Sunset Crater Archaeology: The History of a Volcanic Landscape, Introduction and Site Descriptions, Part 1
Creators: name: Brin, Adam
Publisher: name: Center for Desert Archaeology
Year: 2006
Subjects: Wupatki National Monument
Fernwood, AZ
Coconino National Forest
Sunset Crater
Flagstaff, AZ
U.S. 89
Arizona (State / Territory)
11th Century
12th Century
Prehistoric
13th Century
Cohonina
Hopi
Sinagua Culture
Bachelor House
Road House
NA 25,756
NA 25,755
Plainview Site
North End Site
Seven Site
NA 25,949
Homestead Site
AR-03-04-02-3675 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-3673 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-3873 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-2258 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-4105 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-3788 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-3664 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-3789 (CNF)
NA 420
AR-03-04-02-2256 (CNF)
AR-03-04-02-3679 (CNF)
NA 25,769
AR-03-04-02-3666 (CNF)
NA 181
AR-03-04-02-3678 (CNF)
NA 25,767
AR-03-02-04-3665 (CNF)
NA 25,764
NA 25,766
Deadman's Edge
NA 25,762
Deadman Flat
NA 25,777
NA 25,775
NA 25,770
Funerary and Burial Structures or Features
Cemetery
Burial Pit
Non-Domestic Structures
Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex
Domestic Structures
Mound / Earthwork
Wattle &amp; Daub (Jacal) Structure
Pit House / Earth Lodge
Room Block / Compound / Pueblo
Rock Shelter
Shade Structure / Ramada
Inhumation burial
Temple
Archaeological Feature
Artifact Scatter
Hearth
Check Dam
Shrine
Rock Ring
Pit
Fieldhouse
Post Hole / Post Mold
Trash Concentration
Rock Alignment
Ceramic
Chipped Stone
Dating Sample
Fauna
Macrobotanical
Environment Research
Archaeological Overview
Data Recovery / Excavation
Reconnaissance / Survey
Site Evaluation / Testing

description: The U.S. 89 Archaeological Project investigated 41 prehistoric sites located approximately 30 km north of Flagstaff, Arizona. All sites were on Coconino National Forest (CNF) land. The project was conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) prior to the widening and improvement of 26.7 km (16.6 miles) of U.S. 89, between the southern boundary of Wupatki National Monument in the north, and the town of Fernwood in the south. Archaeological fieldwork occurred over two primary field seasons in 1997 and 1998, with a very brief field season in 1999. A total of almost 12 person-years of labor was expended on the fieldwork. The U.S. 89 project area crosses diverse environmental zones, ranging from juniper-sage grasslands in the north at approximately 5,700 ft (1,737 m) asl, to ponderosa pine forests at over 7,200 ft (2,195 m) asl in the south. Mixed pinyon pine and juniper woodlands comprise the middle elevations. Five elevation zones were defined, using increments of 500 ft as a proxy for changes in precipitation, temperature, and vegetation. All project area sites are also within 25 km of Sunset Crater Volcano, with the closest sites only 5-6 km away. Sunset Crater erupted for a few years sometime between A.D. 1050 and 1125. Basalt lava from the eruption covered an area of approximately 8 km2, while another 2,300 km2 was covered by cinder and ash deposits. Sunset Crater cinders were found on all project area sites. An isopach map of cinder depth constructed for this project indicates that, minimally, the U.S. 89 sites were covered with from 5-50 cm of volcanic material, which had a significant impact on prehistoric settlement, subsistence, and economic systems. Prehistoric adaptation to environmental variability and to the Sunset Crater eruption were primary research themes. The results of the U.S. 89 investigations are presented in a series of anthropological papers: Anthropological Papers No. 30, Part I and Part 2, contain background information on the project and descriptions of the 41 investigated sites.Part 1 includes the two sites in Elevation Zone 1 (5,700-6,199 ft [1,737-1,889 m] asl) and 11 sites in Elevation Zone 2 (6,200-6,699 ft [1,890-2,042 m] asl), the lower elevation zones in the northern half of the project area.