Site Boundary Identification Testing in Northern Los Pozos AZ AA:12:91 (ASM), for the Pima County Flood Control Drainage Channel Extension, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona
Creators: name: Fernandez, Rachel
Publisher: name: Desert Archaeology, Inc.
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Arizona (State / Territory)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/335/arizona-state-territory
subject: Tucson Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2758/tucson-basin
subject: Pima (County)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/7353/pima-county
subject: Classic Period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/125/classic-period
subject: Early Agricultural period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/158/early-agricultural-period
subject: Late Rincon Phase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/7602/late-rincon-phase
subject: Late Cienega phase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/6327/late-cienega-phase
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/21/hohokam
subject: Huhugam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8166/huhugam
subject: Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8/archaic
subject: Middle Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/10/middle-archaic
subject: AZ AA:12:91 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/78404/az-aa1291-asm
subject: Los Pozos
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/634/los-pozos
subject: Trash Midden
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/351/trash-midden
subject: Burial Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/307/burial-pit
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Pit House / Earth Lodge
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/263/pit-house-earth-lodge
subject: Hearth
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/343/hearth
subject: Post Hole / Post Mold
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/359/post-hole-post-mold
subject: Midden
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/347/midden
subject: Pollen
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/13/pollen
subject: Shell
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/14/shell
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Chipped Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2/chipped-stone
subject: Fauna
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/4/fauna
subject: Fire Cracked Rock
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/5/fire-cracked-rock
subject: Ground Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/7/ground-stone
subject: Human Remains
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/9/human-remains
subject: Macrobotanical
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/10/macrobotanical
subject: Mineral
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/12/mineral
subject: Historic Background Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/18/historic-background-research
subject: Data Recovery / Excavation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/5/data-recovery-excavation
subject: Records Search / Inventory Checking
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/8/records-search-inventory-checking
subject: Research Design / Data Recovery Plan
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/9/research-design-data-recovery-plan
subject: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing

description: In 2013, Pima County planned to construct a temporary channel in a small City of Tucson parcel along the northwestern margin of Los Pozos, AZ AA:12:91 (ASM). A limited data recovery program conducted in the parcel revealed a new portion of a known paleochannel complex related to the Santa Cruz River eastern floodplain and a small area with Hohokam era features, including several burials and a possible ceramic kiln. The discovery of these significant cultural features, with the potential to encounter more within the parcel, led Pima County to its abandon its plans for the temporary channel. In 2016, the Pima County Regional Flood Control District completed plans to construct a permanent drainage channel to the Santa Cruz River, through the City-owned parcel, from an existing drainage channel along the Interstate 10 Frontage Road. The current archaeological investigations continued where the 2013 work left off and explored an area farther west, outside the site boundary, along an existing drainage ditch that was incorporated into the channel design. Within the site boundary, data recovery utilized mechanical stripping and focused on the discovery and treatment of any cultural resources in the parcel. Testing the site boundary west of the parcel was conducted through backhoe trenching and focused on the identification of potential cultural resources and evaluation of the intact stratigraphy. Five additional Hohokam features were found in the parcel, including a pit structure, a hearth area and a trash concentration, both potentially representing the remains of poorly preserved pit structures, and two pits, one of which is a mortuary feature. Together, the 2013 and the current features indicate the eastern portion of the project area represents a full-fledged Hohokam habitation locus, and suggests the presence of a courtyard group. The feature- bearing stratum overlies natural deposits deriving from a braided system of channels that are part of a known, large paleochannel complex at Los Pozos. Evidence of prehistoric cultural activity at the site boundary was limited to a few dispersed artifacts. Based on the current project findings, it is recommended that the northwestern site boundary of Los Pozos be moved east of its current location.