Archaeological Investigations at the Outpost Estates II Parcel of AZ BB:10:59 (ASM)—An Early Agricultural Period San Pedro Phase Site in the Eastern Tucson Basin

Summary

In June 2005 and September-October 2005, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA), under contract with Outpost Development, conducted archaeological testing and data recovery at AZ BB:10:59 (ASM), located in the eastern Tucson Basin, near Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona. Outpost Development, which has subsequently sub-divided the 10-acre project parcel into nine individual house lots, a development known as Outpost Estates II, funded the archaeological excavations to comply with Pima County’s cultural resources requirements for obtaining a grading permit. The Pima County Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation Office, in consultation with the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), provided agency oversight of the archaeological investigations.

AZ BB:10:59 (ASM) is located in a low- to moderate-density residential area in the eastern Tucson metropolitan area. The precise boundaries of the site are unknown, although artifacts have been noted in adjacent parcels to the east and to the north. Contemporaneous archaeological features of the Milagro site (AZ BB:10:46 [ASM]) have been excavated 0.3 km to the east, suggesting that these two sites may in fact be one large archaeological site.

Archaeologists with Professional Archaeological Services and Technologies (PAST) discovered AZ BB: 10:59 (ASM) during pedestrian survey of the Outpost Estates II parcel and the adjacent parcel to the east. The site was described as an extensive, light-to-moderate density lithic and ceramic artifact scatter occupying a 240 * 190 m area (Stephen 2005). Five distinct chipped stone artifact concentrations were noted. These were primarily clustered in the eastern part of the site, which corresponded to the eastern portion of the Outpost Estates II parcel and the western portion of the adjacent parcel. The west half of the site, located entirely within the Outpost Estates II parcel, contained few additional flaked stone and ceramic artifacts.

From June 20 to June 27, 2005, SWCA conducted archaeological test excavations within the portion of AZ BB:10:59 (ASM) located in the Outpost Estates II parcel. The results of testing revealed a subsurface component encompassing a 90 x 80 m (1.8 acre) area (Hesse 2005d). Forty features were found in 591 linear meters of backhoe test trenches. The features consisted primarily of discrete extramural pits, although several possible pit structures and midden-like features were also identified. The features contained abundant charcoal and moderate quantities of fire-cracked rock, but few artifacts other than flaked stone. Two sherds found in the upper portion of one feature were the only ceramic artifacts found during testing. The large percentage of extramural pits, combined with the dearth of ceramic artifacts, suggested that the primary occupation of the site dated to the preceramic Early Agricultural period, and that it could be contemporaneous with the Milagro site located a short distance to the east. Furthermore, the concentration and spatial distribution of the features in the eastern portion of the Outpost Estates II parcel almost certainly suggest the presence of additional features in the adjacent parcel to the east.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SWCA DAHA Resources   •
• Digital Archive of Huhugam Archaeology (DAHA)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Contributor(s): Karen R. Adams; David M.R. Barr; Regina L. Chapin-Pyritz; Joseph A. Ezzo; Michael S. Foster; Suzanne Griset; India S. Hesse; Bruce G. Phillips; John McClelland; EcoPlan Associates, Inc.; Arizona State Museum

Prepared By(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Submitted To(s): Outpost Development

Record Identifiers

SWCA Project No. (s): 10096

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