Archaeological Investigations in 2007 and 2008 at the Mission and Mission Garden Loci of the Clearwater Site, AZ BB:13:6 (ASM), and the Santa Cruz River Westside Canals, AZ BB:13:481 (ASM), Tucson, Pima County, Arizona

Editor(s): M.L. Brack; Michael W. Diehl; J. Homer Thiel

Year: 2018

Summary

Desert Archaeology, Inc., personnel conducted archaeological fieldwork for the City of Tucson at the Mission and Mission Garden loci of the Clearwater site, AZ BB:13:6 (ASM), and the Santa Cruz River Westside Canal site, AZ BB:13:481 (ASM), in March through July 2007, and September through October 2008. The work was conducted to mitigate the effects of the planned construction of the Mission of San Agustín, Ancestral Village, Carrillo House, and Mission Garden components of the Tucson Origins Heritage Park. As of June 2015, only the Mission Garden component was constructed. The project was funded by the City of Tucson as part of the Rio Nuevo redevelopment project.

In all, 461 archaeological features were documented at the Clearwater site, and 21 canal segments from the Santa Cruz River Westside Canal site were studied. These features date from the time span between the Silverbell Interval of the Early Agricultural period (circa 2100 B.C.) into the American Statehood period, ending at about A.D. 1960. The features located included prehistoric pit structures, roasting pits, and small pits used for various purposes. Mission-era features included foundations of the Mission Garden walls and several middens. American Territorial period features were also found and included a brick-lined well and several outhouse pits. A number of prehistoric and protohistoric mortuary features were also located. These were excavated, and the remains and associated artifacts were repatriated to the Tohono O'Odham Nation.

Analyses presented in this report used the features, recovered artifacts, plant materials, and faunal bone to examine three research issues — the changing riverine oasis, oasis communities, and community diversity.

Cite this Record

Archaeological Investigations in 2007 and 2008 at the Mission and Mission Garden Loci of the Clearwater Site, AZ BB:13:6 (ASM), and the Santa Cruz River Westside Canals, AZ BB:13:481 (ASM), Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, 06. M.L. Brack, Michael W. Diehl, J. Homer Thiel. 2018 ( tDAR id: 448251) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8448251

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Keywords

Culture
Archaic • Historic • Hohokam • Huhugam • PaleoIndian

Material
Ceramic • Chipped Stone • Fauna • Fire Cracked Rock • Glass • Ground Stone • Human Remains • Macrobotanical • Metal • Pollen • Shell

Site Name
AZ BB:13:481 (ASM) • AZ BB:13:6 (ASM) • Clearwater Site • Santa Cruz River Westside Canals

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Canal or Canal Feature • Canid Burial • Crematorium • Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Domestic Structures • Extramural Surface • Fence • Foundation • Funerary and Burial Structures or Features • Hamlet / Village • Hearth • Inhumation • Isolated Burial • Midden • Pit • Pit House / Earth Lodge • Pond • Post Hole / Post Mold • Privy Pit • Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno • Rock Alignment • Rock Concentration • Settlements • Trash Concentration • Well

Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation • Historic Background Research • Research Design / Data Recovery Plan

General
Artifact Analysis • Pollen Analysis • Radiocarbon Dating

Geographic Keywords
Arizona (State / Territory) • Pima (County) • Tucson, AZ • Tucson Basin

Temporal Keywords
American Statehood Period • American Territorial Period • Archaic Period • Cienaga phase • Classic Period • Early Agricultural period • Early Ceramic period • Hohokam Sequence • Mexican Period • Paleoindian Period • Protohistoric Period • Sedentary Period • Spanish Period

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: -2100 to 1960 (From the Early Agricultural Period, to American Statehood Period)

Spatial Coverage

min long: -110.997; min lat: 32.207 ; max long: -110.979; max lat: 32.223 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Desert Archaeology, Inc.

Contributor(s): Jenny L. Adams; M.L. Brack; Jeffery Charest; Allison Cohen Diehl; Michael W. Diehl; James M. Heidke; Gary Huckleberry; Ralph Koziarski; Carlos P. Lavayen; Michael Margolis; Elizabeth Miksa; Mary F. Ownby; Manuel R. Palacios-Fest; R. Jane Sliva; J.Homer Thiel; Christine H. Virden-Lange; Jennifer A. Waters

Prepared By(s): Desert Archaeology, Inc.

Submitted To(s): City of Tucson

Record Identifiers

Technical Report(s): 2008-06

Notes

General Note: Pages 445 and 446 need to be rotated.

File Information

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tr2008-06_final_OCR_PDFA_Redacted.pdf 563.05mb Oct 13, 2020 12:23:15 PM Public
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tr2008-06_final_OCR_PDFA.pdf 475.90mb Jan 1, 2018 Mar 20, 2019 2:24:31 PM Confidential
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Contact(s): Desert Archaeology, Inc.

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