Complex Closure Practices Involving Ash at a Small Pueblo in Northeastern Arizona

Summary

Excavation of a four-room pueblo in northeastern Arizona revealed complex closure practices that involved ash. A 5-cm thick layer of ash deposited on a defined, but extensive, exterior occupation surface adjacent to the pueblo, then covered with artifacts prior to the pueblo’s wall being pushed on top, suggests the essential role ash played in the life and "death" of the pueblo. By reconstructing the pueblo’s life history, the role of ash is examined and argued to be essential in the transformation of the village to its afterlife. The integral role of exterior space to the life (and afterlife) of the pueblo is a reminder that more of pueblo life was spent outside than inside pueblo rooms.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 18737