Investigations at Milagro, A Late Preceramic Site in the Eastern Tucson Basin
Creators: name: Huckell, Bruce B.
name: Huckell, Lisa W.
name: Fish, Suzanne K.
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: Tucson Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2758/tucson-basin
subject: Tanque Verde
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/83861/tanque-verde
subject: Tucson, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76651/tucson-az
subject: Preceramic period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/182/preceramic-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: AZ BB:10:46
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/105774/az-bb1046
subject: Milagro Site
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16729/milagro-site
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Storage Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/358/storage-pit
subject: Pit House / Earth Lodge
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/263/pit-house-earth-lodge
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: 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: Charcoal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/20/charcoal
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: metate
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/167/metate
subject: Macrobotanical
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/10/macrobotanical
subject: Paleoethnobotanical Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/37650/paleoethnobotanical-analysis
subject: Radiocarbon Dating
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/135975/radiocarbon-dating
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: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing

description: This report presents the results of archaeological excavations undertaken as part of a land exchange between Pima County and Magna Investment and Development, Ltd. A portion of this right-of-way included a prehistoric archaeological site known as Milagro (AZ BB:10:46), parts of which had been investigated previously. Pima County indicated that prior to completion of the land exchange, archaeological investigations must be performed along the route of a proposed sewer line, and the cutting of a trench for a noise barrier wall must be monitored. The results of investigations along the sewer line are reported herein. Previous investigations at Milagro are reviewed, and it is shown that the site was an important late preceramic residential locality. The 18 features discovered and excavated in 1993 are described—this total includes 10 found along an exploratory backhoe trench and an additional eight that were exposed when the larger, bevel topped sewer trench was cut. These features included 12 bell-shaped pits; two straight-sided, flat-bottomed pits; a rock-filled pit; and three small, basin-shaped pits. The flaked stone, ground stone, and ceramic artifacts recovered from the features are described and compared to those found at the site previously. Also presented are the results of an analysis of soil flotation samples taken from the features. In addition to a wide range of wild plant remains, carbonized maize cob fragments occurred in all of the analyzed samples. Radiocarbon dates obtained from small samples of this maize place it among the oldest yet found in the southwestern United States. Analysis of pollen samples is also reported; the results suggest that pollen preservation is poor and probably biased. Issues of site organization, storage, the appearance of agriculture, and the importance of agriculture as reflected by Milagro and other sites in the Southwest are considered in a concluding discussion. In addition, an appendix describing the results of a one-week volunteer excavation at the site in March of 1994 is included.