Elizabeth M. Perry (University of Arizona) and James M. Potter (SWCA)

University of Arizona

Department of Anthropology

Tucson, AZ 85721

eperry@u.arizona.edu

jpotter@swca.com

Some archaeologists are currently engaged in exploring new terrain with respect to the investigation of gender in prehistoric contexts. Although the elucidation of dynamic notions of gender has been a common theme in ethnographic and cultural anthropological scholarship, until recently archaeological research has been silent on topics relating to the existence of multiple genders, transgendered and gender-liminal individuals, and sexuality. This paper introduces ways of theorizing gender that may be useful to archaeologists interested in expanding their range of interpretive possibilities. Such theory is then applied to several case studies from the prehispanic North American Southwest in order to demonstrate the interpretive potential of theories that view gender as a dynamic and transformative phenomenon.