Sunset Crater Archaeology: The History of a Volcanic Landscape, Prehistoric Settlement in the Shadow of the Volcano

Editor(s): Mark D. Elson

Year: 2011

Summary

This volume explores human adaptation to catastrophic events, particularly to volcanic eruptions. Sunset Crater Volcano is located in the pine forests of northern Arizona, approximately 20 km north of the city of Flagstaff. The volcano was long thought to have erupted in A.D. 1064, with the eruption extending for several hundred years. Research presented here, however, suggests that Sunset Crater erupted for only a few years sometime between A.D. 1085 and 1090, when nearby areas were densely populated by small, prehistoric farming groups. Lava and volcanic tephra were deposited over an area of 2,300 km2, dramatically changing the physical landscape and, almost certainly, the ideological world view of the prehistoric inhabitants. The eruption caused large-scale abandonment, creating a conservative estimate of 1,000-2,000 volcano refugees. Conversely, the deposition of a thin, moisture-retaining cinder mulch, 3-10 cm thick, allowed low elevation areas previously too dry to farm to now be settled.

In this volume, the results of archaeological investigations of 41 prehistoric sites along a 26.7-km long section of U.S. 89, situated 5-20 km from Sunset Crater, are presented. Despite the stress of the eruption, the prehistoric populations who inhabited this area not only thrived, they prospered, eventually building some of the largest village sites in the northern Southwest. The goal here is to understand the nature of this highly successful adaptation. Further, the project area crosses what has long been considered a cultural boundary between two groups, the Sinagua to the south and the Cohonina to the north. The distinction between these groups is based largely on the predominance of different ceramic wares, with the Sinagua using Alameda Brown Ware and the Cohonina using San Francisco Mountain Gray Ware. Project research questions involved reconstructing the prehistoric settlement, including examining the question of cultural affiliation, with the goal of refining current understanding of human response to the Sunset Crater Volcano eruption.

Cite this Record

Sunset Crater Archaeology: The History of a Volcanic Landscape, Prehistoric Settlement in the Shadow of the Volcano. Mark D. Elson. 2011 ( tDAR id: 428065) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8428065

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
Cohonina • Hopi • Sinagua Culture

Material
Ceramic

Site Name
Ant Hill • AZ I:10:10 (ASM) • AZ I:10:101 (ASM) • AZ I:10:104 (ASM) • AZ I:10:105 (ASM) • AZ I:10:107 (ASM) • AZ I:10:108 (ASM) • AZ I:10:109 (ASM) • AZ I:10:110 (ASM) • AZ I:10:112 (ASM) • AZ I:10:113 (ASM) • AZ I:10:114 (ASM) • AZ I:10:12 (ASM) • AZ I:10:120 (ASM) • AZ I:10:121 (ASM) • AZ I:10:122 (ASM) • AZ I:10:13 (ASM) • AZ I:10:14 (ASM) • AZ I:10:15 (ASM) • AZ I:10:16 (ASM) • AZ I:10:17 (ASM) • AZ I:10:18 (ASM) • AZ I:10:19 (ASM) • AZ I:10:20 (ASM) • AZ I:10:22 (ASM) • AZ I:10:38 (ASM) • AZ I:10:60 (ASM) • AZ I:10:61 (ASM) • AZ I:10:62 (ASM) • AZ I:10:63 (ASM) • AZ I:10:69 (ASM) • AZ I:10:71 (ASM) • AZ I:10:86 (ASM) • AZ I:10:90 (ASM) • AZ I:10:91 (ASM) • AZ I:10:92 (ASM) • AZ I:10:93 (ASM) • AZ I:10:94 (ASM) • AZ I:10:96 (ASM) • AZ I:10:97 (ASM) • AZ I:10:99 (ASM) • AZ I:6:5 (ASM) • AZ I:6:6 (ASM) • Bachelor House • Basalt Ridge • Borrow • Clay House Small • Corn Rock • Deadman Flat • Dean • Divide • Elk • Full House • Headman's Edge • Homestead • Lenox Annex • Lenox Park • Little Elk • NA18,417 • NA18,621 • NA18,625 • NA18,630 • NA18,680 • NA181 • NA19,007 • NA20,700 • NA21,087 • NA21,089 • NA21,090 • NA21,091 • NA21,092 • NA21,103 • NA21,104 • NA21,131 • NA21,345 • NA25,330 • NA25,485 • NA25,751 • NA25,752 • NA25,753 • NA25,754 • NA25,755 • NA25,756 • NA25,762 • NA25,764 • NA25,766 • NA25,767 • NA25,769 • NA25,770 • NA25,771 • NA25,772 • NA25,773 • NA25,774 • NA25,775 • NA25,776 • NA25,777 • NA25,779 • NA25,780 • NA25,949 • NA25,996 • NA33,180 • NA420 • NA860 • North End • Plainview • Road House • Seven • Slope Fieldhouse • Snag Show More

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Check Dam • Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Domestic Structures • Field House • Hearth • Masonry Room • Pit • Pit House / Earth Lodge • Shade Structure / Ramada

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

General
Wupatki National Monument

Geographic Keywords
Arizona (State / Territory) • Coconino (County) • Flagstaff, AZ • Sunset Crater • U.S. 89 • Wupatki National Monument

Temporal Keywords
Prehistoric

Spatial Coverage

min long: -111.595; min lat: 35.325 ; max long: -111.522; max lat: 35.55 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager

Contributor(s): Kirk C. Anderson; Mark D. Elson; T.J. Ferguson; Susan D. Hall; James M. Heidke; Micah Loma'omvaya; Elizabeth M. May; Michael H. Ort; Paul R. Sheppard; David J. Street; James M. Vint

Field Director(s): Terry L. Samples; Deborah L. Swartz

Prepared By(s): Center for Desert Archaeology

Submitted To(s): Arizona Department of Transportation Environmental and Enhancement Group

Record Identifiers

Anthropological Papers No.(s): 37

TRACS No.(s): 089 CN 434 H2022 02D

Contract No.(s): 97-41

File Information

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2011_Elson_SunsetCraterShadow_OCR.pdf 81.19mb Dec 1, 2011 Apr 10, 2017 2:02:42 PM Confidential
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Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager