Tracks through Time: Urban Archaeology along the METRO Light Rail Corridor, Volume III: Bioarchaeology
Creators: name: System User
Publisher: name: Archaeological Consulting Services, Ltd.
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: Mesa, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/77549/mesa-az
subject: Arizona (State / Territory)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/335/arizona-state-territory
subject: Phoenix, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76695/phoenix-az
subject: Tempe, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/77287/tempe-az
subject: Phoenix Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/27/phoenix-basin
subject: Maricopa (County)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/3900/maricopa-county
subject: Classic period Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5694/classic-period-hohokam
subject: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5728/historic
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5633/hohokam
subject: Colonial period Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/7603/colonial-period-hohokam
subject: Sedentary period Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/7604/sedentary-period-hohokam
subject: Prehistoric
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/53/prehistoric
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: La Plaza
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/5007/la-plaza
subject: AZ U:9:165 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/5008/az-u9165-asm
subject: AZ U:9:1(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/10005/az-u91asm
subject: Pueblo Grande
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/72/pueblo-grande
subject: Funerary and Burial Structures or Features
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/301/funerary-and-burial-structures-or-features
subject: Canid Burial
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3247/canid-burial
subject: Domestic Structures
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/256/domestic-structures
subject: Cremation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/880/cremation
subject: Isolated Burial
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/305/isolated-burial
subject: Burial Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/307/burial-pit
subject: Inhumation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/947/inhumation
subject: Pit House / Earth Lodge
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/263/pit-house-earth-lodge
subject: cremation vessel
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3303/cremation-vessel
subject: Crematorium
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/2104/crematorium
subject: Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/251/domestic-structure-or-architectural-complex
subject: Pendant
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/113/pendant
subject: worked bone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2674/worked-bone
subject: Arrow Points
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/115/arrow-points
subject: worked stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2675/worked-stone
subject: bracelet
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2676/bracelet
subject: dental
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2678/dental
subject: Bead
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2237/bead
subject: disk
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2623/disk
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Whole Vessels
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2369/whole-vessels
subject: Chipped Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2/chipped-stone
subject: Dating Sample
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/3/dating-sample
subject: Mano
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/131/mano
subject: Fauna
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/4/fauna
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: Axe
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2186/axe
subject: Mineral
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/12/mineral
subject: Shell
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/14/shell
subject: agave knives
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/206/agave-knives
subject: earring
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2583/earring
subject: pecking stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2589/pecking-stone
subject: Tessera
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2592/tessera
subject: metate
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/167/metate
subject: Paleodemography
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/3919/paleodemography
subject: Osteological Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/30850/osteological-analysis
subject: Paleopathology
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/3171/paleopathology
subject: Biocultural Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/153368/biocultural-analysis
subject: Dental Pathology
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/3175/dental-pathology
subject: Hohokam Mortuary Practices
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/108072/hohokam-mortuary-practices
subject: skeletal stress markers
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/155612/skeletal-stress-markers
subject: Bioarchaeological Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/15/bioarchaeological-research
subject: Ethnohistoric Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/17/ethnohistoric-research
subject: Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/6/methodology-theory-or-synthesis
subject: Heritage Management
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/24/heritage-management
subject: Records Search / Inventory Checking
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/8/records-search-inventory-checking

description: This book presents the results of the archaeological investigations that were conducted along then Light Rail route before and during its construction. As with any project that receives federal funding, METRO was legally required to undertake archaeological investigations along the project corridor; but production of this volume reflects not only METRO's commitment to legal compliance with environmental laws, but also the commitment of the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa to preserve and protect the rich prehistoric and historic heritage upon which they are built— a heritage that is reflected in the very name of Phoenix. As a result of our investigations, we encountered a wealth of archaeological materials, investigated 1,049 features, and recovered over a quarter of a million artifacts— not surprising given that the Light Rail route traverses numerous prehistoric villages that were occupied by the Hohokam about 1,000 years ago. While only a very few of these artifacts can be described in this volume, most of them are curated (stored under controlled conditions so they can be preserved for future generations of researchers) at three local museums— Pueblo Grande Museum in Phoenix, the Tempe Historical Museum in Tempe, and the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa. Here we discuss some of the more interesting prehistoric and historic artifacts and features that we found, and relate how their analysis has advanced what we know about the prehistoric and early historic occupations of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Data recovery investigations and monitoring conducted for the CP/EV Light Rail project resulted in the discovery and excavation of 141 mortuary features and the recovery of skeletal remains from a minimum of 152 individuals. Of these, 31 mortuary features (33 individuals) were recovered from Pueblo Grande (AZ U:9:1[ASM]) and 110 mortuary features (119 individuals) were recovered from La Plaza (AZ U:9:165[ASM]). Although in comparison with earlier investigations the size of the samples is modest, the aim of this chapter is to explore what mortuary practices and skeletal remains reveal about the early inhabitants of the Phoenix Basin. This is Volume III of the report which covers the bioarchaeological analysis of finds encountered during this project.