New archaeological developments and introduced European innovations appeared in the Southwest, later to disperse throughout American archaeology. I am proposing that the preeminence of the region was primarily due to its phenomenal archaeological potential. Not only did it enable the utilization of techniques that at the time seemed impossible or impractical elsewhere in the country, it also attracted scholars with diverse intellectual backgrounds and thus acted as a portal for European concepts and techniques to enter the country. The combination of climate and history in the Southwest has obligingly resulted in some of the most impressive archaeology in the United States. The arid climate of the Southwest preserves material culture extremely well, including fragile biological materials that would normally quickly decompose.
Durable dwellings enable extensive feature excavation.
Distinct pottery styles lend themselves to typology and seriation. The buildup of detritus from continuous occupation results in observable stratigraphic sequences. Moreover, late prehistoric human inhabitation was to some extent reflected in traditions sustained by the indigenous peoples during European contact. Thus direct ethnological links with the recent past could be exploited in the interpretation of the striking and relatively abundant material culture. Archaeology and ethnography appeared in the Southwest not far behind the first explorers and collectors.