OASISAMERICA: CHARACTERISTICS, CLIMATE, RELIEF, HYDROGRAPHY - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Oasisamérica is a cultural and geographical area belonging to pre-Columbian North America, which stretched from Utah to Mexico. It is a term that is usually used by researchers, mainly Mexican anthropologists. It also ranged from the coast of the Gulf of California in Sonora, Mexico, to the valley of the Rio Grande. Oasisamerica was the last cultural area to be formed in that territory.

Its origin is located around 500 BC, which means that it existed 2000 years after the separation of Mesoamerica and Aridoamérica. These three pre-Hispanic cultural zones had different climates and therefore had different vegetation and fauna.

Map of the territory occupied by Oasisamerica and its cultures

This area is defined as an intermediate territory between the cultures of the nomadic hunter-gatherers located in the northern desert and the high Mesoamerican cultures.

Although they were born at different times, the peoples of Oasisamerica had great contact with those of Mesoamerica. This is due to the population movements that occurred around the year 200.

On the other hand, with the growth of the Mesoamerican population, it decided to migrate north. This is how they managed to strengthen trade in different areas.

Within Oasisamerica there were various cultures, including the Anasazi, the Fremont, Hohokam, Mogollón, Pataya, among others.

Characteristics of Oasisamérica

Location

Oasisamérica (light orange) is found in the interior of Aridoamérica (light yellow)

Oasisamérica is located in the region that today is known as the southwestern United States and northeastern Mexico.

In the United States, it includes the state of Utah, part of the state of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.

In Mexico, it occupies part of the State of Sonora and Chihuahua, and parts of California, Baja California and Texas.

farming

Despite the fact that the land of Oasisamerica is a semi-arid territory, with a hot, dry climate and little rainfall, it has some fertile lands for the practice of agriculture, thanks to the presence of oases.

The cultures of Oasisamerica became farmers, although due to the weather conditions mentioned above, agriculture was not as efficient as would have been expected. Therefore, many times they had to resort to hunting and gathering to survive.

Environmental conditions made the process of introducing agriculture in the area gradual and lengthy.

The members of the Oasisamerican cultures were acquiring agricultural knowledge little by little. On the other hand, it is believed that it was the Mesoamericans who brought agricultural technology to the Oasisamericans.

Hydraulic development

The cultures of Oasisamérica also stood out for the hydraulic development. Due to the fact that the area had a dry, almost desert climate and sparse vegetation, one of the requirements to dedicate itself to agriculture was the channeling of surface water currents, as well as the storage of rainwater.

In order to maintain the crops, the villagers took advantage of the rivers in the first instance and then began to create complex hydraulic systems.

Ceramics

The manufacture of ceramics was one of the elements that marked the end of the hunting and gathering era of the Oasisamerican peoples.

The Anasazi, for example, had a first moment known as the basket period. In it they dedicated themselves to a mixed economy and only wove baskets. But in the second moment, known as the Pueblo period, they began to produce ceramics. It was a moment of maximum artistic expression.

Ceramic bowl. National Parl service photo / Public domain

They created a very detailed wicker pottery, using the colors red, black and white. In addition, they not only designed geometric figures, but also stylized animals and people.

The Hohokam produced a different type of pottery than the Anasazi. In their first period, known as pioneer, they had a gray or brownish monochromatic ceramic for domestic use. But already in its third period, the sedentary one, the ceramics reached a better quality and a great variety of styles, designs and colors.

On the other hand, the mogollones also produced ceramic pieces, which were of great quality and beauty. During its first phase, called Georgetown, the pottery was simple, had no decorations, and was brown in color.

Their shapes were only bowls and jugs. However, for its second phase (San Francisco), the first ceramics appeared that were decorated with red on brown.

Architectural works

In Oasisamerican cultures, specifically that of the Anasazi, there was a period of maximum architectural expression.

During the so-called Pueblo period, large multi-storey multi-family blocks appeared. Many of them were stepped and some were erected on cliffs.

In the Hohokam culture, for its part, architecture was simpler. In this group semi-underground rooms predominated, which were roofed with mesquite trunks and leaves.

Many times they were covered with mud. In the case of the mogollones, rectangular plants were added to the previous architectural forms. And as for the ceremonial enclosures, walls were built that were slightly curved.

Loincloth and ornaments

The clothing of all the settlers belonging to this super-area was almost the same as in other pre-Columbian cultures. His clothing consisted of loincloths, sandals and a band that was placed on his forehead.

Women used to wear capes, shirts, head wraps, and a kind of apron or pelvic skirt when they were menstruating.

They also used to use different ornate objects. Among them necklaces, bracelets, pectorals, etc. These elements were also indicators of a certain social position.

Worship of divinities

The different groups that were part of the cultures of Oasisamerica had very varied beliefs. However, they shared the worship of divinities that were associated with nature and fertility.

Some cultures in the southwestern United States worshiped the kachinas, who were entities with a similar appearance to the Mesoamerican god Tlaloc. These supernatural beings were associated with hunting, rain, and crops.

Tlaloc. See page for author

Cultural groups

Within the Oasisamericano territory different cultural groups developed.

Cultures of Oasisamérica

Anasazi

The Anasazi culture settled at the confluence of the states of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. It is considered one of the most complex and advanced societies that lived within the limits of the Oasisamericano territory.

The Anasazi inhabited a territory populated by conifers of the juniper family and with limited plant resources that could be harvested depending on the time of year. They were gatherers who stored food and resources for the most difficult times of the year.

Anasazi paintings. ethernectar / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

They served worship to the divinities of the earth and fertility. They believed in the existence of supernatural beings called kachina. Men were called to secretly worship the gods in cults. There, they posed as kachinas to perform their religious rituals.

They are characterized by being the pre-Columbian culture of which more studies have been carried out. It is also believed that the current cultures of the Hopi and the Zuñi are derived from them. They were a complex and advanced society, with a vast cultural development that took place for more than 1,500 years.

During these 1,500 years, the Anasazi went through various moments of evolution and development. Initially they were basket makers, a task that allowed them to go from being a nomadic people to becoming a sedentary one. In this way, they were able to collect the harvested food (mainly corn).

While exploiting their potential as basket makers, the Anasazi began to settle in settlements within caves. Later they built urban centers below the level of the earth's surface, with houses with a circular plan.

Later, this culture went through four stages of consolidation as a people. This change was made possible by the invention of ceramics. Initially, the Anasazi created pieces of masonry and irrigation systems that allowed them to leave the semi-underground level in which their dwellings were located.

Eventually, large buildings were erected, including multi-level multi-family homes. Having their farming system in place and their settlements orderly, the Anasazi focused on building communication networks between regions.

Finally, in the last stage of development as an Anasazi people, the tribe withdrew its efforts and many villages and settlements were abandoned.

At this time, the Anasazi are concentrated in smaller regions and many members of the tribe are reverting to hunting and gathering food.

It is believed that the tribe had to retreat and reduce its efforts due to the drought that devastated the area between 1276 and 1299.

Currently, it is not known for sure when the Spanish arrived in the territory of Oasisamerica. However, in the year 1540, the Anasazi tribe finally succumbed to the power of the Crown of Spain.

Some of the Anasazi-derived tribes that survive today are the Zuñi, the Hopi, the Tewas, the Navajos, and the Atapascanos.

Fremont

The Fremont tribe is believed to have derived from the Anasazi. This group was located in much of the territory of what is now known as Utah.

Its development was less complex than that of other cultures and was highly influenced by the traditions of the Anasazi.

It is estimated that they experienced a slow process of decline between the 10th and 14th centuries. Finally, when the Spanish arrived, no trace of the Fremont was found in the area.

Hohokam

For their part, the peoples belonging to the Hohokam culture settled in the territories formed by the deserts of Arizona and Sonora.

This area was surrounded by two large streams: the Colorado River and the Gila River. Both rivers delimit the central part of the Sonoran desert.

Ruin of the Hohokam culture in Arizona. HJPD / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)

The Hohokam lived in one of the ecosystems with the most difficult conditions for agriculture and even for human life.

This was due to the high temperatures and lack of rainfall in the area. Due to these conditions, the Hohokam had to build irrigation systems for their crops, channeling the Gila and Salado rivers.

The irrigation networks of this tribe could reach 10 kilometers in length and a variable depth of several meters. The Hohokam built these channels below ground level in order to prevent the water from evaporating as it flowed through them.

With the help of their ingenuity, they harvested corn twice a year and cultivated mesquite pods and fruits such as pitahaya. From these vegetable products, they made flour, liqueurs, honey and extracted wood.

Regarding its geographical location, all its settlements were located in the current state of Arizona. There the settlements of Casa Grande, Snaketown, Pueblo de los Muertos and Red Mountain were founded.

Their villages were smaller in size than those of the Anasazi, yet they were built similarly and semi-underground.

They also produced elements in clay like the Anasazi did, however, they used different pigments. They were artisans and worked shell ornaments, axes, shovels, and other stone instruments.

The Hohokam date back to 300 BC, however, their origin is still a mystery to archeology, and unlike the Anasazi, no descendant tribes are currently known from them.

At the time of the arrival of the Spanish to Oasisamerica, the Hohokam people had already disappeared. It is believed that what brought this culture to an end was an ecological or health catastrophe.

Pataya

The Pataya tribe was located in the same cultural territory as the Hohokam. This made them strongly influenced by this culture.

The Pataya played ball, cremated their dead and produced pottery, just as the Hohokam did.

It is estimated that its decline took place in the fourteenth century, for this reason, when the Spanish arrived in America, they no longer found a trace of the Pataya.

Mogollón

La Mogollón was an Oasisamericana cultural area that was located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental (part of the current territory of the states of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States).

The peoples of this culture enjoyed a geographical environment characterized by the presence of pine forests, as well as steep mountains and ravines.

The Mogollón culture was subdivided into two large groups: the Mogollón and the Paquimé. These cultures distinguished themselves from the Anasazi and Hohokam in that they did not cremate their dead, but rather buried them. These burials were accompanied by offerings (clay pots and semi-precious stones).

Due to the ornamental wealth of the Mogollón, many of their burials were illegally looted to nurture private archaeological collections.

Their pottery pieces were white and were decorated with representations of the Mogollón's daily life. Figurative and geometric designs predominated.

Like their neighbors, the Mogollón inhabited semi-underground spaces that allowed them to protect themselves from predators.

On the other hand, they had a commercial link with other Mesoamerican tribes, a condition that allowed them to develop their agriculture and define marked social strata.

This culture is believed to have existed between the 6th and 16th centuries. Their cultural development cannot be divided into stages, and it is believed that it was comparatively slower than that of the Anasazi or the Hohokam. The Mogollón culture was eventually abandoned until it became the Paquimé.

Some current tribes associated with the Mogollón are the Yaquis, Opatas, Mayans, and Tarahumara.

Flora

Biznaga

The biznaga is a 1 meter tall cactus that has a yellow bloom in spring. Like all cacti plants, it needs very little water to survive and its growth is slow.

Cactus by beavertail

It belongs to the genus opuntia. Its flowers are purple with a yellow center, and bloom in spring and summer.

They can be found in the Mojave Desert, Colorado, and northeastern Mexico.

Arizona poppy

Also called the California poppy, it has four axillary orange and yellow petals.

Its flowering period is between summer and early autumn. Its first description dates from the 19th century in the investigations of the botanist Johann Eschscholtz.

Flower

Its official name is mohavea confertiflora. It grows from February to June, and has three white petals and a pink and purple center.

Ocotillo flowers

It is a flowering plant endemic to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Its flowering occurs in the rainy season, in spring and in summer. The color of its flowers is intense red.

Fauna

Turtles

They occupy all the space of Oasisamerica. They eat worms, insects, and plants.

They generally live in hiding and come to the surface in the early hours of the morning or on rainy days.

Buffalo

The buffalo or American bison was one of the animals that most populated the southeastern United States and northern Mexico.

It was arduously hunted by the Oasisamericano settlers, since it provided food especially in months when crops were almost non-existent due to the difficult climatic conditions.

They have a dark brown fur, measure about 1.60 meters and can weigh 1,000 kilograms.

Giant hairy scorpion

It lives in all the deserts of Oasisamerica. It is 6 inches tall, making it the largest scorpion species in all of North America.

They feed at night on spiders, lizards, or even other smaller scorpions.

It is mustard yellow with a dark back. Its venom is not as potent in adults, but it can kill children and allergy sufferers, and causes prolonged pain.

Desert rats

They measure 13 centimeters. Its fur is brown and degrading ocher with small, round ears.

They live in burrows and are active looking for food both day and night.

Buzzards

It is one of the animals most used in illustrations to identify the deserts of the southern United States and northern Mexico.

It is also known as the American black vulture. It feeds on carrion and some small animals or young birds of other birds. Its plumage is completely black.

Religion

In many cases, the religious manifestations of the inhabitants of Oasisamerica had many coincidences with those of Mesoamerica, probably generated because they had a close relationship, especially through commercial exchange.

Below we will describe some of the most relevant religious manifestations put into practice by the Oasisamerican peoples:

Ball game

One of the structures with ceremonial characteristics that have been found in studies associated with Oasisamerican civilizations is the one that housed the so-called ball game, an activity that is also quite common in Mesoamerica.

This game could be played in everyday situations, but it was also an important ritual. Likewise, it could be used to solve personal problems among members of the community.

According to studies by various historians, the peoples of Oasisamerica gave the circle sacred characteristics, associating it with the Sun. Then, in the middle of the game, the players handled a ball and prevented it from falling to the ground, because this was considered an evil sign.

Symbology

It is said that the movement of the ball was linked to the movement of the Moon, Venus and the Sun, which were considered as stars with a sacred essence.

There are sources that indicate that the winner of the game was later protected by the gods; however, other information establishes that the winner was euthanized.

In any case, the very essence of the game was of a ritual nature, since it sought to represent that the god of the Sun, Huitzilopochtli, beat the Moon, who was his sister. This resulted in the Sun shining the next morning.

The transfer of the ball was done through blows with the knee, elbows and hips, and the court was generally located in a kind of pit, because it was intended to represent a lower world, the underworld.

Rituals with macaws

For the civilizations of Mesoamerica and Oasisamérica, macaws were considered sacred animals, since they were other representations of the sun god.

It is known with certainty that in Mesoamerica there was a kind of domestication of scarlet macaws, because these were necessary for all rituals related to the Sun.

In Oasisamerican ruins, a large number of macaw fossils have been found, which give rise to considering that this civilization also carried out religious rituals using this bird.

Quetzalcóatl worship

Just as the Mesoamericans worshiped this emblematic god, in the same way the peoples of Oasisamerica celebrated rituals in which this god was the center of the ceremony.

The translation of the word Quetzalcóatl into Spanish is “feathered serpent”, the name by which this deity is also known, which was one of the main ones not only for Oasisamerica, but also for most of the pre-Hispanic civilizations.

Drawing of Quetzalcoatl found in a codex. Via wikimedia commons.

The name Quetzalcóatl responds to the union of the elements that pre-Hispanic men and women contemplated in themselves. On the one hand, the serpent represents the corporeal realm; on the other, the feathers refer to the spiritual realm.

Weather

Much of the climate in the Oasisamerica region is semi-arid, quite hot. Especially in the valleys you can find climates that could be considered desert, very dry.

Due to this characteristic, in the Oasisamerica region there is very little rainfall, which implies that there is also a scarcity of vegetation; Most of the plants that exist there are adapted to these climatic conditions.

However, there are also spaces within the area where rainfall may be somewhat higher: these are the areas closest to the many streams found in this region, scenarios in which agriculture has better results. as a consequence of a more favorable climate.

Despite the general arid conditions, the climatic characteristics of the region made it more benevolent than, for example, Aridoamérica; With this last region, Oasisamerica shared territory for thousands of years, specifically the Aridoamerican North.

Relief

Most of the territory of Oasisamerica is quite dry. The rocky mountains predominate in this landscape, as well as the Sierra Madre Occidental, which occupies all of western Mexico and the southwestern area of ​​the United States.

Sonoran Desert. Source: Highqueue / Public domain

This mountain range covers about 289,000 square kilometers of territory and covers one sixth of the Mexican nation. The highest points of this elevation can reach up to 3,000 meters above sea level and its width is considered to be 150 kilometers.

Deserts

On the sides of this great rock formation are huge plains with arid characteristics. Such is the case of the deserts of Sonora and Chihuahua.

Sonoran desert

The Sonoran desert is one of the warmest on the planet and is also one of the most extensive, covering some 311,000 square kilometers.

This desert is so vast that it is subdivided into seven different regions: the Sonoran foothills, the Arizona highlands, El Vizcaíno, the Sonoran Plain, La Magdalena, the Lower Colorado Valley, and the Central Gulf Coast.

Thanks to its climatic characteristics, in this desert it is possible to find above all vegetation totally adapted to the adverse scenario, such as various types of cactus.

Chihuahuan Desert

For its part, the Chihuahuan desert is considered the largest in North America. The amount of territory it covers is not yet fully confirmed, since some sources indicate that it covers an area of ​​450,000 square kilometers and others indicate that it occupies 520,000 square kilometers.

This desert is located on the border between Mexico and the United States, and occupies space in both countries. In the United States, it includes areas of the states of New Mexico, Arizona and Texas; for its part, the Mexico area covers part of the states of Coahuila, Chihuahua and Sonora.

As characteristics of the Chihuahuan desert, it can be mentioned that there are a large number of valleys that are separated from each other by the action of various mountain ranges, such as the Sacramento Mountains, the Western and Eastern Sierra Madre, the Sierra de Chisos, the Sandía Mountains, the Sierra del Carmen, the Guadalupe mountains and others.

These valleys are at the same time spaces where a climate different from the typical desert can be found; in these settings there may be a little more humidity and coolness than in the rest of the desert.

Thanks to these characteristics, in the Chihuahuan desert it is possible that there is a different type of vegetation than usual in deserts such as Sonora. Instead of cacti and small trees, grasslands and shrubs can be found in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Turquoise deposits

The Oasisamérica region is rich in turquoise deposits. This blue-green mineral was one of the materials most appreciated by the cultures of the time.

The exchange of this precious stone was what allowed the establishment of an economic relationship between the Mesoamerican and Oasisamerican regions.

Turquoise is an opaque stone with a light, waxy luster and low hardness (similar to glass). This mineral is located in deposits within sedimentary, volcanic or sandy stones.

Hydrography

Despite the fact that Oasisamerica was a generally quite arid and dry area, it was surrounded by a large number of important water currents, which allowed its inhabitants to carry out agriculture.

Although this activity was never the central element of this civilization, the areas near these water currents allowed the inhabitants of Oasisamerica to develop some practices related to agriculture.

Below we will describe the most relevant characteristics of the main rivers that had a great influence on the development of the Oasisamerica region:

Bravo River

It is also called the Rio Grande do Norte, and in the United States it is known as the Rio Grande. It currently occupies the southern part of the United States and the northern part of Mexico.

Your tour begins through the states of New Mexico and Colorado; this last state is where it is born, specifically in the San Juan mountains, in the southwestern area of ​​said state.

Later, the Rio Grande reaches Texas and from there begins to mark the border between this southern state of the United States and the Mexican states of Nuevo León, Chihuahua, Tamaulipas and Coahuila. Finally, it empties into the Gulf of Mexico, in the Atlantic Ocean.

Its length is 3,034 square kilometers, making it one of the longest rivers in North America. Its maximum depth is 18 meters, which is why it is not considered navigable.

Yaqui River

This river is located in the state of Sonora, in Mexico. Its great extension allows it to cross said state from the north to the south.

Its occurs in the Sierra Madre Occidental, thanks to the union of the Papigochi and Bavispe rivers.

Various studies have determined that the length of this river is 410 kilometers, but this value is not entirely accepted, since some sources also include other areas of the Papigochi River, which changes its name about four times.

If the whole system is considered, it can be said that the Yaqui River covers an area of ​​more than 1000 kilometers.

This river is quite important today, since in the middle of its flow several dams have been built that produce hydroelectric energy and whose created reservoirs are very useful for the Vicam area and the Yaqui Valley, specifically for agriculture through irrigation of the lands.

Big Houses River

The Casas Grandes River occupies approximately 9% of the territory of Chihuahua. It does not present many precipitations and its flow is not constant; however, it represents an important current in the rainy season.

It is made up of two streams called Palanganas and Piedras Verdes. Its extension occupies a territory of 4154 square kilometers and the place where it ends is the Laguna de Guzmán.

The most common uses of the waters of the Casas Grandes River are especially for agriculture, livestock activities and also for domestic use by the inhabitants of the area.

Studies carried out in the river have determined that it has an average volume of approximately 90.46 million cubic meters per year.

Colorado River

This river is located in the southwestern parts of the United States and northwestern Mexico. Its length is about 2333 kilometers.

The source of the Colorado River is in the state of the same name, located in the United States. Specifically, it is born in the small town of La Poudre Pass, in the Rocky Mountains.

It covers the US states of Colorado, Arizona, California, Utah and Nevada, as well as the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California. Finally, it empties into the Gulf of California, in the Pacific Ocean.

It has about 45 tributaries, a fact that explains its great magnitude. The main tributaries include the rivers San Miguel, Escalante, Paria, Azul, Fraser, White, Conejos, Puerco, Muddy, Agua Fría, Verde, San Francisco, Negro, Little Colorado, de las Ánimas, Yampa, Plateau, Dolores, Duchesne, among others.

A peculiar element of this river is that, as it passes, it has indirectly shaped the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, a formation that is considered one of the most emblematic of the state of Arizona, in the United States.

This river crosses a large number of regions with a high degree of aridity, which in many cases makes it the only source of fresh water available in these settings.

Taking this context into account, various dams have been built in its flow, with the intention of making better use of the riverbed for the benefit of both the communities that live in nearby areas and the animals that also live there.

Likewise, the benefits of the Colorado River have been used for activities related to agriculture, as well as to generate hydroelectric energy.

Gila River

This river is also located in the southwestern United States. It occupies the states of Arizona and New Mexico, and ends up flowing into the Colorado River.

Its length is 1044 kilometers, which is why it is considered one of the largest in the United States.

The Gila River has its source in western New Mexico and runs through the southwestern region of the North American country. There are several cities in the state of Arizona that benefit from its flow, among which Yuma and Phoenix stand out.

In addition to providing fresh water for human consumption, it also favors agricultural activities in the areas through which it passes.

Nearby is the Gila River Indian Community, a reserve located in the state of Arizona with more than 11,000 inhabitants and officially recognized by the United States Congress in 1939.

References

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