Archaeological Investigations at the Gila Butte Site: Hohokam Irrigation and Economic Systems Along the Gila River, Arizona
Summary
This report details the results of testing and data recovery efforts in the northern portion of the Gila Butte Site, a medium-sized Hohokam village located on the north side of the Gila River south of Phoenix, Arizona. Although the main portion of the site has not been subjected to substantial data recovery efforts, the primary occupation of the site is believed to date at least from the Estrella phase through the Sacaton phase of the Hohokam sequence (ca. A.D. 500-1100 [Dean 1991]), although minor components suggest that Archaic, Classic period Hohokam, and Protohistoric Piman peoples also made use of the site. The site’s greatest research potential lies in its apparent position as the prime supplier of micaceous-schist tempering material for Hohokam buff, red, and plain pottery. It is also possible, if not probable, that the residents of the site specialized in the production of some, most, or all of the distinctive buffware pottery that was used throughout the Hohokam region.
Several canals and other agriculture-related features were recorded during the present project. In addition to adding to our understanding of irrigation agriculture at the Gila Butte Site, the project met with some success in providing additional data and presenting new, testable models related to Gila Butte’s position in the irrigation communities north of the Gila River and the site’s possible economic relationship with Snaketown and the rest of the Hohokam regional system.
Cite this Record
Archaeological Investigations at the Gila Butte Site: Hohokam Irrigation and Economic Systems Along the Gila River, Arizona, 84. Thomas N. Motsinger, Richard V. N. Ahlstrom. 1993 ( tDAR id: 406827) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8406827
Keywords
Culture
Classic Hohokam
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Hohokam
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post-Classic Polvoron
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Prehistoric
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SACATON
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Sedentary
Material
Building Materials
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Ceramic
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Chipped Stone
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Dating Sample
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Ground Stone
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Macrobotanical
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Pollen
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Shell
Site Name
AZ U:13:18 (ASM)
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AZ U:13:76 (ASM)
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Gila Butte Site
Site Type
Agricultural or Herding
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Archaeological Feature
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Canal or Canal Feature
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Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex
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Domestic Structures
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Pit
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Pit House / Earth Lodge
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Post Hole / Post Mold
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Refuse Pit
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Resource Extraction / Production / Transportation Structure or Features
Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview
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Site Evaluation / Testing
Geographic Keywords
Arizona
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Gila Butte
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Gila River
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Phoenix
Spatial Coverage
min long: -112.161; min lat: 32.907 ; max long: -111.59; max lat: 33.312 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager
Contributor(s): Linda Scott Cummings; Susan B. Bierer; Gary Huckleberry; Kathryn Puseman; Mary-Ellen Walsh-Anduze
Principal Investigator(s): Richard V. N. Ahlstrom
Repository(s): Salt River Project
Prepared By(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants
Submitted To(s): The Gila River Indian Community
Record Identifiers
Salt River Project Library Call No.(s): E78.G55M681993
Salt River Project Library Barcode No.(s): 00090926
SWCA Archaeological Report No.(s): 93-84
File Information
| Name | Size | Creation Date | Date Uploaded | Access | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993_SWCA_ArchaeologicalInvestionsButte_OCR_PDFA_Redacted.pdf | 63.47mb | Sep 28, 2021 1:44:02 PM | Public | ||
| This file is a redacted copy. | |||||
| 1993_SWCA_ArchaeologicalInvestionsButte_OCR_PDFA.pdf | 48.91mb | Jul 1, 1993 | Feb 21, 2017 4:22:03 PM | Confidential | |
| This file is unredacted. | |||||
Accessing Restricted Files
At least one of the files for this resource is restricted from public view. For more information regarding access to these files, please reference the contact information below
Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager