Craft Specialization in the Southern Tucson Basin: Archaeological Excavations at the Julian Wash Site, AZ BB:13:17 (ASM), Part 2: Synthetic Studies
Creators: name: Brin, Adam
Publisher: name: Center for Desert Archaeology
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: Tucson Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2758/tucson-basin
subject: Arizona (State / Territory)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/79515/arizona-state-territory
subject: Sedentary Period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5504/sedentary-period
subject: Rincon Phase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5632/rincon-phase
subject: Cienaga phase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/196/cienaga-phase
subject: Prehistoric
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/53/prehistoric
subject: Tortolita Phase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/6025/tortolita-phase
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/21/hohokam
subject: Julian Wash Site
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/4765/julian-wash-site
subject: AZ BB:13:17 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/87486/az-bb1317-asm
subject: Archaeological Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/339/archaeological-feature
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Hearth
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/343/hearth
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Dating Sample
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/3/dating-sample
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: Craft Specialization
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/4464/craft-specialization
subject: Alluvial Chronology
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/76482/alluvial-chronology
subject: Petrographic Ceramic Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/107378/petrographic-ceramic-analysis
subject: Archeomagnetic Dating
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/7554/archeomagnetic-dating
subject: Synthetic Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/145641/synthetic-research
subject: Data Recovery / Excavation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/5/data-recovery-excavation
subject: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing

description: Results of large-scale excavations conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., personnel in 2000, at the Julian Wash site, AZ BB:13:17 (ASM), are reported in two volumes. Data recovery focused on portions of the site that were to be directly impacted by construction of the new highway interchange, while portions of the site not impacted were set aside as preserves later incorporated into a regional park. Excavations focused on four areas with concentrations of prehistoric cultural features. The investigations resulted in the partial or complete excavation of 244 features: 90 pit structures or possible structures, 35 human burial features from a single cemetery, and 119 extramural features. Over 59,000 artifacts were collected in addition to hundreds of soil, mineral, pollen, radiocarbon, and archaeomagnetic samples. Most of the features were prehistoric, ranging in age from the Late Cienega phase (400 B.C.-A.D. 50) to the Late Rincon phase (A.D. 1100-1150), although a small Historic era ditch and single modern dog and modern cat burials were also uncovered. Long term residential stability of up to several hundred years was documented for some multigenerational households at Julian Wash represented by overbuilt courtyard groups. Some level of larger macrosocial unit was indicated by a cemetery that was clearly linked to a larger-than-household social unit. Data were synthesized for all the various excavations at the site, and the most likely location of the central plaza is identified. The single most significant discovery of the project was demonstrable proof that Sedentary period (A.D. 950-1150) inhabitants were acquiring sand, and presumably clay, from the western side of the Santa Cruz River for the production of pottery on site and that the village-level specialization in pottery production previously documented at the West Branch site, AZ AA:16:3 (ASM), was occurring at a cluster of settlements in the southern Tucson Basin, Julian Wash included, all of which shared the same resources. Other important findings included the documentation of specific ritual behavior involving the use of palettes and evidence of varied craft and food production activities.