Gods of Thunder : How Climate Change, Travel, and Spirituality Reshaped Precolonial America

A sweeping account of Medieval North America when Indigenous peoples confronted climate change. Few Americans today are aware of one of the most consequential periods in North American history--the Medieval Warm Period of seven to twelve centuries ago (AD 800-1300 CE)--which resulted in the warmest temperatures in the northern hemisphere since the "Roman Warm Period," a half millennium earlier. Reconstructing these climatic events and the cultural transformations they wrought, Timothy Pauketat guides readers down ancient American paths walked by Indigenous people a millennium ago, some trod by Spanish conquistadors just a few centuries later. The book follows the footsteps of priests, pilgrims, traders, and farmers who took great journeys, made remarkable pilgrimages, and migrated long distances to new lands. Along the way, readers will discover a new history of a continent that, like today, was being shaped by climate change--or controlled by ancient gods of wind and water. Through such elemental powers, the history of Medieval America was a physical narrative, a long-term natural and cultural experience in which Native people were entwined long before Christopher Columbus arrived or Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztecs. Spanning most of the North American continent, Gods of Thunder focuses on remarkable parallels between pre-contact American civilizations separated by a thousand miles or more. Key archaeological sites are featured in every chapter, leading us down an evidentiary trail toward the book's conclusion that a great religious movement swept Mesoamerica, the Southwest, and the Mississippi valley, sometimes because of worsening living conditions and sometimes by improved agricultural yields thanks to global warming a thousand years ago. The author also includes a guide to visiting the archaeological sites discussed in the book. ## Abstract The earth’s climate warmed from the ninth through the thirteenth centuries ce. Named the Medieval Warm Period, these centuries were a time of great historical change in precolonial North America, as evidenced through archaeology. While scholars have previously suggested the existence of long-distance ties between the civilizations of Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Mississippi valley, no one until now has argued that climate change and religion—not trade—were the reasons for these far-flung connections. The book argues that a common supernatural being, the Wind-That-Brings-Rain or Thunderer god, emerged because of climatic factors to drive the development of a series of interrelated religious movements across the continent. These movements were based around a common circular shrine or pyramid in or on which people worshiped the powers of the wind and rain—the essential life-giving forces of global climate. "The earth's climate warmed from the 9th through the 13th centuries CE. Named the Medieval Warm Period, it was a time of great historical change in precolonial North America, as evidenced through archaeology. While scholars have previously suggested the existence of long-distance ties between the civilizations of Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Mississippi valley, no one until now has argued that climate change and religion-not trade-were the reasons for these far-flung connections. Pauketat argues that a common supernatural being-a Wind-that-brings-rain or "Thunderer" deity-emerged because of climatic factors to drive the development of a series of interrelated religious movements across the continent. These movements were based around a common circular shrine or pyramid in or on which people worshipped the powers of the wind and rain-the essential life-giving forces of global climate"-- Provided by publisher The earth's climate warmed from the 9th through the 13th centuries CE. Named the Medieval Warm Period, these centuries were a time of great historical change in precolonial North America, as evidenced through archaeology. While scholars have previously suggested the existence of long-distance ties between the civilizations of Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, & the Mississippi valley, no one until now has argued that climate change & religion, not trade, were the reasons for these far-flung connections. The book argues that a common supernatural being, the Wind-That-Brings-Rain or Thunderer god, emerged because of climatic factors to drive the development of a series of interrelated religious movements across the continent. These movements were based around a common circular shrine or pyramid where people worshiped the powers of the wind & rain - the essential life-giving forces of global climate Cover Gods of Thunder Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments Timeline Introduction: In Search of Medieval America 1. Temples of Wind and Rain 2. Lost in Ancient America 3. Dark Secrets of the Crystal Maiden 4. Mesoamerican Cults and Cities 5. Across the Chichimec Sea 6. Ballcourts at Snaketown 7. A Place Beyond the Horizon 8. The Other Corn Road 9. Paddling North 10. Smoking Daggers 11. First Medicine 12. Wind in the Shell Glossary Notes Further Reading Index