University Hall, 432

The advent of the Chaco World transformed life in the U.S. Southwest. Whereas most models of Chaco society emphasize material wealth and competition among emergent great houses, many Indigenous scholars argue that knowledge and relationships are central to understanding power. In this talk, Dr. Kelsey Hanson shows how paint produced for Chaco performances—a technology historically maintained by ritual sodalities—can be used to reconstruct sociopolitical organization during this pivotal time. Using innovative micro-sampling and non-destructive methods, Hanson identifies a unique and widely shared recipe for blue-green—a color associated with moisture and vegetation—suggesting a circulation of knowledge in great house performances. This research highlights how chromatic knowledge fostered participation in Chaco society.

Talks & Lectures