To expand search, see American Indians. Laterally related topics: The Zuņi, The Anasazi, The Blackfoot Indians, The Sioux, Hopewellian Indians, California Indians, The Navajo, and The Iroquois.
The Mathematics and the Liberal Arts pages are intended to be a resource for student research projects and for teachers interested in using the history of mathematics in their courses. Many pages focus on ethnomathematics and in the connections between mathematics and other disciplines. The notes in these pages are intended as much to evoke ideas as to indicate what the books and articles are about. They are not intended as reviews. However, some items have been reviewed in Mathematical Reviews, published by The American Mathematical Society. When the mathematical review (MR) number and reviewer are known to the author of these pages, they are given as part of the bibliographic citation. Subscribing institutions can access the more recent MR reviews online through MathSciNet.
Campbell, P. J. The geometry of decoration on prehistoric Pueblo pottery from Starkweather Ruin. Symmetry 2: unifying human understanding, Part 2. Comput. Math. Appl. 17 (1989), no. 4-6, 731--749. (Reviewer: M. P. Closs.) SC: 01A12 (92A90), MR: 90h:01003.
Starts by introducing the mathematical principles behind classifications of symmetry groups for strip or frieze patterns and the plane patterns, and briefly discusses some other symmetry groups. Next, reviews the literature of the papers that have used symmetry patterns to classify and analyze designs. All an excellent introduction. The remainder of the article applies these methods to the later Pueblo pottery at Starkweather Ruin (Tularosa black-on-white and Reserve black-on-white). Ends with a discussion of to what extent the work of these and similar potters was mathematical. Closes with a quotation by Schattschneider on the work of "amateurs": "The mind and spirit are the forte of all such amateurs---the intense spirit of inquiry and the keen perception of all they encounter. No formal education provides these gifts. Mere lack of a mathematical degree separates these 'amateurs' from the 'professional'. Yet their dauntless curiosity and ingenious methods make them true mathematicians." Closely related topics: Archaeology, Frieze Patterns, Bichromatic Strip Patterns, Plane Patterns, and Pottery.