Summary Archaeological Testing Report and Data Recovery Plan for a Portion of Sleeping Snake Village (AZ BB:9:104 [ASM]) Rancho Vistoso, Oro Valley, Pima County, Arizona

Summary

This document reports the results of the archaeological testing of a small portion of Sleeping Snake Village (AZ BB:9:104 [ASM]), located on the Rancho Vistoso property, in the Town of Oro Valley, Arizona. The testing was conducted by SWCA, Inc., Environmental Consultants (SWCA) at the request of Vistoso Partners. The project area represents the proposed location of the No. 10 tee area for an 18-hole golf course.

As the agency responsible for reviewing Clean Water Act Section 404 permit applications for the parcel, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has also assumed responsibility as the lead agency in maintaining compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Also in effect are provisions of the 1987 Planned Area Development (PAD) agreement between Vistoso Partners and the Town of Oro Valley, which requires that cultural resources on the property be treated in accordance with federal and state standards. Treatment of humans and funerary objects pursuant to provisions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) and ARS §41-844 was in accordance with the 1994 Memorandum of Agreement (ARS §41-865, Case 94-20) among Vistoso Partners, SWCA, the Tohono O’odham Nation, and the Arizona State Museum that was developed specifically for the Rancho Vistoso project.

Between December 15 and 22, 1994, SWCA, Inc., conducted subsurface testing near the northwestern edge of Sleeping Snake Village within an area that measured 95 m east-west and 130 m northsouth. Twenty-four features were identified and recorded during the excavation of nine backhoe trenches (totaling 380 m). The features included six pit structures, six possible pit structures, six trash mounds, two roasting pits, two other pits, and one subsurface midden. A single human burial, a secondary cremation, was encountered at the southern end of the project area. Thomas Motsinger served as Project Manager, and fieldwork was directed by Heidi Roberts. Crew members included Geri Antone, David Doak, Bill Grimm, and Lee Terzis. Chuck Sternberg drafted the figures, and Mary-Ellen Walsh-Anduze analyzed the ceramics.

Part I of this report describes the field methods used during testing, followed by a description of the features that were recorded. Part II presents a data-recovery work plan for mitigating impacts to the parcel pursuant to Section 106.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

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Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Prepared By(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Submitted To(s): Vistoso Partners

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