Dr. Deni Seymour presents The Great Battle of 1698: A Historical Turning Point for the O'odham and Apache on March 09, 2016. Perhaps, the greatest historical event to have occurred in this region happened along the San Pedro River in the vicinity of Fairbank on Easter Day in 1698. This was the battle at Santa Cruz de Gaybanipitea, when 500 Apache and their allies attacked the still-sleeping Sobaipuri-O’odham village of 80. This village was visited by the Jesuit Father Eusebio Kino in the 1690s. Against all odds, the Sobaipuri-O’odham won the battle. The story is remembered because it was retold and recorded by a number of Spaniards, including by Padre Kino, but fresh understandings are now available that make the story even more important. Seymour corrects the historical record with new translations of historic battle-related documents. She moves beyond what the Spanish conveyed about the battle to include results of archaeological excavations and analysis with application of O’odham-specific cultural information that explains a number of problems including why Kino was delayed in his inspection of the battlefield. The reasons for the battle are discussed and long-held questions are answered including the role of the Spaniards, routes of retreat, evidence of ritualized site cleansing, how we can be certain about the correct location, and where specifically the Sobaipuri went after the battle. A newly identified battlefield signature is discussed based on projectile point breakage patterns. Projectile points also provide important indicators of the various ethnic groups involved: the Jocome, Jano, Manso, Suma, and Apache.
Reception and socialization at 7:00 pm, program begins approximately 7:30 pm.
Further reading:
2015 Behavioral Assessment of a Pompeii-Like Event and Its Battlefield Signature. Chapter 2 in Explorations in Behavioral Archaeology, edited by William H. Walker and James M. Skibo, pp.8-21. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
2014 A Fateful Day in 1698: The Remarkable Sobaípuri-O’odham Victory Over the Enemies of the Sonoran Province. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
2011 Where the Earth and Sky are Sewn Together: Sobaípuri-O’odham Contexts of Contact and Colonialism. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
2010 Archaeological Insights into the 1698 Victory of the Sobaípuri O'odham over the Enemies of the Sonoran Province. Old Pueblo Archaeology Center Bulletin 64:1-11.
