Archaeological Investigations Along the Navajo-McCullough Transmission Line, Southern Utah and Northern Arizona

Author(s): Kathleen Moffitt; Sandra Rayl; Michael Metcalf

Year: 1978

Summary

Since the Glen Canyon Project, eastern stretches of the Utah-Arizona border have become increasingly well known. From the Glen Canyon Dam west, however, few sites have been excavated. During 1972-73, the Museum of Northern Arizona surveyed a 500 kV transmission line transect from the Navajo Generating Station at Page, Arizona, to the Nevada border southwest of St. George, Utah. The line continues from the Nevada border to the McCullough Switching Station south of Boulder City, Nevada. This latter portion of the line was surveyed by Richard Brooks of the Nevada Archaeological Survey, Southern Branch. Sixty-two sites were recorded on the Museum of Northern Arizona portion of the survey, 32 of which were excavated. Few sites were totally excavated; most were extensively (though non-randomly) sampled. The objective of the survey was to extract as much information as possible concerning the aboriginal population in the transect.

Cultural traditions identified for the area include the Desert Archaic, Virgin and Kayenta Anasazi, Fremont, and Southern Paiute. On this survey little concrete evidence of the Fremont culture was isolated, although a few artifacts were located. This lack of Fremont throughout most sites is probably due to the southerly nature of the transect.

The project had several research objectives, among which was an evaluation of the validity of the Virgin-Kayenta differentiation. Our material did not, however, lend itself to this investigation. Second, a study of the presence of the Southern Paiute and their significance within the area was undertaken. This objective has been realized to a great extent. A third research objective was the delineation of periods of occupation and cultural influence within each region. Due to the lack of accurately datable material, most of the dating offered is inferential. A fourth research objective was a study of subsistence patterns. It appears that hunting and gathering was the dominant pattern over the entire area. Consequently, this research was reformulated to consist of a site usage study based on analysis of tool assemblages, and of the environmental niches and variables available for exploitation.

Cite this Record

Archaeological Investigations Along the Navajo-McCullough Transmission Line, Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. Kathleen Moffitt, Sandra Rayl, Michael Metcalf. 1978 ( tDAR id: 102337) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8102337

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
Anasazi • Archaic • Fremont • Paiute • Shoshonean

Material
Ceramic • Chipped Stone • Fauna • Ground Stone • Pollen • Projectile Point

Site Name
NA11,404 • NA11,405 • NA11,406 • NA11,407 • NA11,408 • NA11,495 • NA11,497 • NA11,498 • NA11,500 • NA11,508 • NA11,509 • NA11,512 • NA11,598 • NA11,608 • NA11,609 • NA11,610 • NA11,613 • NA11,615 • NA11,616 • NA11,617 • NA11,618 • NA11,625 • NA11,626 • NA11,627 • NA11,634 • NA11,638 • NA11,639 • NA11,640 • NA11,641 • NA11,643 • NA12,469 Show More

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Fire Pit • Hearth • Midden • Pit • Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno • Rock Concentration • Wickiup Base

Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation • Reconnaissance / Survey • Site Evaluation / Testing

General
Bureau of Reclamation • Chipped Stone Tools • Ground Stone Tools • Lithic Debitage • Navajo-McCullough Line • settlement • Structures

Geographic Keywords
04005 (Fips Code) • 04999 (Fips Code) • 49053 (Fips Code) • Arizona (State / Territory) • Coconino (County) • Kane • North America (Continent) • Page, AZ • United States of America (Country) • Upper Colorado River Drainage • Utah (State / Territory) • Washington (County)

Temporal Keywords
Archaic Period • Basketmaker III Period

Spatial Coverage

min long: -114.053; min lat: 35.747 ; max long: -110.544; max lat: 37.618 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager

Sponsor(s): Salt River Project; U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Prepared By(s): Museum of Northern Arizona

Submitted To(s): Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Record Identifiers

Anthropological Research Paper No.(s): 10

NADB document id number(s): 2203436; 865247

SRP Library Barcode No.(s): 00030595

MNA Research Paper(s): 10

NADB citation id number(s): 000000167539; 000000106216

File Information

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1978_MoffittRaylMetcalf_ArchaeologicalInvestigations_OCR_PDFA.pdf 106.95mb May 8, 2017 11:36:40 AM Confidential
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Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager