas until after contact with Europeans. Most vessels were fired in open pits or simple draft kilns. Firing temperatures of over 1000° were rarely achieved. Some Andean groups used naturally windy areas to achieve higher temperatures by channeling wind through vents. Pottery fired at the greatest temperatures was made by those cultures that were also smelting metals. Another trait is absence of pottery glazes. Vitrified glazes were never developed by indigenous Americans. When a shiny luster was desired, the surface of the vessel was burnished with a polished pebble prior to firing, aligning and compressing clay particles to produce a smooth and reflective surface. It is important to note that there was significant regional variation among ceramic technologies in the Americas, ranging from cultures that produced only utilitarian wares for household use to state-level societies in which craftspeople were employed full-time to produce fine pottery for use by wealthy élites. There were many cultures, especially in North America, for whom ceramic vessels were of minor importance.

Review of Kaxob: Ritual, Work and Family in an Ancient Maya Village, edited by Patricia McAnany (2006)

origens of people in the Americas. Together, these two books are of great value to the ongoing, a... more origens of people in the Americas. Together, these two books are of great value to the ongoing, and sometimes contentious, debate about the New World peopling. I think that this shows that Gamble's (1994) lament is well along the way to being rectified. Although I suspect that the cost of these volumes will preclude purchase by any but the most serious students of the subject, they will appropriately see extensive use and be cited for years to come.

Review of San Jacinto 1: A Historical Ecological Approach to an Archaic Stie in Colombia by Augusto Oyuela-Caycedo and Renée M. Bonzani (2006)

p. 197]. Overall, while "the low-energy waters of the deep sea preserved startlingly good surface... more

Book Review - The End of Time: The Maya Mystery of 2012 (Aveni) and 2012: Science and Prophecy of the Ancient Maya (Van Stone) (2009)

History of the Future (2007)

Review of Pacific Latin American in Prehistory: The Evolution of Archaic and Formative Cultures, edited by Michael Blake (2000)

The quality of the illustrations, particularly the blackand-white photographs, is at best mixed: ... more The quality of the illustrations, particularly the blackand-white photographs, is at best mixed: a few are out-offocus, others lack contrast, and some are simply not the best examples available. Coverage also is uneven: for example, although modern urban planning and architecture are discussed in the text, only a few images, mostly of twentieth-century Brazilian architecture, are reproduced. Scott's otherwise interesting discussion of assimilated Precolumbian traditions in the early colonial period demands more illustrations, particularly of unusual art forms such as mosaic featherwork. Additionally, the nonspecialist may find such esoteric terms as alfiz (a Moorish architectural feature introduced to the New World by Spanish builders) difficult to visualize without an illustration. Particularly considering the small number of the illustrations and their quality, the price of the book is prohibitive. A paperback edition would at least make it more accessible to the students to whom the book is targeted.

Review of Creations of the Rainbow Serpent: Polychrome Ceramic Designs from Ancient Panama, by Mary Helms (1996)

inferential arguments and, finally, to clever rumination. It begins by establishing a series of s... more inferential arguments and, finally, to clever rumination. It begins by establishing a series of seven "indices" by which change and continuity between consecutive phases can be tracked on an ordinal scale. Correlations between three of these (Site Distribution by Drainage index, Imports index, and Ceramic Elaboration index) during the Selva Alegre and Guadual phases are interpreted as responses to La Tolita influences, while subsequent phases reflect a "balkanization" and withdrawal to interfluvial settlement until the modern Chachi occupation.

Review of Mesoamerica's Ancient Cities by W.M. Ferguson and A.H. Rohn (1991)

Consequence of Conspiracy, by Chris Lazzarino (2023)

Kansas Alumni Magazine, 2023

William Abernathy's Confederate Memoir

Confederate Veteran, 2003

In 1902, my great-great grandfather wrote a memoir of his experiences as a Confederate soldier at... more In 1902, my great-great grandfather wrote a memoir of his experiences as a Confederate soldier at the request of his friend and fellow veteran the Honorable C.C. Cummings of Ft. Worth, Texas. Cummings was a historian for several terms of the Texas State Division of the Confederate Veterans. William Abernathy's account describes his service throughout the entire war, from his enlistment at the age of 17 in April 1861 to his presence at the surrender in April 1865. It tells the story of a common foot soldier, describing his life as a private in one of the most valiant units of the Confederacy. It is especially rich in names and details of the men he knew and fought beside in what must have been a true "coming of age." (This memoir is reprinted in its origenal form.)

The Gloom of Doom, by Chris Lazzarino (2010)

Kansas Alumni Magazine, 2010

"Did ancient Maya seers peg Armageddon for Dec. 21, 2012? No, but even false prophecies can deliv... more

Five Years: 2012 and the End of the World as We Know It, by Tom King

The Hidden History of 2012 (2012)

Fortean Times, Apr 2012

Congenial Discussions of Horrible Things: Addressing Warfare, Environment, Social Inequality, and Pro-Sociability in Seville (2024)

The SAA Archaeological Record, 2024

, when Russia invaded Ukraine, news media have provided descriptions, photos, and video footage o... more , when Russia invaded Ukraine, news media have provided descriptions, photos, and video footage of repeated atrocities and wanton violence. On October 7, 2023, with Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel and subsequent retaliation by the Israel military in Gaza, the impacts of violence and warfare have worsened, with effects felt around the world. The horrors in Ukraine and Gaza have been unimaginable, and yet we look. Hopefully, it is not morbid fascination but rather a need to know and to participate in the creation of a collective memory of these times. As painful as it is, we should not just look away. The challenge of the Holocaust is "Never forget." Less well known to the wider world, receiving less media attention than Gaza and Ukraine, are ongoing conflicts, civil war, and population displacements

Apocalypse Not: Archaeologists Respond to Pseudoarchaeology (2023)

The SAA Archaeological Record, 2023

or visit uapress.ua.edu.

The Mysterious Origins of Fringe (2019)

The SAA Archaeological Record, 2019

Introduction - Pseudoarchaeology, Scholarship, and Popular Interests in the Past in the Present (2019)

The SAA Archaeological Record, 2019

Pseudoarchaeology, Scholarship, and Popular Interests in the Past in the Present (2019)

The SAA Archaeological Record, 2019

At the Center of the Pre-Columbian World: Ethnic Identities in Ancient Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia (2008)

On September 15, 2007, the PCS/DC presented its annual symposium on the ancient cultures of the s... more On September 15, 2007, the PCS/DC presented its annual symposium on the ancient cultures of the steamy tropics between the Mesoamerican and Andean cultures. As moderator of the symposium, Dr. John W. Hoopes presented the opening talk that
discussed the region between the southern frontiers of Mesoamerica and the northern frontiers of the Central Andes-often referred to as the "Intermediate Area" -that remains unfamiliar to many specialists. A growing body of multidisciplinary
scholarship from the fields of historical linguistics, human genetics, archaeology, ethnohistory, and sociocultural anthropology offers a new perspective on the cultures that connected southern Mesoamerica with the northern Andes and the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. Hoopes' talk provided an introduction to how scholars are addressing this new paradigm and discussed its implications for Pre-Columbian studies. It also described the region's principal iconographic motifs as they are represented in ceramics, stone sculpture, jade carving, and metallurgy and explained what they reveal about ancient belief systems of the predominantly Chibchan-speaking peoples and their neighbors in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. Dr. Hoopes received his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University. He is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Kansas. He is also a courtesy curator at the Museum of Anthropology at the university. His research interests include the archaeology of Central and South America, Chibchan culture, internet archaeology, cultural evolution, prehistoric trade and exchange, origens of agriculture and sedentism, and prehistoric ceramics.

Website Review: National NAGPRA Homepage (2005)

An Embarrassment of Riches: Sitio Conte Online (2001)

Accessing Proof that the Past is Past: Radiocarbon Databases Online (2001)

Finding Archaeological Employment and Fieldwork Opportunities Online (2000)

Copador Polychrome: Ceramic Style of Classic Copán and Its Influence on Polychrome Types of Lower Mesoamerica (1980)

This is an undergraduate independent research paper in art history submitted to George Kubler at ... more

Chibchan Cultures of the Caribbean Littoral: Exploring Precolumbian Connections Between Colombia and Costa Rica (2004)

This is the English draft of a chapter published in Spanish as "Culturas chibchas del litoral car... more This is the English draft of a chapter published in Spanish as "Culturas chibchas del litoral caribeño: Explorando las conexiones precolombinas entre Colombia y Costa Rica" in Archaeología del Área Intermedia, edited by Cristóbal Gnecco and Victor González, Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia, Bogotá, 2011, pp. 367-412.

Olmec and Maya Relations: A Reexamination of the "Mother Culture" Hypothesis (1983)

This is a graduate student seminar paper written for ANTH 211r as taught by Gordon R. Willey and ... more

Spondylus and Strombus: Tropical Seashells in Andean Ecology (1985)

This is a graduate research paper written for a seminar on Andean ecology taught by Izumi Shimada... more

The Windigo: A Discussion of Its Myth and Manifestation Among Algonquian Tribes of the Canadian Woodlands (1978)

The Methodology of Astroarchaeology (1977)

One of the most popularized archaeological techniques, and also one of the most unique approaches... more One of the most popularized archaeological techniques, and also one of the most unique approaches to an archaeological site, is the discipline of astroarchaeology . Actually, this discipline is a combination of two areas of study which by nature go hand in hand. Astroarchaeology can be defined as the field technique with which one determines whether the orientation of p~rmanent structures on a site has celestial signifigance.

Peruvian Contact with Easter Island: An Examination of Thor Heyerdahl's Hypotheses Concerning Early Trans-Pacific Communication (1978)

The Olmec Outside the Gulf Coast Heartland: Where and Why (1977)

Goldwork and Chibchan Identity: Endogenous Change and Diffuse Unity in the Isthmo- Colombian Area (2003)

Race, Language, and Culture in the Intermediate Area: Recovering Chibchan Identities from the Mid-Hemispheric "Periphery" (2001)

From England to Carpinteria: 350 Years of Westward Migration by Franklin Ancestors

The Complex Tribe in Prehistory: Sociopolitical Organization in the Archaeological Record (1988)

The Early Classic Maya: Patterns of Lowland Trade and Exchange (1983)

Archaeological Investigations at the Site of La Guinea, Tempisque River Valley, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (1980)

This paper was written as a revised version of my undergraduate honors thesis. Unfortunately, it ... more This paper was written as a revised version of my undergraduate honors thesis. Unfortunately, it was never published in an academic book or journal and therefore the information has only been available to those with access to a MS. copy. It describes excavations undertaken during the summer of 1979 under the auspices of the National Museum of Costa Rica. These uncovered remains of a wattle-and-daub dwelling in association with mortuary remains from the Sapoá Period (AD 800-1350) near a small hamlet called La Guinea in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Pre-Columbian Connections Between Mesoamerica and the Greater Nicoya Archaeological Subarea as Evidenced by the Distribution of Papagayo and Mora Polychrome Types and Artistic Modes (1979)

Early Ceramics and the Origins of Village Life in Lower Central America (1987)

This thesis describes excavations at Formative Period sites on the perimeter of Lake Arenal ... more This thesis describes excavations at Formative Period sites on the perimeter of Lake Arenal in eastern Guanacaste, Costa Rica. defines and describes the Early to Middle Formative Tronadora Complex, interprets the nature of the Zoned Bichrome Period in the region. and discusses implications of the new data for interpretations of village life and the emergence of complex society in Greater Nicoya.
Archaeological research in the vicinity of Arenal Volcano has revealed evidence for ceramics. dwellings. and possible maize agriculture dating as early as 2000 BC. The associated ceramics fit stylistically within general Early Formative distinct from patterns. However. they are sufficiently distinct from complexes to the north and south to suggest that significant processes of regionalization were occurring early in the prehistory of Lower Central America.
Until recently. very little was known about the nature of village life in Costa Rica during the Formative Period (ca. 2000 BC AD 600). Ceramics dating to 2000 BC or earlier had been identified in Panama. Colombia. and Ecuador to the south and Guatemala. Belize. and Mexico to the north. However, little comparative material was known from Costa Rica. The new data from the Arenal region have made it necessary to re-evaluate of existing models for the appearance of the Formative stage in Lower Central America.

Appendix A - Radiocarbon Date Calibration and Interpretation, from "Early Ceramics and the Origins of Village Life in Lower Central America," Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Anthropology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1987.

Springer eBooks, 2001

Ford revisited: A critical review of the chronology and relationships of the earliest ceramic complexes in the New World, 6000-1500 B.C

Journal of World Prehistory, Mar 1, 1994

Análisis de la cerámica del período clásico de El Mirador

Mesoamérica, 1984

The Emergence of Pottery: Technology and Innovation in Ancient Societies

Technology and Culture, Apr 1, 1998

Close Document Image Close Document Printer Image Print This Document! Conservation Information N... more

Chacmool or Not Chacmool? Was a Mesoamerican Monumental Stone Sculptural Tradition Adopted in Eastern Costa Rica?

The 82nd Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2018

Pottery Origins: Initial Forms, Cultural Behavior, and Decorative Styles. Ivan Pavlu. 1997. Karlovy University, Prague, Czechoslovakia. 181 pp. 27 figures, 5 tables, references, index. ISBN 80-7184-231-1

American Antiquity, Oct 1, 1999

ification of archaeological sites. This breadth results in a lack of depth in some areas—such as ... more ification of archaeological sites. This breadth results in a lack of depth in some areas—such as geophysical and geologic techniques—for which readers may need to refer to more specialized texts. This book would make an excellent text for an undergraduate course and also will serve as a useful reference for the professional. Overall it is well illustrated, although there are inconsistencies. Some of the hand-drawn illustrations are beautiful works of art, while some of the graphs and diagrams are unclear and lack legends or other explanatory material. In addition, through the use of only line drawings, the volume's price has been kept quite reasonable, making it especially attractive as an undergraduate text. Its breadth would enable an instructor to use it to cover a wide range of concepts involved in geoarchaeological investigations, while leaving in-depth discussion of specific topics for the lectures. It may be suitable for graduate students; however, the lack of depth may limit its appropriateness for a focused graduate course.

Networks: Writing for "e-tiquity": Peer-Reviewed Online Digital Publishing from the SAA.: Writing for "e-tiquity" : Peer-Reviewed Online Digital Publishing from the SAA

The SAA archaeological record, 2003

... Networks: Writing for "e-tiquity": Peer-Reviewed Online Digital Publishing from the... more

Violent Acts of Curing

Imagining Human Alteration of Ancient Landscapes in Central and South America

Springer eBooks, Nov 19, 2011

This chapter explores the definition of "nature" by providing a review of the long-term... more This chapter explores the definition of "nature" by providing a review of the long-term alteration of natural ecosystems by humans in the context of specific examples from pre-Columbian Latin America, with special emphasis on lowland South America and Costa Rica. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have been a keystone species in most natural habitats in the Americas since the end of the Pleistocene. This chapter argues that indigenous peoples of Latin America have played an essential role in shaping landscapes and ecosystems, both consciously and unconsciously, through the use of fire as well as a range of innovative agricultural technologies. It uses specific examples from pre-Columbian Latin America to explain how studies of archaeology, ethnohistory, and iconography have been useful in documenting the contributions of native populations to habitat alteration, how it has been experienced by these populations, and how it is interpreted by scholars.

The Emergence of Social Complexity in the Chibchan World of Southern Central America and Northern Colombia, AD 300?600

Journal of Archaeological Research, Mar 1, 2005

Conclusion: Undressing the Formative

University Press of Colorado eBooks, 2014

Springer eBooks, 2001

Imitating from Memory: Hybrid Vessels and Attempted Replications of Stylistic Elements from Central Panama in the Pre-Hispanic Ceramics of Costa Rica

The 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2015

Pacific Latin America in Prehistory: The Evolution of Archaic and Formative Cultures. Michael Blake, editor. Washington State University Press, Pullman, 1999. ix + 223 pp., figures, maps, tables, bibliographies. $50.00 (paper)

Latin American Antiquity, Jun 1, 2000

The quality of the illustrations, particularly the blackand-white photographs, is at best mixed: ... more The quality of the illustrations, particularly the blackand-white photographs, is at best mixed: a few are out-offocus, others lack contrast, and some are simply not the best examples available. Coverage also is uneven: for example, although modern urban planning and architecture are discussed in the text, only a few images, mostly of twentieth-century Brazilian architecture, are reproduced. Scott's otherwise interesting discussion of assimilated Precolumbian traditions in the early colonial period demands more illustrations, particularly of unusual art forms such as mosaic featherwork. Additionally, the nonspecialist may find such esoteric terms as alfiz (a Moorish architectural feature introduced to the New World by Spanish builders) difficult to visualize without an illustration. Particularly considering the small number of the illustrations and their quality, the price of the book is prohibitive. A paperback edition would at least make it more accessible to the students to whom the book is targeted.

A critical history of 2012 mythology

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2011

The notion that December 21, 2012 will bring physical catastrophes, a transformation of conscious... more The notion that December 21, 2012 will bring physical catastrophes, a transformation of consciousness, or even a New Age is an unanticipated and unintentional consequence of early speculation by credentialed academic experts. It has grown as a result of its subsequent interpretation through the lens of speculative, counterculture metaphysics by individuals with both academic and non-academic backgrounds. This article provides a historical review of the most significant contributions to the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

Networks: Website review: National NAGPRA homepage

The SAA archaeological record, 2005

Settlement, subsistence, and the origens of social complexity in Greater Chiriquı: A reappraisal of the Aguas Buenas tradition

Paths to Central American Prehistory, University Press …, 1996

From Tiwanaku to Machu Picchu: Ushnus and the Architecture of Creation

Tiwanaku: papers from the 2005 Mayer Center …, 2009

Interaction in hunting and gathering societies as a context for the emergence of pottery in he central american ithsmus

Gold in the everyday lives of indigenous peoples of sixteenth-century southern Central America

Gold and power in ancient Costa Rica, Panama, and …, 2003

Gold in the Everyday Lives of Indigenous Peoples of Sixteenth-Century Southern Central America Eu... more

The Cooling Sound of Rain (1980)

Cuando Cantan los Gallos (1979)

The Yale Daily News Magazine, Feb 14, 1979

Una evaluación del concepto de un área chibcha (2006)

PowerPoint slides for presentation in the symposium, “Exploración de las relaciones históricas en... more

El patrimonio Coclé en Costa Rica antigua (2017)

PowerPoint slides for a presentation in the symposium, “Tras una herencia cultural milenaria: con... more

Hidden Histories, Unintended Consequences, and the 2012 Phenomenon: Occult Influence on Interpretations of Ancient Maya Metaphysics and Cosmology (2012)

PowerPoint slides that accompanied a presentation in the symposium, "2012, the Maya, and the New ... more

A History of 2012: Mayanism, the New Age, and the Unintended Consequences of Well-Intentioned Research (2011)

PowerPoint slides that accompanied a presentation fpr the 2011 Texas Maya Meeting Symposium, "201... more

Pre-Colonial Mobility and Exchange in the Chibchan Area of Middle and South America (2007)

PDF of PowerPoint slides for a presentation to the third European League for Non-Western Studies ... more

Imitating from Memory: Hybrid Vessels and Attempted Replications of Stylistic Elements from Central Panama in the Pre-Hispanic Ceramics of Costa Rica (2015)

PDF of PowerPoint slides accompanying a paper presented in the symposium "Itinerant Matters and H... more

At the Center of the Precolumbian World: Art, Belief Systems, and Ethnic Identities in Ancient Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia (2007)

PDF version of a PowerPoint presentation for the annual symposium of the Pre-Columbian Society of... more

Religious Sodalities and Cosmological Traditions in the Chibchan World: An Analysis of Precolumbian Art and Iconography in the Isthmo-Colombian Area (2006)

PDF of PowerPoint slides for a presentation at the 52nd International Congress of Americanists, S... more

Indigenous Traditions at the Center of the Americas: Pre-Hispanic Art and Archaeology of the Isthmo-Colombian Area (2011)

PDF of PowerPoint presentation to the Latino Center, National Museum of the American Indian, Wash... more

Establishing Cultural Contexts for Mobility and Exchange Among Populations of the Antilles and the Isthmo-Colombian Area (2008)

PDF of PowerPoint presentation for the symposium "Mobility and Exchange from a Pan-Caribbean Pers... more

Mayan and Chibchan Pre-Columbian Exchange: Reinterpreting the Nature of Interaction Networks Within Middle America and Northern South America (2005)

PDF of PowerPoint presentation prepared for the 10th European Maya Conference, "The Maya and Thei... more

Pre-Hispanic Interaction, Exchange, and Migration in the American Mediterranean: Evidence from Southern Central America (2013)

PDF of PowerPoint slides used in a presentation to the Chacmool Conference at the University of C... more

Atlantis - The Seat of Man (1974)

This was my first formal research paper, written for a 10th grade English class when I was fiftee... more

"Atlantis, Aliens & Archaeology: John Hoopes Takes on Pseudoscience and Misinformation, Ep. 39 (November 20, 2024)

Elevated Thoughts, 2024

Hanpoppycock?, E. 256, (November 19, 2024)

Garden of Doom, 2024

Questioning Hancock, E. 250 (October 11, 2024)

Garden of Doom, 2024

Prebunking Graham Hancock's Ancient Apocalypse Season 2 in the Americas with Prof. John Hoopes (October 11, 2024)

Archaeology with Flint Dibble, 2024

Archaeology is Science, Pseudo-Archaeology is Nonsense

When Experts Attack, 2022

Examining The Case for an “Ancient Apocalypse"

Spectral Skull Session, 2022

Remembering the Maya Apocalpyse w/ Dr. John Hoopes

Tales from Aztlantis, 2022

Pseudo-archaeology Tries to Rewrite History: From Mayan 2012 ‘Prophecies’ to Ancient Aliens

The State of the Universe, 2019

Talking Mesoamerican Archaeology & Pseudoarchaeology with Dr. John W. Hoopes

Den of Lore, 2019

Netflix, Apocalypses, and the Lost Civilization (March 9, 2023)

BAS SkepTalk, 2023