Status and Social Stratification at Mission La Purísima Concepción: An Intra-Site Investigation of Residential Space within the Chumash Rancheria’ Amuwu

Recent excavations at Mission La Purísima Concepción identified social divisions linked to status hierarchies within the Native village, ’ Amuwu . The recovery of an earthen floor under a roof tile collapse represented a single room in an adobe structure where a Chumash family lived. In the backyard, a dense midden deposit exposed a dumping and activity area for residents of the building. Further north of the structure, in an area not associated with the adobe building, archaeological investigations uncovered an expansive concentration of refuse, suggesting it is the likely area where traditional tule-thatched houses once stood. Materials from the northernmost and southernmost sections of the rancheria indicate differences linked to social stratification, including distinctions in the shell bead money economy, food preparation and consumption practices, and the display of wealth. However, status was not determined by those who displayed more or less "Spanish" or "Native" traits. Instead, ranked positions were integrated with traditional Chumash practices and were later reinterpreted in innovative ways.