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Paleoindian Archaic Basketmaker II Basketmaker III Pueblo I Pueblo II Pueblo III
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The Pueblo III Period: A.D. 1150 to 1300FoodWild plants and animals continued to supplement the Pueblo diet of corn, beans, and squash during this time (Figure 1). Weedy plants that grew readily in agricultural fields were eaten in great quantities, and deer and rabbits were the most commonly consumed wild game. Archaeological evidence suggests that larger animals, such as elk, were not hunted as often as they had been during earlier periods, which suggests that they may have been “over-hunted” in the areas surrounding the large villages. Consumption of domesticated turkey, on the other hand, seems to have increased during the Pueblo III period.
From A.D. 1276 through A.D. 1299, a severe drought affected parts of the Southwest, including the Mesa Verde region. Although this drought undoubtedly caused hardship among the Pueblo farmers, it is unlikely that it alone caused the great migration from the area. Archaeological evidence suggests that this drought was not as severe as the one that occurred during the Pueblo II period, and it appears that people were still able to grow corn in some locations. Not surprisingly, the use of check dams, farming terraces, and reservoirs became more common during the Pueblo III period, as people were faced with growing more food to feed the large numbers of people that had congregated in villages (Figure 2).
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