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: 441076) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8441076

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Keywords

Culture
Hohokam • Huhugam

Material
Awl • Buffware • Ceramic • Chipped Stone • Fauna • Fire Cracked Rock • Human Remains • Plainware • Red-on-Buff • Redware • Shell

Site Name
AZ U:10:22 (ASM) • Massera Ruin

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Ash Stain • Borrow Pit • Burial Pit • Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Domestic Structures • Extramural pit • Funerary and Burial Structures or Features • Hearth • Pit • Pit House / Earth Lodge • Pit House Entryway • Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno • Trash Pit

Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview • Data Recovery / Excavation • Records Search / Inventory Checking • Research Design / Data Recovery Plan • Site Evaluation / Testing

Geographic Keywords
Arizona (State / Territory) • Maricopa (County) • Massera Ruin • Meridian Ranch • Phoenix Basin • Queen Creek, AZ • Sonoran Desert

Temporal Keywords
Classic Period • Gila Butte Phase • Preclassic Period • Sacaton

Spatial Coverage

min long: -111.694; min lat: 33.142 ; max long: -111.419; max lat: 33.328 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Submitted To(s): Willis Property Company, L.C.

Record Identifiers

SWCA Project No.(s): 3577-0018

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
00-79_OCR_PDFA_Redacted.pdf 1.41mb Feb 8, 2021 9:04:47 AM Public
This file is the redacted version of the resource.
00-79_OCR_PDFA.pdf 1.36mb Feb 1, 2000 Mar 30, 2018 11:22:55 AM Confidential
This file is the unredacted version of the resource.

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Contact(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

This Resource is Part of the Following User Created Collections