What became of the Mimbres?
What became of the Mimbres culture and people is a question archeologists are still trying to answer today. Around A.D. 1150 Mimbres society disappeared. Because their pottery is not found elsewhere, it is assumed that the Mimbres did not take their cultural traditions with them when they left the area. Houses and villages were deliberately abandoned. Possible reasons for their decline and dispersal include overpopulation, drought, and strained resources. Archaeologists speculate that the Mimbres population may have emigrated to growing cultural centers, such as Casas Grandes. After having been drawn into Casas Grandes to find relief from food shortages and overpopulation, it seems the Mimbres cultural identity and bowl painting tradition were lost to the political and cultural dominance of the other civilization.