Arizona-Sonora Borderlands, Palimpsest of Cultures

The Arizona-Sonora Borderlands is a palimpsest of continuous human habitation dating back to at least 1200 BCE. It is a landscape whose settlements preface the famous Hohokam farmers of southern and central Arizona and their Native descendants, Spanish colonialism, Anglo settler-colonists, and 20th-century Sunbelt City booms and busts. For this NEH-sponsored summer 2022 Landmarks program, we approach the rich history of human occupation in the Arizona-Sonora borderlands as a laboratory for investigating present-day issues facing the Humanities.