Land Use and Resource Exploitation of the Sonoran Desert: A Sample Survey of Cultural Resources in Mohave, La Paz, and Yavapai Counties, Arizona

Author(s): Bruce A. Jones

Year: 1990

Summary

In April and November, 1989, Statistical Research conducted a cultural resource survey of nearly 4,000 acres of land owned by the State of Arizona in Mohave, Yavapai and La Paz counties. The field reconnaissance documented 16 archaeological sites consisting of artifact scatters, trails, rock features, rock art and stationary grinding-features. The non-random survey strategy was based on a stratified sample of 640 acre-study units in the Hualapai and Aquarius Mountains, the Big Sandy Valley and the Date Creek Basin. Ethnographic models of Walapai and Yavapai subsistence strategies were employed to form hypotheses concerning the location, function, variability, cultural affliation and chronology of the data base sample. The hypotheses were then refuted or supported by the site sample from the project area.

Results support the findings of previous surveys in the region reporting a paucity of sites in the eastern Hualapai Mountains and high site density and diversity for the Aquarius-Mohon Mountain-Goodwin Mesa areas. Support for statistical-based models of site distribution and function is present at sites concentrated in upper bajada and up!and areas of Study Unit I. Study Unit II displayed site distributions representative of Western Yavapai settlement systems primarily concentrated on desert ecosystems and numerous temporary camps. Obsidian, was acquired from local sources and possibly traded to the Aquarius Mountain groups from the Upper Date Creek Basin. Diagnostic artifacts ranging from, the Middle Archaic Period to Historical times suggest a long period of occupation in the Date Creek Basin and areas to the east of the Big Sandy Valley.

All sites except AZ M:2:3 are considered eligible for inclusion into the National Register under criterion "D" based on their ability to address important regional-research issues. AZ M:2:3 14 has been severely impacted by erosion and lacks integrity.

Sections within this document include an introduction, environmental characteristics, research and culture history, research design, methods and site descriptions, evaluation of project results, and recommendations. Appendices include the project site form, isolated finds, and an obsidian sourcing analysis contributed by Paul Bouey.

Cite this Record

Land Use and Resource Exploitation of the Sonoran Desert: A Sample Survey of Cultural Resources in Mohave, La Paz, and Yavapai Counties, Arizona. Bruce A. Jones. Statistical Research Technical Series ,26. Tucson, AZ: SRI Press. 1990 ( tDAR id: 400873) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8280B5B

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Keywords

Culture
Archaic • Gila • Historic • Hohokam • Late Archaic • Middle Archaic • Upland Yuman • Walapai • Western Archaic • Yavapai

Material
Aquarius Black-on-Brownware • Aquarius Brownware • Basalt • Black-on-Brownware • Brownware • Ceramic • Cerbat Brownware • Chalcedony • Chert • Chipped Stone • Fire Cracked Rock • Glass • Gray Chert • Gray Quartzite • Green Mudstone • Ground Stone • Jasper • Limestone • Metal • Mineral • Mudstone • Obsidian • Purple Quartzite • Quartz • Quartzite • Red Quartzite • Red Rhyolite • Rhyolite • Saltglazed Stoneware • Stoneware • Tan Chert • Tizon Brownware • Transfer-Print Ceramic • White Chalcedony • White Ironstone • Yellow Quartzite Show More

Site Name
AZ M:16:12 (ASM) • AZ M:16:13 (ASM) • AZ M: 16:14 (ASM) • AZ M:16:15 (ASM) • AZ M:16:16 (ASM) • AZ M:16:17 (ASM) • AZ M:16:18 (AZ) • AZ M:2:3 (ASM) • AZ M:2:4 (ASM) • AZ M:3:1 (ASM) • AZ M:3:2 (ASM) • AZ M:3:3 (ASM) • AZ M:3:4 (ASM) • AZ M:3:5 (ASM) • AZ M:3:6 (ASM) • AZ M:6:2 (ASM) • Wickiup Rock Art Site

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Artifact Scatter • Bedrock Grinding Feature • Cairn • Chipping Station • Hearth • Hunting / Trapping • Isolated Artifact • Lithic Scatter • Midden • Milling Feature • Petroglyph • Pit • Resource Extraction / Production / Transportation Structure or Features • Road, Trail, and Related Structures or Features • Roasting Pit • Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno • Rock Alignment • Rock Art • Rock Concentration • Rock Ring • Shrine • Stationary Grinding Feature • Trail • Trail Marker

Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview • Heritage Management • Site Evaluation / Testing

General
Anvil Stone • Biface • Can • Chalcedony Flake • Chalcedony Projectile Point • Cobble • Core • Debitage • Flake • Handstone • Hole-in-Cap Can • Limestone Core • Mano • Metate • Milk Can • Obsidian Flake • Obsidian Projectile Point • Projectile Point • Quartz Flake • Quartzite Core • Quartzite Handstone • Quartzite Scraper • Rhyolite Biface • Rhyolite Scraper • Scraper • Shatter • Slab Metate • Tin • Tobacco Tin • Trace Element Analysis • Trough Metate Show More

Geographic Keywords
Aguila Valley • Alamo Lake • Aquarius Cliffs • Aquarius Mountains • Arrastra Mountains • Big Sandy River • Big Sandy Valley • Black Canyon • Bradshaw Mountains • Bullard Wash • Date Creek Basin • Frances Creek • Goodwin Mesa • Hair Clipper Wash • Harcuvar Mountains • Hualapai Mountains • La Paz County (County) • Mohave County (County) • Mohon Mountains • Pilgrim Wash • Pilgrim Wash Well • Santa Maria River • Swale Tank • Vulture Mountains • Wickieup, AZ • Yavapai County (County)

Temporal Keywords
Archaic • Historic • Late Archaic • Prehistoric • Santa Cruz-Sacaton

Spatial Coverage

min long: -114.06; min lat: 33.962 ; max long: -112.654; max lat: 35.425 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): SRI Press

Contributor(s): Paul Buoey; Jeffrey Altschul; Kathi Kubish

Project Director(s): Bruce A. Jones

Landowner(s): State of Arizona; Hualapai Tribe; Bureau of Land Mangement

Sponsor(s): National Park Service

Submitted To(s): Arizona State Parks

Notes

Redaction Note: Figures 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.9, 5.11, 5.16, 5.21, 5.22, 5.24, 5.27, 5.29, 5.33, 5.35, and 5.36 of this document have been redacted.

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Figures 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.9, 5.11, 5.16, 5.21, 5.22, 5.24, 5.27, 5.29, 5.33, 5.35, and 5.36 of this document have been redacted.

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Contact(s): SRI Press

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