Archaeology Cafe: Neither Mischievous nor Mysterious: Humans Hooked on Devil’s Claw

Date and Time

Tuesday, Nov 3, 2026 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Location

Details

Join us in-person at the Archaeology Southwest Headquarters in downtown Tucson, or online via Zoom Webinar, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as Edward A. Jolie (Arizona State Museum and School of Anthropology, University of Arizona) presents "Neither Mischievous nor Mysterious: Humans Hooked on Devil's Claw."

Native to the Americas, four species of devil's claw (Proboscidea spp.) are found across the greater Southwest and adjacent areas, where they thrive as drought-tolerant plants in disturbed habitats. More than simply a desert plant, devil's claw has been woven into the lifeways of Indigenous communities for thousands of years and is documented as a source of fiber, food, and medicine for more than 30 Native Nations.

Drawing on recent archaeological and botanical research, this presentation provides an overview of what is known about traditional uses of devil's claw, explores the time depth of its relationship with people, and revises what we currently know — and do not know — about its domestication.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; the talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

This talk is part of Archaeology Café's 2026–2027 season, Among Friends: Conversations with Archaeologists, presented by Archaeology Southwest, a nonprofit dedicated to understanding and conserving places. Archaeology Café is an informal forum bringing lifelong learners together with experts. This season celebrates the community of researchers, students, neighbors, and friends who've grown up around Archaeology Southwest over nearly 40 years, with talks held at the Tucson headquarters, select talks also traveling to the S'edav Va'aki Museum in Phoenix, and all sessions streamed live on Zoom. Can't make it live? Recordings post to the Archaeology Southwest YouTube channel a few days later.