When is a Great Kiva? Excavations at McCreery Pueblo

Summary

During August 1992, the National Park Service conducted archeological test excavations at McCreery pueblo, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. McCreery Pueblo is a late Pueblo II-early Pueblo III site consisting of a small masonry room block, a great kiva, a trash mound, and nine other features. Over 65 m2 were excavated at the site. Recovered were 5,128 sherds, 3,332 flaked-stone artifacts, 18 hammerstones, 15 ground-stone artifacts, and 18 ornaments. Numerous floral and faunal remains

were recovered as well. The main objective of the testing was to enhance the nomination of the site to the National Register, but the excavation also yielded data to address a number of research questions. There is good preservation of both architectural remains and normally perishable materials at the site. Chronological data suggest an occupation span between AD. 1000 and 1200. Although McCreery Pueblo is on the periphery of the Chaco system, no true Chacoan traits were discovered,

and the Pueblo appears to have been outside the area of direct Chaco influence. Subsistence and other data indicate McCreery Pueblo was a small farming community, however the presence of a great kiva suggests it may have functioned as a ceremonial center. While unroofed great kivas have a widespread distribution throughout the region, the McCreery Pueblo example is the only one known in the Petrified Forest area. As a ceremonial center, McCreery Pueblo could have integrated a number of smaller villages in the surrounding area, and may have been used by some of them as a winter residence or for food storage.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona   •
• Arizona   •
• WACC documents 1990-1999

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 900 to 1200

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contributor(s): Marcia L. Donaldson; Suzanne K. Fish; Christine E. Goetze; A. Trinkle Jones; Murry A. Tamers; Jennifer A. Waters

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