Schoolhouse Point Mesa Data, Lower Schoolhouse Mesa Sites: Strata

Part of the Roosevelt Platform Mound Study: Pinto Creek Complex, Schoolhouse Mesa Sites (DRAFT) project

Creator(s): Office of Cultural Resource Management, Arizona State University

Year: 1997

Summary

The Schoolhouse Point Mesa archaeological sites are part of an extensive settlement system on the southern banks of the Salt River. The Arizona State University, Office of Cultural Resource Management, Roosevelt Platform Mound Study (RPMS) divided the Schoolhouse Point Mesa settlement complex into two groups: the Schoolhouse Management Group and the Livingston Management Group. The Schoolhouse Management Group includes those sites on the west side of Pinto Creek Wash, while the Livingston Management Group includes sites on the east side of the wash. Schoolhouse Point Mound (AZ U:8:24(ASM), AR-03-12-06-13a(USFS)) is the largest site in the Schoolhouse Management Group and on the mesa. The mound is treated in a separate report volume and its data are reported separately (Please see https://core.tdar.org/project/394037). The Schoolhouse Point Mesa report volumes and data document the remaining 23 archaeological sites in the Schoolhouse Management Group. Nineteen of the sites are located on the mesa, while four are west of the mesa on the terraces overlooking the Salt River.

The Schoolhouse Point Mesa, Lower Mesa Sites Strata data table provides a summary of the features and associated strata (as well as strata type) identified during RPMS investigations at archaeological sites on the lower portion of Schoolhouse Mesa. The table identifies each archaeological site by its Arizona State Museum (ASM) site number and its USFS Tonto Forest site number (ASM number/last three digits of Tonto Forest number) (e.g., U:8:23/177). It then lists features and designated archaeological contexts - strata - at each site. Features are designated by combining two numbering systems: the ASM site number, a colon, and the feature number (Note that the "AZ" common to every ASM site number is not used in this table.). Feature numbers begin with the number "1" at each site and progress sequentially (EX: U:8:384:005 = site AZ U:8:384, Feature 5; U:8:384:006 = site AZ U:8:384, Feature 6).

Strata represent major natural or cultural depositional events such as erosional fill, roof fall, floor contexts, and sterile substrate. Strata are depicted as horizontal rows of interconnected boxes on a Harris Matrix. In this table, the archaeological contexts - strata - are identified by a combination of numbering systems: the ASM site number, a colon, the feature number, and the stratum letter designation (EX: U:3:198:006A, U:3:198:006B). Within a feature, each stratum is designated by the feature number (e.g., 10, 11, 12, etc.) and a letter that designates a particular stratum (e.g., A, B, C). The letters are assigned in descending order. Mixed levels and artifacts collected out of context are designated by a "?". Artifacts from each feature (or mixed context) are tallied according to strata.

The table also lists, for each feature and stratum, associated subfeatures. For example, a pit house might be associated with the following subfeatures: post holes, a hearth, and storage pits. Associated sub-features are designated by the feature number and a decimal number. For each feature, subfeature numbers begin with .01 and increase sequentially. The example pit house might be numbered Feature 1 and its subfeatures might be numbered 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, etc. The table provides a description of each subfeature.

Finally, the table provides two volume measurements for each designated context. It provides a volume of total fill for a context and a volume of screened fill for each context. These volumes may be useful for calculating relative artifact densities for archaeological contexts.

Cite this Record

Schoolhouse Point Mesa Data, Lower Schoolhouse Mesa Sites: Strata. Office of Cultural Resource Management, Arizona State University. Tempe, Arizona: Office of Cultural Resource Management, Arizona State University. 1997 ( tDAR id: 394455) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8988911

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Data Set Structure

Measurement Column
Count Column
Coded Column
Filename Column
Integration Column (has Ontology)

Table Information: SHMesa_Strata_Lower

Column Name Data Type Type Category Coding Sheet Ontology Search
Feature Identifies the assigned feature number for each identified feature.Feature numbers begin with 1 at each site and increase sequentially (e.g., 10, 11, 12).
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Feature ID/Number none none true
Site The archaeological sites that were investigated during data recovery in the Schoolhouse Management Group, on the lower portion of Schoolhouse Mesa. Sites are identified by a number that combines both the Arizona State Museum (ASM) site number and the United States Forest Service (USFS), Tonto Forest National Forest site number. This conglomerate number includes the last three elements of an ASM number, a "/", and the last element of a USFS number. Arizona State Museum numbers begin with the designation "AZ." They then use a three-part numbering system. A letter, beginning with "A" and continuing to "FF", designates one of many arbitrary rectangles that divide the state into rectangular units, each of which includes 16 U.S.G.S topographic maps in a 15-minute series. The letter is followed by a number that refers to a 15-minute series map in a given rectangular unit. The numbers begin with 1 in the northwest corner and continue to 16 in the southeast corner. The map number is followed by a site number, which are allocated sequentially within a 15-minute series map. Each of these elements are separated by colons. At the end of the number, it is customary to provide a short-hand for the state institution that assigned the number (e.g., ASM, ASU, NAU), as several institutions have assigned site numbers throughout Arizona. EX: AZ U:8:23(ASM) Site AZ U:8:23(ASM) also has a a Tonto National Forest site number: AR-03-12-06-177. The Tonto National Forest numbers begin with an "AR" for archaeology. They then use the number code "03" to refer to the Southwest Region, the number code "12" to refer to the Tonto National Forest, the number code "06" to refer to the Tonto Basin Ranger District. Sites are numbered sequentially in the ranger district. EX: AZ U:8:23 (ASM) has the USFS Tonto Forest number AR-03-12-06-177 The combined number used in this data table combines the unique elements from the ASM number and the Tonto Forest number. EX: U:8:23/177 EX: AZ U:8:400(ASM) and AR-03-12-06-863(USFS) = U:8:400/863
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Site none none true
Associated Subfeatures Identifies the subfeatures associated with each feature -- often each feature stratum. A subfeature is designated by the associated feature number and an assigned subfeature decimal number (e.g., 10.01, 10.02, 10.03). Subfeature numbers begin with .01 for each associated feature and increase sequentially. Also identifies the subfeature type. Each subfeature is labeled with the assigned subfeature type, to the right of the subfeature number. Examples: 10.04 Timber = a timber subfeature associated with Feature 10 10.05 In-Place Vessel = an in-situ vessel associated with Feature 10 10.06 Roof Fall = well-defined roof fall in association with Feature 10 Note that subfeatures are frequently associated with a particular stratum within a feature. For example, subfeatures 10.04, 10.05, and 10.06 may be associated with Stratum 10C. Other subfeatures may be associated with Stratum 10D, etc.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Feature Type none none true
Associated Subfeatures Identifies the subfeatures associated with each feature -- often each feature stratum. A subfeature is designated by the associated feature number and an assigned subfeature decimal number (e.g., 10.01, 10.02, 10.03). Subfeature numbers begin with .01 for each associated feature and increase sequentially. Also identifies the subfeature type. Each subfeature is labeled with the assigned subfeature type, to the right of the subfeature number. Examples: 10.04 Timber = a timber subfeature associated with Feature 10 10.05 In-Place Vessel = an in-situ vessel associated with Feature 10 10.06 Roof Fall = well-defined roof fall in association with Feature 10 Note that subfeatures are frequently associated with a particular stratum within a feature. For example, subfeatures 10.04, 10.05, and 10.06 may be associated with Stratum 10C. Other subfeatures may be associated with Stratum 10D, etc.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Feature Type none none true
Total Volume (cu. M) Measurement of the volume (in cubic meters) of total fill in a designated stratum.
DOUBLE  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Volume none none true
Screened Volume (cu. M) Measurement of the volume (in cubic meters) of fill that was screened from a designated stratum. The measure is 0.00 if no fill was screened from a stratum (i.e., The context or feature fill was not screened.).
DOUBLE  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Volume none none true
Type Identifies the feature type for each feature. In addition, identifies the stratum type for each stratum in and/or associated with a feature. Examples: Feature 10 = Cobble Masonry Room (feature type) Stratum 10? = unassigned contexts in Cobble Masonry Room, Feature 10 Stratum 10B = roof fall in Cobble Masonry Room, Feature 10
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Feature Type none none true
Stratum Identifies a major natural or cultural depositional event such as erosional fill, roof fall, floor contexts, and sterile substrate (i.e., a single archaeological context in both horizontal and vertical space). Strata are depicted as horizontal rows of interconnected boxes on a Harris Matrix. A stratum is a combination of an individual feature and a context in or associated with that feature. For example, Feature 10 might be a structure with an erosonial fill stratum, a roof fall stratum, a floor stratum, and a sterile substrate stratum. Within each feature, each stratum is designated by the feature number (e.g., 10, 11, 12, etc.) and a letter that designates a particular stratum (e.g., A, B, C). The levels excavated in a feature were aggregated into individual feature strata (e.g., Levels 1 - 3 = Stratum A). A feature's stratum letters are assigned in descending order. A context letter of "?" designates a mixed level or context or artifacts collected out of context. Examples: 0? = General Cultural Fill/No Feature and Indeterminate context 10A = Feature 10 and Context A 10B = Feature 10 and Context B 10C = Feature 10 and Context C 22? = Feature 22 and Mixed and/or Undefined context 22A - Feature 22 and Context A Each stratum (e.g., 10C) is assigned to a stratum type. Examples: 10A = Feature 10 and Context A = Feature 10, erosional fill 10B = Feature 10 and Context B = Feature 10, roof fall 10C = Feature 10 and Context C = Feature 10, floor Some strata are associated with one or more subfeatures. Please see the Associated Subfeatures columns.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Stratum none none true

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 900 to 1450

Spatial Coverage

min long: -111.012; min lat: 33.635 ; max long: -110.991; max lat: 33.662 ;

Record Identifiers

Roosevelt Monograph Series(s): 8

Anthropological Field Studies(s): 37

Bureau of Reclamation Contract No.(s): 9-CS-32-06230

File Information

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