The Hohokam and Their World: An Exploration of Art and Iconography

By Linda M. Gregonis and Victoria R. Evans
University of Arizona Press (2025)
275 pages

Review by Linda Chappel

In the preface to The Hohokam and Their World: An Exploration of Art and Iconography, the authors Linda M. Gregonis and Victoria R. Evans state their intent to write both for the general public and for scholars. They clearly meet this goal by presenting the readers with a compelling and well-organized overview of Hohokam art and iconography.

Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Hohokam established a thriving agricultural society in what is today southern Arizona. The initial chapter provides an explanation of the authors’ approach to the subject using their respective fields of anthropology and archeology. As an instructor at a tribal college and an art historian I appreciated their candid discussion of how academic research can answer some questions but inevitably leaves us with ambiguities. They offer a terrific description of why scholars form ideas based on evidence, but close with a paragraph stating that in the end, “We can suggest, but we cannot know.” This statement sets a tone of openness and recognition of the limits of academic research.

The second chapter is a brief overview of Hohokam culture, lands, and history from ancient times through the European incursion. The authors emphasize the importance of context, especially the land, plants, and animals of the region. They also reference the O’odham culture as a means to understand how the Hohokam may have lived and expressed their beliefs through art and iconography.

Throughout the book, Gregonis and Evans discuss their evidence in the text (not just in the footnotes), making it clear to readers why they present specific ideas. They provide alternative ideas throughout their discussions and offer excellent sources in the extensive reference section so that readers can do further research on their own.

A good example of their approach is in chapter four where they discuss the possible meanings and uses of “Pyrite Plaques or Mirrors.” Here they elaborate on possible metaphorical meanings attached to the sheen of the iron pyrite, the shape of the plaques, and the iconography carved on the rims. To explain the possible interpretations of these objects they explain where and in what state they were excavated, cite connections to Mesoamerican beliefs and material culture, and note the importance of water and the Hohokam’s use of water catchment systems. All of this infor­mation demonstrates the complexities of the culture and the possible layered meanings of the art and iconography.

Chapters three through six are organized based on the iconog­raphy, including possible cosmological basis for symbols or designs based on the region’s plants and animals and the depiction of human forms. Illustrations of the flora and fauna of the region aside pictures of the art give readers an immediate way to compare the designs with the plants and animals. This is especially beneficial since many readers from outside the region will not be familiar with these species.

In addition, the authors return frequently to discuss the envi­ronment and its importance to the peoples of the Sonoran Desert. This text establishes ties from the Hohokam to O’odham cultures and discusses peoples with whom they traded and interacted, including the cultures of West Mexico, Mesoamerica, and those from adjacent lands such as the Patayans, Trincheras, Ancestral Puebloans, and Mogollons. The inclusion of specific information about the region’s plants, animals, and environment; their connections to other regional peoples; and their belief systems all serve to give the reader a way to engage and think about the Hohokam in history and Indigenous peoples in the current day.

I recommend The Hohokam and Their World for readers interested in art and archeology and also for those who are seeking con­densed information on astronomy, trade, water use, and history in this region. The book contains a glossary for general readers and extensive reference sources for instructors and researchers in a variety of fields. For those in academia, it also serves as a refreshing example of how a text’s format and the integration of various forms of knowledge within a more open structure can serve as a template for academic writing.

Linda Chappel is adjunct faculty for the visual arts and art history at Tohono O’odham Community College.