Desert Archaeology DAHA Resources

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mark D. Elson. David J. Street. Jeffrey S. Dean. Michael H. Ort.

The tree-ring dating by Terah Smiley in 1958 of the eruption of Sunset Crater Volcano to the year A.D. 1064 was crucial to the interpretation of the archaeology, geology, and paleoecology of Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments and the northern Southwest United States in general. Significantly, this was also the world's first calendrical dating of a prehistoric volcano eruption, creating a new application for tree ring data. The dating of the Sunset Crater eruption was based on...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Archaeological fieldwork was conducted on Block 181, in the historic heart of downtown Tucson, at various times between 2003 and 2006. Work took place before and during the stabilization and restoration of the historic Siqueiros-Jácome House, built in the 1860s and 1870s. Work was also conducted in the backyard of the house and beneath an adjacent parking lot, once the location of the Dodge Boarding House (circa 1898-1954). Hundreds of features were located. Noteworthy were several Early...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Allen Dart. James P. Holmlund. Henry D. Wallace.

The greater Coyote Mountains archaeological district identified in this volume is located at the north end of the Altar Valley of Arizona and includes an extensive and varied complex of archaeological sites and features. These cultural materials are believed to represent the remains of one or more large, early-to-late Classic period (A D . 1150-1450) communities focused on at least 10 walled compounds-open spaces enclosed by adobe or masonry walls--interpreted as residential areas. Associated...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Las Capas, AZ AA:12:111 (ASM), so named for its deeply stratified deposits, dates primarily to the San Pedro phase of the Early Agricultural period, circa 1200-800 B.C. Later, more sporadic occupation of the site extends from the Cienega phase (800 B.C.-A.D. 50) through the Hohokam sequence and the Protohistoric period. Occupation prior to approximately 2100 B.C. is suggested by several radiocarbon dates on maize found redeposited in younger contexts. Recent excavations at the site and its...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Bruce B. Huckell.

This report is to show that we have completed our Phase 2 data recovery investigations at five archaeological sites along the Slate Creek Section of SR 188, and to recommend that archaeological clearance be granted for the construction of this section of the road. The field work began on June 13 and terminated on July 28; a total of approximately 390 person days was expended. The Phase 2 data recovery accomplished at the Slate Creek Section sites was successful in producing the kinds of data...

DOCUMENT Full-Text James M. Bayman.

At the request of the Indian-Oasis Baboquivari Unified School District, Desert Archaeology conducted fieldwork on June 29, 1994, to recover data from archaeological site AZ DD:1:82 (ASM). This archaeological site, along with two others—AZ DD:1:81 (ASM) and AZ DD:1:83 (ASM)—was discovered during survey of a proposed area for an intermediate school, a lagoon, and a sewerline north of the community of Topawa, on the Tohono O'odham Reservation (Bayman 1993a). Based on the original survey, it was...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

Archaeological data recovery was conducted at the eastern margin of a larger site, AZ EE:9:174 (ASM), by Desert Archaeology, Inc. Four pit structures and 11 extramural features were identified and excavated. No human remains were found. The structures were all structures-in-pits oriented toward the east and the Santa Cruz River. Results from this project were limited because only a small portion of the site was investigated. Ceramic analysis suggested this portion of the site was occupied during...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Michael W. Lindeman.

This report documents archaeological data recovery by Desert Archaeology, Inc., at three archaeological sites, AZ U:14:292 (ASM), AZ U:14:437 (ASM), and AZ U:14:438 (ASM), found inside Western Area Power Administration's (Western) Coolidge Substation, Pinal County, Arizona. Archaeological fieldwork was conducted in two phases. The first phase focused on a larger area within the substation and was reported on by Darby et al. (2012). The current report focuses on the second phase of fieldwork,...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz. Jenny L. Adams.

Phase 1 Data Recovery was conducted at the Sunset Mesa Ruin, AZ AA:12:10 (ASM), to evaluate the archaeological resources that will be impacted by the gravel mining operations of Tucson Ready Mix, Inc. The information gathered from the excavated backhoe trenches, added to previous archaeological investigations at the site, has identified several loci where prehistoric and historic or modern features cluster. Two areas were also identified that may be cremation cemeteries. The historic features...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah Swartz.

Archaeological data recovery was conducted at the Tortolita Vistas site, AZ AA:12:271 (ASM), prior to construction of a housing development in Marana by Cottonwood Properties. This fieldhouse site is situated on the upper bajada of the Tortolita Mountains. A single pit structure and five extramural features were discovered and completely excavated: 2 roasting pits, 2 small extramural pits, and 1 trash concentration. No human remains were found. Ceramic analysis dates the site occupation to...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Elizabeth A. Bagwell. Jenny L. Adams. T. Kathleen Henderson. Stacy L. Ryan. Joshua S. Watts.

Results of data recovery investigations at four archaeological sites within the Dinosaur to Hunt (DIR-HUN) 12kV/69kV electric line corridor, east of Queen Creek, Arizona, are presented in this report. All four sites are located on Arizona State Trust Land, and all were found to meet eligibility criteria for inclusion in the Arizona and National Registers of Historic Places (Clark 2007). The archaeological work was conducted to mitigate adverse effects of construction of the Dinosaur to Hunt...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Michael W. Lindeman.

The Paseo de las Iglesias (Paseo) project provided a unique opportunity to examine the riverine landscape and its role in the lives of millennia of inhabitants of the Tucson Basin, from Early Agricultural period farmers to late Historic era farmers and entrepreneurs. Questions about how people utilized the riverine landscape guided the project research presented here. The Paseo project area is centered on the Santa Cruz River, extending from the banks of the current entrenched channel to the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Andrea K. L. Freeman.

At the request of the City of Tucson, Desert Archaeology, Inc., conducted data recovery of archaeological resources on a parcel of Arizona State Trust land south of the Los Reales Landfill. Data recovery was recommended by Desert Archaeology on the basis of a survey conducted in October of 1994. A data recovery plan was submitted to the City of Tucson in August of 1995, and data recovery investigations were conducted on October 23-24,1995. These investigations consisted of excavation of 1-m by...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Allen Dart. Deborah L. Swartz.

The excavations at the West Branch site, AZ AA:16:3 (ASM), were conducted for the City of Tucson Water Department prior to the replacement of a water line. Twenty-two archaeological features were recorded in the narrow right-of-way. All were excavated or tested except one of the trash deposits recorded in a backhoe trench, and a human secondary cremation that was identified during the excavations and left in place. The other features include remnants of eight pithouses, one possible pithouse,...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Archaeological investigations of a proposed leach field at the Tumacacori Unit of the Tumacacori National Historical Site in southern Arizona led to the discovery of a Mission-era soil mining pit. Excavation of a portion of this feature resulted in the recovery of a sample of artifacts and food remains likely discarded between 1770 and 1820. These items indicate that residents of the mission were cooking and storing food and water in Native American vessels, including the use of comals (tortilla...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mark D. Elson. Deborah L. Swartz.

The Zanardelli site, AZ BB:13:1 (ASM), is a large, Classic period (A.D. 1150-1450) Hohokam platform mound village situated in the southern Tucson Basin. The site has been known to the archaeological community since 1929. Since that time, portions of it have undergone archaeological survey and excavation. To date, including the current project, archaeological investigations have identified 154 prehistoric cultural features at the site. Recovered feature types include: 2 pithouses, 19 adobe-walled...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel. Penny Dufoe Minturn. Lorrie Lincoln-Babb.

Erosion along a wash running into Arivaca Creek resulted in the exposure of skeletal remains from a prehistoric cemetery. Under contract to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Desert Archaeology conducted emergency excavations in November of 1994 to rescue those remains that had partially fallen into the wash. The surviving portions of four burials were removed, and a fifth burial was discovered but left in situ. The presence of five burials in such a restricted area suggests that a larger...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

In this report, the results of archaeological data recovery at the Zanardelli site, AZ BB:13:1 (ASM), south of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, are detailed. The archaeological work was done in advance of a City of Tucson water project. Observations recorded by A. V. Kidder on a 1934 site card note that a great house with small mounds in close association were present at Zanardelli. Kidder also noted that the site was "Cut through by highway and mostly destroyed." While little evidence of the adobe...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Between 1997 and 1999, archaeological investigations at several sites along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson, Arizona, resulted in the collection of pottery from a wide variety of temporal contexts in a relatively limited geographic area. The analyses of these ceramics culminated in a selection of sherds from multiple sites for petrographic analyses. The result is four petrographic data sets with overlapping analytical requirements. In order of their temporal contexts, they are: (1) Tortolita...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

The results of archaeological testing and data recovery to mitigate the impacts of construction associated with the Plaza Centro project, a private development with support from the City of Tucson, are presented in this report. A survey and archival study (Diehl 2005) indicated that Historic Block 95, AZ BB:13:809 (ASM), once contained the Southern Pacific Employees Club, a facility built and used in the early twentieth century, as well as other buildings. Archaeological testing was recommended...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

This report is the first of two technical reports that present the results of archaeological and historical studies conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., and Arizona Preservation Consultants personnel for the City of Phoenix (City) Community Noise Reduction Program and associated Voluntary Acquisition and Relocation Services (CNRP-VARS) Program. Residential parcels within seven City-defined neighborhoods were the focus of archaeological investigations, including: North Neighborhood, AZ T:12:258...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

During the summer of 2005, archaeological data recovery was undertaken at three sites within a proposed Phelps Dodge water pipeline corridor south of the mining town of Bagdad in west-central Arizona. AZ M:8:60 (ASM), situated in mountainous terrain near the northern end of the pipeline corridor, was an artifact scatter with a grinding slick and a rock cairn. Recovered artifacts suggest the site was a camp dedicated to the procurement and processing of upland plant resources. Although plain...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Tiffany Clark. T. Kathleen Henderson.

This report documents the results of archaeological testing and monitoring activities completed by Desert Archaeology, Inc., along the course of two City of Phoenix waterline projects: WS85500146 and WS85500143. The work was initiated due to the possibility archaeological remains could be encountered during construction of the waterline(s). As part of the City's planning and design process, Soil Systems, Inc., performed cultural resources surveys of the proposed waterline alignments (Ellis...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Tucson on 20 March 1880, dramatically changed the community. Historic Block 83 was located across the street from the railroad depot and developed rapidly in response to the sudden influx of departing or arriving travelers. Boarding houses, a hotel, saloons, restaurants, barber shops, a pool hall, a Chinese laundry, and several small stores were among the businesses that catered to these people. The southeastern corner of the block was associated...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Archaeological work was conducted in April and May of 2004, at a portion of the Julian Wash site, AZ BB:13:17 (ASM), located in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, prior to construction of a drainage system. Previous excavations by Desert Archaeology, Inc., and Statistical Research, Inc., identified several loci of this large prehistoric Hohokam site.The new project area was between these loci in an area that once lay beneath an embankment of Interstate 19 (I-19). The removal of this embankment and...

DOCUMENT Full-Text David A. Gregory. James M. Heidke. J. Homer Thiel. Jennifer A. Waters.

In November 1997, Desert Archaeology, Inc., conducted archaeological testing along a portion of AZ AA:12:16 (ASM). According to the Arizona State Museum site card, this Hohokam site was originally recorded by Mitalsky, in 1937. Mitalsky found Hohokam pottery, cremated human bone, and ground stone scattered along the embankments and in adjacent cotton fields. In the years since the site card was filled out, this area has been extensively developed, with little additional archaeological work. ...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

Archaeological investigations were conducted along State Route 79 northwest of Oracle, Arizona, prior to rebuilding the Coronado Wash Bridge by the Arizona Department of Transportation. Desert Archaeology subcontracted with AZTEC Engineering to perform the investigations. Two sites were included in this project, AZ AA:8:350 (ASM) and AZ AA:8:351 (ASM), the Coronado Wash site. AZ AA:8:350 (ASM) was tested for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) and is not...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Archaeological data recovery on Historic Block 185 documented features from two subsurface archaeological sites, AZ BB:13:756 (ASM) and AZ BB:13:757 (ASM). BB:13:756 included soil mining pits, where material to manufacture adobe bricks for the Tucson Presidio was collected, and the foundations of twentieth century dwellings. BB:13:757 consisted of portions of two canals, one dating to the Prehistoric era and one filled with Territorial-era trash. These resources were determined to be...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Results of archaeological investigations at two sites, AZ BB:9:391 (ASM) and AZ BB:9:7 (ASM), are detailed in this report. The work at BB:9:391 was requested by the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona prior to construction of a Ronald McDonald House along Allen Road. The work at BB:9:7 was requested by the University Medical Center (UMC) prior to construction of the University Medical Center North. Both sites are located on the grounds of the former Tucson General Hospital,...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Allison Cohen Diehl. Judi L. Cameron. Michael W. Diehl. James Heidke. J. Homer Thiel.

When the City of Tucson announced its plan to replace the aging Connie Chambers housing facility in Barrio Libre with new, affordable single family homes, a cultural resources assessment was conducted to determine if the project had the potential to disturb historically significant archaeological deposits. Archival records revealed that homes dating as early as the late nineteenth century once stood on three of the city blocks occupied by the housing project. Most of the homes were owned or...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

In 2003, Desert Archaeology prepared a Phase 1 Data Recovery plan for the City of Tucson for the two prehistoric sites within Christopher Columbus Park (Swartz 2003). The park development project was subsequently transferred to Pima County, and the initial Master Plan was prepared. Implementation of Phase 1 Data Recovery was in late 2004, to address extensive recreational use of the previously undeveloped portions of the park. The purpose of Phase 1 Data Recovery (Project Director Ellen Ruble),...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Allison Cohen Diehl. Timothy W. Jones. J. Homer Thiel.

Archaeological excavations at El Dumpe (AZ BB: 13:110 ASM) and the Embankment site (AZ BB: 13:159 ASM) were conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc. in the summer of 1994. The Arizona Department of Transportation had made plans to install frontage roads on each side of the interstate. Archaeological testing had previously suggested these sites might be National Register eligible. Work at El Dumpe involved collecting samples from this 1930s to 1940s dump. The University of Arizona Garbage Project...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Honey Bee Village, AZ BB:9:88 (ASM), is a large, prehistoric ballcourt village in the northern Tucson Basin. It is situated on the southeastern bajada of the Tortolita Mountains in the southern Cañada del Oro Valley. The site area is adjacent to a large alluvial basin at the juncture of Big Wash and Honey Bee Canyon at a mean elevation of 878 m (2,880 ft) above sea level. In this report, descriptions of the excavated structures are provided for the most recent and most extensive archaeological...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mary Bernard-Shaw.

Evidence for Sedentary Hohokam irrigation of the floodplain below the Los Morteros site introduces the first well-documented canal systems in the Tucson Basin. In addition to the canals, two Late Archaic wells were found in association with a seasonal campsite. The presence of cultigens at the camp indicate that the advent of agriculture on the floodplain well preceded the ceramic period. The dating and development of these features at AZ AA:12:57 [ASM] contribute to the current view of the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Henry D. Wallace.

Excavations at the large Hohokam ballcourt settlement of Los Morteros, AZ AA: 12:57 (ASM), in 1987 and 1988 resulted in the identification of 770 prehistoric cultural features, including 349 structures, an adobewalled compound enclosure, and at least five discrete cemeteries in the northern and southern portions of the kilometer-long site. Ninety-eight of the structures were fully or partially excavated. Also identified were a historic canal and evidence pointing to the location of the historic...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Henry D. Wallace.

Excavations at the large Hohokam ballcourt settlement of Los Morteros, AZ AA:12:57 (ASM), in 1987 and 1988 resulted in the identification of 770 prehistoric cultural features, including 349 structures, an adobe-walled compound enclosure, and at least five discrete cemeteries in the northern and southern portions of the kilometer-long site. Ninety-eight of the structures were fully or partially excavated. Also identified were a historic canal and evidence pointing to the location of the historic...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Data and interpretations from four archaeological projects at the City of Tucson (COT) Reclaimed Water Treatment Plant are presented in this volume. The work areas lie entirely within the prehistoric site of Los Pozos, AZ AA:12:91 (ASM). The work was conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., in advance of projects by Tucson Water: the drilling of well EW-010A (EW10) (COT Project No. 13-01) and the Regional Reclamation Facility Effluent Pumping project (RRFEP) (COT Project No. 13-08). Monitoring...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Henry D. Wallace.

As early as 1749, European visitors to the Painted Rocks region commented on the rock art they observed. The Painted Rock Reservoir, dam, and the mountains to the south, are all named after a large petroglyph site along the main east-west trail through the area, the Painted Rocks site (S:16:1 [note that unless otherwise designated, all site numbers in this document are assigned by the Arizona State Museum and all are prefaced by "AZ"]). While most of the early attention on rock art focused on...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

This project encompasses a portion of the area owned by Cottonwood Properties known as the Dove Mountain Development in the southern foothills of the Tortolita Mountains. Testing was conducted at 11 sites and more extensive excavations were done at three sites. The sites selected for more intensive investigations were the only ones that had evidence of habitation structures. Site AZ AA:12:172 (ASM) contained a single pithouse and, although only plain ware ceramics were recovered, the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Bruce B. Huckell.

As part of a long-term commitment to replenish the aquifer which has served as the sole source of water for the Tucson urban area, the City of Tucson has embarked on a project to utilize treated wastewater for ground water recharge. One area which shows promise as a recharge site is in the vicinity of the city and county wastewater treatment plants. In order to determine whether this locality would actually be suitable for the purposes of recharge, CH2M Hill was contracted with by the city to...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

The City of Tucson (City) developed plans to remove contaminated soils at the Fort Lowell-Adkins Steel property. This action followed the City's acquisition of the last remaining major portion of historic Fort Lowell. The Master Plan for the park as a whole was completed in 2009 (Poster-Frost Associates 2009). Among its recommendations were that a number of post-fort buildings and structures be removed from the Fort Lowell-Adkins Steel property. The City's environmental consultant recommended...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mary Bernard-Shaw.

The following report describes the results of the archaeological investigations at the Lonetree site. Field investigations were conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc. (formerly the Institute for American Research) under the sponsorship of the American Continental Corporation (AMCOR) between January and May of 1987. Lonetree (AZ AA:12:120 ASM) was identified as a multicomponent site occupied during the Pioneer period (A.D. 550-650) and the Sedentary period (A.D. 940-1150). A total of 256...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

An archaeological survey conducted by Desert Archaeology on a parcel of state land slated for sale resulted in the discovery of a small historic site. This site is located at the base of the Mule Mountains and consists of a small, dry-laid rock foundation and an associated artifact scatter. The site was potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under criterion D. As a result, it was decided to mitigate the site prior to its transfer to private ownership. Desert...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mary Bernard-Shaw.

This report presents the results of archaeological investigations at the Redtail site. Field investigations were conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc. (formerly the Institute for American Research) under the sponsorship of the American Continental Corporation (AMCOR) between January and May of 1987. Redtail (AZ AA:12:149 ASM) was identified as a multicomponent site that was occupied during the Pioneer and Colonial periods (A.D. 700-900). A total of 148 features were excavated, tested, and/or...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Ellen C. Ruble.

Desert Archaeology, Inc., was contracted by Entranco, Inc., as part of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) improvement project to conduct phased archaeological data recovery prior to construction of a drainage ditch. The project area is located in the southeastern corner of the Valencia site (AZ BB:13:15 [ASM]), which is part of the larger Valencia community. The core area of the Valencia site is located at the southern end of the Valencia community. The community consists of the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mark D. Elson.

Excavations by the Institute for American Research at the Tanque Verde Wash site (AZ BB: 13:68 [ASM]) uncovered a nearly complete segment of a single component Middle Rincon subphase (A.D. 1000-1100) hamlet. The site was located along Tanque Verde Wash, the largest permanent drainage within the eastern Tucson Basin. Nineteen pithouses, three trash mounds, and 66 extramural features were recovered within a 2500 square meter area, The excavation methodology, which involved the complete excavation...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Frederick W. Huntington.

The Institute for American Research conducted an archaeological mitigation program for the Pima County Department of Transportation. Mapping, testing, and excavation activities at the West Branch Site [AZ AA:16:3(ASM)], a large preclassic Hohokam village, are reported. Hohokam remains were primarily from the Early and Middle Rincon subphases of the Sedentary period. Analyses focused on the refinement of the ceramic typology for the Rincon phase and on the documentation of household units in...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

The Yuma Wash site was a permanently occupied large Classic period village situated in the northern Tucson Basin at the juncture of the eastern bajada of the Tucson Mountains with the Santa Cruz River floodplain. The site area was also intermittently used on a much smaller scale during the rest of the Hohokam sequence and during the Early Agricultural and Early Ceramic periods, as well as during the Historic era. The project was conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., for the Town of Marana. The...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

The Yuma Wash site was a permanently occupied large Classic period village situated in the northern Tucson Basin at the juncture of the eastern bajada of the Tucson Mountains with the Santa Cruz River floodplain. The site area was also intermittently used on a much smaller scale during the rest of the Hohokam sequence and during the Early Agricultural and Early Ceramic periods, as well as during the Historic era. The project was conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., for the Town of Marana. The...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Helga Wöcherl.

In 2009, archaeological work was requested by Tucson Water to determine if significant archaeological resources are present within the proposed alignment of a planned collector pipeline at the Sweetwater Wastewater Reclamation Facility (SRF), (City Project No. 08-35). The City of Tucson is the sponsor and the landowner of the project area. The planned pipeline alignment crosses the boundaries of two known archaeological sites, Los Pozos, AZ AA:12:91 (ASM), and Wetlands, AZ AA:12:90 (ASM), both...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Andrea K. L. Freeman. William H. Doelle. Mark D. Elson. Allison Cohen Diehl.

The Menlo Park Storm Drain and Reclaimed Water Main Project was designed by the City of Tucson to alleviate flooding in the residential neighborhood. As part of the City's planning process, Desert Archaeology, Inc. performed an archaeological survey and records check of the project area (Freeman 1995). On the basis of this preliminary work, Desert Archaeology recommended that an archaeological testing program be initiated to determine if significant cultural resources were present beneath the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel. Jeremy W. Pye. James T. Watson.

Desert Archaeology, Inc., implemented an archaeological monitoring project for Pima County within the historic Court Street Cemetery, AZ BB:13:156 (ASM). Eleven locations within and adjacent to the cemetery were monitored during installation of a new plastic lining within the existing ceramic sewer pipes, first installed in the mid-1910s. The Court Street Cemetery was established in 1875, on what was then the far north side of Tucson. It was envisioned as the final resting place for...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Michael W. Lindeman. Catherine Gilman. Andrea K. L. Freeman.

This report discusses archaeological fieldwork carried out for Tucson Water in conjunction with the installation of a reclaimed waterline. Eight archaeological sites were investigated as part of this project. This document details the methods and results of the work at those sites.

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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...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Pima County Wastewater proposed construction of a bleeder channel on a City of Tucson-owned parcel in Pima County, Arizona. The parcel is within the northern boundary of the prehistoric site of Los Pozos, AZ AA:12:91 (ASM), a National Register of Historic Places-eligible property dating primarily to the Early Agricultural period (1200 B.C.-A.D. 50). The channel was planned from a bridge culvert on an access road to the RWRD Sweetwater Reclamation Campus to an existing rip-rap drainage channel...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

Four archaeological sites were investigated in advance of road realignment and improvements along State Route 260, between Cottonwood and Camp Verde, Yavapai County, Arizona. The work was done at the request of the Arizona Department of Transportation, as part of a larger project. Two sites were located in Segment 1A (AZ O:5:173 (ASM)/AR-03-09-05-378) and Segment 1B (AZ O:5:143 (ASM)/AR-03-09-05-249) on land administered by the Prescott National Forest. The other two sites (AZ O:5:131...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

A summary of the mortuary remains recovered by Desert Archaeology, Inc., personnel during excavations at AZ AA:12:321 (ASM) is provided in this report. The site is situated in the northwestern Tucson Basin approximately 1 km west of the Santa Cruz River, in the town of Marana, Pima County, Arizona. Additional compliance, management, and legal information for the current project is provided in the Compliance Summary in the front matter of this report. AA:12:321, also referred to as the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Michael W. Diehl.

This report describes the archaeological investigations related to the A-Mountain Storm Drain project within the Clearwater site (AZ BB:13:6), the prehistoric settlement at the base of A-Mountain. Archaeological resources within the project area represent the Early Agricultural period. During the past five years, portions of about 10 Early Agricultural period archaeological sites have been excavated in floodplain settings within the Tucson Basin. The importance of this recent work is evident...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

In August of 2001, archaeologists explored an area located within the historic Presidio neighborhood of downtown Tucson. Previous testing of the two lots, in conjunction with research in area libraries, revealed that the area had been the home of two prominent Tucson lawyers and their families from the late 1880s to the 1910s (Wocherl 2001). Numerous artifact-filled features surrounded the foundations of two homes and had the potential for providing a large amount of information about the lives...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Michael W. Diehl. Allison Cohen Diehl.

In February 1995, Parsons Brinckerhoff contracted with Desert Archaeology, Inc., to conduct archaeological investigations along the route of the A-Mountain storm drain. The A-Mountain testing phase was conducted concurrently with the first phase of testing on Rio Nuevo South and revealed a similar pattern of Early Agricultural features, prehistoric and historic canals, remnants of the brickyard, and a portion of an area occupied by Chinese gardeners. Significant features were found both in the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

Historic Block 94 was a scene of controversy in the late 1980s as the City of Tucson planned the demolition of the historic Catalina Hotel. An elevated highway was to pass the block, and the Catalina Hotel was in its path. This building served as housing for many of the town's indigent population, and its inexpensive rooms and sparse surroundings were much better than life on the streets. Advocates wanted to know what was to become of these people. At first, the preservationists failed. The...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Uploaded by: Rachel Fernandez

The Calabazas and Guevavi Units of the Tumacacori National Historical Park preserve valuable cultural resources dating to Prehistoric, Protohistoric, Spanish, Mexican, American Territorial, and American Statehood times. These units are located in southern Arizona in Santa Cruz County. Plans are underway to install visitor paths at the Calabazas Unit. Concerns regarding visitor impacts to the surface of the site led the National Park Service (NPS) to request a program in which all artifacts on...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Frederick Huntington. J. Holmlund.

The following report details the evaluation and mapping of the two portions of site A Z AA:11:12 (ASM) that fall within the right-of-way of the Western Area Power Administration's 115-kv transmission line between transmission line structures 9/4 to 9/7 and structures 10/4 and 10/5 located between the Saguaro Steam Plant and the Tucson Substation. The entire right-of-way was 200 ft. wide and included 4390 linear feet. The field work was conducted between June 9-16, 1986 by personnel from the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Leslie D. Aragon. Connie A. Darby.

Desert Archaeology, Inc., under contract to the City of Phoenix (City) Street Transportation Department (STD), has completed archaeological monitoring and data recovery for construction activities, south of Osborn Road in Phoenix, Arizona. The work at this locale was part of a project conducted by the City STD to install a new sidewalk, curb, and gutter along parcel APN 119-26 001-A, where there had previously been none. The City Archaeology Office recommended archaeological monitoring for this...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

The following report contains the results of archaeological monitoring of two areas within the boundaries of AZ BB:9:14 (ASM) in the eastern Tucson Basin, near the confluence of the Rillito River and Pantano Wash. This project was conducted because the construction lies within the boundaries of a previously recorded archaeological site. The work complies with the City of Tucson Resolution Number 12443 (1983), an Administrative Directive titled Protection of Archaeological and Historical...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Connie A. Darby.

Desert Archaeology, Inc., under contract to the City of Phoenix Aviation Department (Aviation), has completed archaeological site boundary testing for the Dutch Canal Ruin, within the city-owned Consolidated Campus Building 1 property. The work was initiated due to the possibility that archaeological remains associated with the Dutch Canal Ruin, a prehistoric habitation and agricultural site, might be present within the project area. Archaeological testing began on 27 July 2015, under the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Allen Dart.

From November 29 through December 16, 1983, the Institute for American Research (IA R ) conducted archaeological collection and some subsurface testing at three archaeological sites on the "La Paloma" development area owned by Cottonwood Properties, Inc. The project area lies in the Santa Catalina Mountain foothills and comprises 800 acres in Pima County north of Tucson, Arizona. The three archaeological sites have been designated A Z BB:9:127, A Z BB:9:128, and A Z BB:9:129 by the Arizona State...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

This report contains the results of archaeological testing at the northwest corner alignment and Frontage Road. The project was conducted at the request of the CalPortland Company, who would like to expand its mining of sand and gravel into a 9-acre parcel in the pecan orchard property. This land is owned by Pima County and leased to CalPortland. The sand and gravel mining would remove the entire parcel to a depth of more than 6.0 m. The work was conducted to comply with the Pima County Board of...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Institute for American Research.

At the sponsorship of Cienega Properties, Inc., the Institute for American Research has conducted investigations on archaeological sites located on the Cienega Ventana project area, a 300-acre land parcel located in the northeastern Tucson basin, Arizona. The sites, which contain both Archaic and Hohokam cultural materials, have been designated AZ BB:9:44, AZ BB.9.73, A Z BB:9:91, and A Z BB:9:143 by the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona.

DOCUMENT Full-Text Christian E. Downum. Allen Dart.

From March 21 through August 22, 1985, the Institute tor American Research conducted archaeological studies for the City of Tucson in the Santa Cruz Industrial Park, Tucson, Arizona. One archaeological site was excavated to accommodate scheduled land development. In addition, earth-moving activities were monitored to identify and investigate archaeological and paleontological remains exposed or threatened during construction of a road and drainageway.

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah Swartz.

This document contains descriptions of sites within the Schuk Toak and San Xavier study areas. These site descriptions include information on site dimensions, cultural features, and types of artifacts. The relationships between features and artifacts as well as any disturbance to the sites are also discussed. The document also discusses collection strategies used within the project, and finally, it evaluates the site occupation time periods along with site function as well.

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel. Danielle Desruisseaux.

Residents of modern cities are often surprised to learn that historical artifacts and architectural remains survive below ground. The excavations on lots 5 through 12 of historic Block 138 demonstrate that past Tucsonans discarded large quantities of garbage in the areas next to their homes. Hundreds of items were discovered during archaeological testing of the block. The City of Tucson plans to expand its Water Plant over the block, and it was necessary to determine whether significant cultural...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

The City of Tucson has plans to renovate and re-landscape Sunset park, located in downtown Tucson. The park, which was built between 1904 and 1909, lies over a portion of the Spanish/Mexican period Presidio. A portion of the Presidio wall is purported to run north-south through this location. Concern over the potentially destructive impacts resulted in revisions to the architect's plans. Impacts were expected in two areas, and archaeological testing was recommended. Archaeological test...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Patricia Cook.

The City of Tucson has proposed to develop part of a commercial block, Historic Block 208, also known as the Thrifty Block, in downtown Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. Three parcels within the block had been razed prior to the current project. Archival research indicated that Historic Block 208 had a long history of both residential and commercial use, and that intact subsurface archaeological deposits could be expected within the project area. A testing and data recovery plan was proposed (Diehl...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Catherine Gilman. Deborah L. Swartz.

Archaeological testing and monitoring was requested by the City of Tucson and Tucson Water due to the potentially sensitive areas to be impacted by the Reclaimed Pipeline Project (Phase 1). During this project, 6-in and 24-in potable water pipelines, and 36-in reclaimed water pipelines were installed within three areas of the city. The project's northern area was neither tested nor monitored, but was given a spot check at the request of the KE&G construction foreman. The central project area,...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Jonathan Mabry.

Archaeological testing of a land parcel owned by the Schomac Group, Inc. identified 14 prehistoric cultural features on a remnant of the T2 Holocene terrace of the Santa Cruz River within the boundaries of the previously recorded site AZ A A:12:352 (ASM). Clustered on the eastern part of the parcel, they are preserved at a shallow depth beneath the present ground surface, and include two pit structures, one possible pit structure, three cremations, four possible cremations, three small pits, and...

DOCUMENT Full-Text T. Kathleen Henderson. Tiffany C. Clark.

This report presents results of archaeological testing by Desert Archaeology, Inc., at two archaeological sites located on the proposed El Rancho Santa Rosa Residential Development near Maricopa, Arizona. The purpose of this work was to determine if the sites meet eligibility requirements for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. This activity was conducted at the request of Reeve & Associates, Inc., to comply with Section 106 of the National Preservation Historic Act, as...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Connie A. Darby. T. Kathleen Henderson. Fred L. Nials.

This report has been prepared by Desert Archaeology, Inc., at the request of Aspen Environmental Group (Aspen) and the Western Area Power Administration (Western) for the archaeological testing of the Coolidge Substation, Pinal County, Arizona. Cultural resources previously known to be present within the substation include one archaeological site, AZ U:14:292 (ASM), a prehistoric artifact scatter in the northwestern corner of the property, and two canals observed in trench w alls w est of the...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

The Flowing Wells Fire District is constructing a fire station and is planning to build an administration building. Archaeological testing was undertaken because the construction parcel lies within the boundaries of a known archaeological site, the Hodges site, AZ AA:12:18 (ASM), and prehistoric remains were uncovered dining preliminary construction activities. Twenty-four archaeological features were recorded during the testing phase. They include 10 pithouses, 4 possible pithouses, 5...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

Archaeological testing was conducted at the proposed location of a new arena, located in Pima County, Arizona. The project area was historically known as Lot 2 of Block 221. Desert Archaeology, Inc., personnel conducted the testing at the request of the property owner, the City of Tucson, to determine if any significant cultural resources were located within the remaining unexamined portions of the Catalina Lot, a modern paved parking lot. Cultural resources compliance for City of Tucson...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

During the fall of 1990, archaeologists from the Center for Desert Archaeology conducted a limited testing program at the Romero Ruin, AZ BB:9:1, a large prehistoric Hohokam village with an overlying historic component, located in Catalina State Park, approximately 10 miles north of Tucson, Arizona. The testing program was undertaken for four reasons: 1) To offset the potential impacts to the archaeological deposits that might result from the construction of a proposed interpretive trail and...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Ellen C. Ruble.

Archaeological testing was conducted in the northwest portion of the Valencia site, AZ BB:13:15 (ASM), to determine if significant subsurface archaeological remains were present in a City of Tucson parcel that may be acquired and developed by Pima Community College. The information collected from this project contributes to defining Valencia Vieja, the Early Ceramic period occupation of the Valencia site. Fifteen new features were discovered in 1,120 m of backhoe trenches that were strategically...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

In October 1998, Desert Archaeology, Inc. conducted archaeological testing inside the Duffield portion of the historic Fish-Stevens-Duffield House. The structure was until recently the location of Janos restaurant. The restaurant has vacated the structure and the Tucson Museum of Art is planning to convert the area to gallery space. The building is owned by the City of Tucson and leased to the Tucson Museum of Art. Architect Bob Vint performed an assessment of the property in September 1998 and...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

The City of Tucson is planning to construct a bikeway in northeast Tucson. As part of the planning process, Desert Archaeology, Inc. performed an archaeological survey and records check of the project area (Eppley 1998). The evaluation revealed that a portion of the project area was adjacent to AZ BB:13:444 (ASM), a previously recorded archaeological site. On the basis of the preliminary work, Desert Archaeology recommended that an archaeological testing program be initiated to determine if...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Tiffany C. Clark.

The project involves archaeological testing in the Maricopa County right-of-way along the course of the City of Phoenix Sixty-seventh Avenue Water Transmission Main. The work was prompted by the possibility that archaeological remains associated with the prehistoric village of Pueblo Primero would be encountered in the southern portion of the waterline corridor. This report documents the results of archaeological testing activities completed by Desert Archaeology, Inc., along the City of...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

Under the authority of the State of Arizona General Antiquities Permit 97-69ps, Desert Archaeology completed archaeological testing for the City of Tucson on the southside gravity main project. The project is located in west Tucson along the east bank of the Santa Cruz River. It was undertaken because a proposed water line right-of-way intersects portions of two known archaeological sites, the Julian Wash site (AZ BB:13:17[ASM]) and AZ BB:13:97(ASM), and artifact concentrations were identified...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Tiffany C. Clark.

The results of an archaeological testing program conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., within a 3.3- acre property (Parcel No. 136-08-007-H) located in Mesa, Arizona, are presented in this report. The work was prompted by discovery of a small prehistoric artifact scatter during a cultural resources survey (Clark 2006) near an area where prehistoric trash and house mounds had been recorded in the early twentieth century. The artifacts and previous record suggested the potential for buried...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

Presented here are the results of an archaeological testing project to determine if subsurface cultural resources are present on Block 175 and a small area within Block 174 in downtown Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. These blocks are within the original Tucson town site, surveyed in 1872. Block 174 was the location of the First Baptist Church and dwellings, block 175 was primarily the location of private residences. The two parking lot areas are owned by the Industrial Development Authority of...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Andrea K. L. Freeman.

In its effort to provide water in the next century, the City of Tucson, in conjunction with Tucson Water, has developed several plans designed to recharge the aquifer and provide residents with quality water. As part of this effort, the City plans to develop a wetlands area and a separate recharge basin in the area south of the City's reclaimed water treatment plant. Tucson Water has hired CH2M Hill as the design consultant for this project. On October 3, 1994, Desert Archaeology was contacted...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Andrea K. L. Freeman.

In an effort to provide the City of Tucson with water dining the next century, the City, in conjunction with Tucson Water, has developed several plans designed to recharge the aquifer and provide the City of Tucson with quality water. As part of this effort, the City plans to develop a wetlands area and a separate recharge basin in the area south of the City's reclaimed water treatment plant. Tucson Water has hired CH2MHill as the design consultant for this project. On October 3, 1994, Desert...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Desert Archaeology, Inc..

Desert Archaeology, Inc., has completed archaeological testing of a 2.34-acre area of the proposed Citrus Cove Subdivision Development, Queen Creek, Maricopa County, Arizona. The work was requested by Southwest Custom, L.L.C., and was prompted by the finding of our previous archaeological survey that the northeastern corner of the parcel contained an artifact concentration likely associated with Pozos de Sonoqui (AZ U:14:49 [ASM]), a National Register-eligible site (Clark 2002). Testing began on...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mark D. Elson. Deborah L. Swartz.

This report describes the results of the archaeological testing of site, which is situated along a minor tributary of Rye Creek within the Upper Tonto Basin of central Arizona. The project area is located approximately 7.5 miles south of the town of Payson, Arizona. The site was tested to determine its cultural significance prior to the purchase of a 1.1275 acre parcel containing the Haught family cemetery from the Tonto National Forest by Mr. Ken Haught. Mr. Haught sponsored the testing...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Deborah L. Swartz.

Under the authority of the State of Arizona Antiquities Permit 1996-101ps, Desert Archaeology, Inc., completed archaeological testing. This project was undertaken because the parcel was located on floodplain deposits of the Santa Cruz River, and an initial survey identified a low-density surface artifact scatter that is part of a previously recorded archaeological site, AZ AA:12:44 (ASM). The object of the project was to determine whether subsurface archaeological or historical remains were...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel. Robert B. Ciaccio. Michael W. Diehl. Jeremy W. Pye. Tyler Theriot. Christine H. Virden-Lange. James T. Watson.

Desert Archaeology, Inc., implemented an archaeological testing project in the northeastern corner of the historic Court Street Cemetery, AZ BB:13:156 (ASM). The project area is within the Catholic portion of the cemetery. The cemetery was in use for only 34 years, between 1875 and 1909, but research suggests that more than 8,000 individuals were interred during that time. The project was undertaken for the City of Tucson prior to improvements and the sale of a portion of the land....

DOCUMENT Full-Text Bruce B. Huckell.

A program of surface and subsurface testing at three archaeological loci on and adjacent to the Pima Community College (PCC) Desert Vista Campus property is described. Methods and results of systematic surface collection to accurately determine the boundaries of Locus 2 and Locus 3 of the Valencia Site (AZ BB:13:15) and one locus of AZ BB:13:74 (Locus 1) on adjacent City of Tucson property are presented. Subsurface backhoe and hand testing of all three loci is described, and is shown to reveal...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

Archaeological testing was conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., at the location of the proposed Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to testing, an archival study indicated that the property had been used as agricultural fields and stables before 1912, as a park and for railroad activities from 1913 to the mid-1930s, and as the location of a hospital from the mid-1930s to 1979. The property is currently used for the annual gem show. Testing documented 14...

DOCUMENT Full-Text Homer J. Thiel.

Archaeological test excavations and the monitoring of environmental testing was conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., at the location of the proposed Phoenix Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Phoenix, Arizona. The project area consists of historic blocks 72 and 73 of the Original Phoenix Townsite. Archival research had indicated that the area was originally settled between 1875 and 1885 and that the property had been the site of dozens of residential and commercial structures....

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

The Tubac Presidio State Historic Park is renovating the southern addition to the 1885 Tubac Schoolhouse. As part of this renovation, the park is making the structure handicapped-accessible by installing a covered ramp along the east side of the structure. Excavation of holes for footers for the ramp had the potential of disturbing intact cultural resources. Therefore, the Arizona State Parks contracted with Desert Archaeology to conduct excavations to mitigate the impacts caused by the footers....

DOCUMENT Full-Text Mary Bernard-Shaw.

From December 2 to December 13, 1985 the Institute for American Research conducted archaeological testing for the Tucson Water Department, City of Tucson. Test excavations were conducted at three archaeological sites in the El Rio vicinity. These sites are identified as AZ AA:12:90/AZ AA:12:104, AZ AA:12:487, AZ AA:12:488 as indicated by the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona site numbering system. The personnel assisting in this investigation include the following, William Doelle,...

DOCUMENT Full-Text J. Homer Thiel.

The City of Tucson is considering plans to develop the Rio Nuevo South property, which is located along the west bank of the Santa Cruz River near the downtown area. Currently the lot is vacant. However, this area has seen intensive usage during the Early Agricultural (ca. 1500 B.C. to A.D. 50), Hohokam (A.D. 750 to 1450), Protohistoric (A.D. 1450 to 1694), and Historic periods (A.D. 1694 to 1945). To date, the Early Ceramic period (A.D. 50 to 750) is not known from this area. As part of the...