Archaeological Excavations at the Arivaca Wash Cemetery, AZ DD:7:26 (ASM), Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
Creators: name: J. Homer Thiel
name: Minturn, Penny Dufoe
name: Lincoln-Babb, Lorrie
Publisher: name: Desert Archaeology, Inc.
Year: 1995
Subjects: subject: Arizona (State / Territory)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/335/arizona-state-territory
subject: Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/84512/buenos-aires-national-wildlife-refuge
subject: Arivaca, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/84513/arivaca-az
subject: Interstitial Zone D
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/83753/interstitial-zone-d
subject: Prehistoric Period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5789/prehistoric-period
subject: Protohistoric Period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/161/protohistoric-period
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: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/25/historic
subject: AZ DD:7:26 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/105757/az-dd726-asm
subject: AZ DD:7:21 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/117156/az-dd721-asm
subject: AZ DD:7:22 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16100/az-dd722-asm
subject: Arivaca Wash cemetery
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/105752/arivaca-wash-cemetery
subject: Cemetery
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/302/cemetery
subject: Burial Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/307/burial-pit
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: Dating Sample
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/3/dating-sample
subject: Charcoal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/20/charcoal
subject: Glass
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/6/glass
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: Osteological Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/30850/osteological-analysis
subject: Radiocarbon Dating
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/135975/radiocarbon-dating
subject: dental analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/487/dental-analysis
subject: Bioarchaeological Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/15/bioarchaeological-research
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: 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: Erosion along a wash running into Arivaca Creek resulted in the exposure of skeletal remains from a prehistoric cemetery. Under contract to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Desert Archaeology conducted emergency excavations in November of 1994 to rescue those remains that had partially fallen into the wash. The surviving portions of four burials were removed, and a fifth burial was discovered but left in situ. The presence of five burials in such a restricted area suggests that a larger cemetery may be present. Three adult males, an adult female, and a teenage male were present. All were buried in pits that originated from 1 to VA m below modem ground surface. Four burials had partially eroded into the wash, and three of these were flexed. No burial goods were present. The adult female burial (Burial 5) was left in place due to the presence of a large tree immediately above the burial. Examination of the skeletal remains indicated that these were Native Americans. The individuals appear to be quite healthy, with most pathological conditions present on the teeth. One of the adult males had many small caries, and the teenage male had unusual wear and modification on two teeth. The type of modification found on one tooth has never been documented at a prehistoric site in Arizona. The cemetery appears to date to the protohistoric or early historic period. Radiocarbon dates from two features place the probable period of usage from about 1450 to the early 1800s. It is recommended that preventative measures be undertaken to stop the continued erosion of the south wall of the wash. If erosion continues, other burials (including Burial 5) will probably be exposed.