Uncovering Tucson's Past: Test Excavations in Search of the Presidio Wall
Creators: name: J. Homer Thiel
Publisher: name: Desert Archaeology, Inc.
Year: 2004
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: Tucson, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76651/tucson-az
subject: Classic Period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/125/classic-period
subject: Middle Rincon Phase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/7600/middle-rincon-phase
subject: Early American Territorial period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/7706/early-american-territorial-period
subject: Hohokam Pioneer period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/171/hohokam-pioneer-period
subject: Japanese American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/29/japanese-american
subject: Spanish
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/31/spanish
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: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/25/historic
subject: Chinese American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/27/chinese-american
subject: Euroamerican
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/28/euroamerican
subject: Presidio Wall
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104413/presidio-wall
subject: West Branch
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/559/west-branch
subject: AZ AA:163
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104410/az-aa163
subject: AZ AA:12:16
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104412/az-aa1216
subject: EK Ranch
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104411/ek-ranch
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Artifact Scatter
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/340/artifact-scatter
subject: Garden Border
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3589/garden-border
subject: Foundation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/1142/foundation
subject: Tree Well
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3590/tree-well
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: Rock Alignment
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/360/rock-alignment
subject: Shell
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/14/shell
subject: Brick
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/48/brick
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: 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: Macrobotanical
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/10/macrobotanical
subject: Metal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/11/metal
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: Reconnaissance / Survey
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/7/reconnaissance-survey
subject: Records Search / Inventory Checking
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/8/records-search-inventory-checking
subject: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing

description: In March and April of 1998 and 1999, volunteers and archaeologists from the Center for Desert Archaeology searched for traces of Tucson's Presidio fortress. The project had several goals: (1) to determine if archaeological deposits survived in several areas around the perimeter of the Presidio; it was not certain if archaeological deposits survived years of construction, demolition, utility installation, and other ground-disturbing activities; (2) to locate portions of the Presidio Wall — the adobe wall that surrounded Tucson from the 1780s to the 1850s; and (3) to expose members of the Tucson public to archaeology. Volunteers from the community excavated under the guidance of professional archaeologists. Tucson residents visited the project in person, or learned of the dig through television coverage, newspaper and newsletter articles, or through stories posted on the Internet. During the two field seasons, six trenches around the perimeter of the Presidio were excavated, uncovering adobe walls, postholes, and hundreds of artifacts. This report presents a summary of the work conducted. This first chapter presents background data on the physical environment of Tucson. A cultural and historical overview of Tucson during the prehistoric and Spanish/Mexican periods is presented next, including summaries of the archaeological projects that have been conducted within the boundaries of the Tucson Presidio.