Archaeological Testing at the Massera Ruin: The Meridian Ranch Project, Queen Creek, Arizona
Author(s): Chris T. Wenker; Douglas R. Mitchell; Thomas N. Motsinger
Year: 2000
Summary
This report describes the results of an archaeological testing project at the Massera Ruin (Site AZ U:10:22 [ASM]) in Queen Creek, Arizona. The testing project was conducted at the request of Willis Property Company, L.C., of Mesa, Arizona, who proposes to construct a residential development on the 640-acre project parcel known as the Meridian Ranch. Previous survey data (Wenker 1999) indicated that the Massera Ruin overlapped a 399-acre portion of the Meridian Ranch, but this entire area had been plowed and used for agricultural fields since the 1940s and the subsurface integrity of the site remained undetermined.
Archaeological testing was conducted at the site to determine the nature and extent of intact archaeological features underneath the plowed fields. These test investigations demonstrated that intact buried archaeological features and deposits do exist across a large portion of the site, and SWCA recommends that the Massera Ruin (AZ U: 10:22 [ASM]) is eligible for nomination to the National Register under Criterion (d) for its information potential. SWCA’s testing project also demonstrated that intact human burials (which are protected by state law) are present at the site. However, the overall area of the Meridian Ranch project area that contains intact buried archaeological features has been reduced from 399 acres to roughly 225 acres. This report concludes by providing recommendations concerning the treatment of the archaeological site.
Cite this Record
Archaeological Testing at the Massera Ruin: The Meridian Ranch Project, Queen Creek, Arizona, 79. Chris T. Wenker, Douglas R. Mitchell, Thomas N. Motsinger. 2000 ( tDAR id: 433671) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8433671
Keywords
Culture
Hohokam
Material
Ceramic
•
Chipped Stone
•
Fauna
•
Human Remains
•
Shell
Site Name
AZ U:10:22 (ASM)
•
Massera Ruin
Site Type
Archaeological Feature
•
Burial Pit
•
Charcoal Stain
•
Cremation Burial
•
Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex
•
Domestic Structures
•
Funerary and Burial Structures or Features
•
Pit
•
Pit House / Earth Lodge
•
Refuse Pit
Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation
•
Site Evaluation / Testing
General
Archaeological Testing
•
Meridian Ranch Project
Geographic Keywords
Maricopa (County)
•
Phoenix Basin
•
Queen Creek, AZ
Temporal Keywords
Pre-classic period
Spatial Coverage
min long: -111.6; min lat: 33.237 ; max long: -111.583; max lat: 33.279 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager
Prepared By(s): SWCA, Inc., Environmental Consultants
Submitted To(s): Willis Property Company, L.C.
Record Identifiers
Arizona State Museum Library Barcode(s): 009435
Case No.(s): 99-40
Project #(s): 3577-0018
SWCA Cultural Resources Report No.(s): 00-79
ASM Accession No.(s): 2000-189
File Information
| Name | Size | Creation Date | Date Uploaded | Access | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000_WenkerMitchellMotsinger_ArchaeologicalTesting_OCR_PDFA_Re... | 18.55mb | Oct 20, 2021 3:37:23 PM | Public | ||
| This file is a redacted copy. | |||||
| 2000_WenkerMitchellMotsinger_ArchaeologicalTesting_OCR_PDFA.pdf | 12.53mb | Feb 1, 2000 | May 9, 2017 5:01:21 PM | Confidential | |
| This file is unredacted. | |||||
Accessing Restricted Files
At least one of the files for this resource is restricted from public view. For more information regarding access to these files, please reference the contact information below
Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager