Who are the Martinez? A Report on and Examination of High Elevation Aspen Dendroglyphs in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico

Summary

This paper reports on mid-20th century aspen dendroglyphs from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in extreme north-central New Mexico. A class III archaeological survey conducted by Envirosystems Management, Inc. in July 2014 recorded ten previously unknown historic sites between 10,400 and 11,000 feet in elevation on the Carson National Forest. Each contains at least two and up to twenty-one carved aspens that date from the 1930’s to the 1950’s. Upon initial assessment, these sites appear to have been part of a summer grazing rotation by members of the same family, Martinez, and/or ranch hands of an outfit from Arroyo Secco, New Mexico. The dendroglyphs include names, dates, hometowns, and art. These sites, along with other previously recorded and contemporary dendroglyph sites nearby are examined for spatial and temporal patterns to illicit a better understanding of how, when, and for what purpose these high elevation areas were occupied. A records search provides critical information as to the people and/or ranch that utilized these lands. Lastly, these practices and dendroglyphs are cross-examined with similar sites throughout the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to gain a greater context and draw comparisons.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Historical Archaeology of the American West   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage