Rincon Phase Seasonal Occupation in the Northern Tucson Basin
Creators: name: Bernard-Shaw, Mary
name: Huntington, Frederick W.
Publisher: name: Center for Desert Archaeology
Year: 1990
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: Rincon Phase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5632/rincon-phase
subject: Early Rincon Subphase
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/6018/early-rincon-subphase
subject: Middle Rincon
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/7652/middle-rincon
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:9:143
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104168/az-bb9143
subject: AZ BB:9:44
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104167/az-bb944
subject: Cienega Site
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/12/cienega-site
subject: Archaeological Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/339/archaeological-feature
subject: Hearth
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/343/hearth
subject: Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/251/domestic-structure-or-architectural-complex
subject: Midden
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/347/midden
subject: Settlements
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/252/settlements
subject: Encampment
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/253/encampment
subject: Hamlet / Village
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/254/hamlet-village
subject: Trash Midden
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/351/trash-midden
subject: Domestic Structures
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/256/domestic-structures
subject: House
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/259/house
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Refuse Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/356/refuse-pit
subject: Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/357/roasting-pit-oven-horno
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: Wood
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/15/wood
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: Fauna
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/4/fauna
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: Mineral
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/12/mineral
subject: Ethnographic Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/14/ethnographic-research
subject: Bioarchaeological Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/15/bioarchaeological-research
subject: Archaeological Overview
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/1/archaeological-overview
subject: Historic Background Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/18/historic-background-research
subject: Consultation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/4/consultation
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
subject: Systematic Survey
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/12/systematic-survey

description: In 1985 the Center for Desert Archaeology, Inc. conducted archaeological investigations at the Cienega site, AZ BB:9:143 (ASM), and site AZ BB:9:44 (ASM), in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. These investigations were sponsored by Cienega Properties, Inc., and archaeological testing, mapping, and excavations were conducted prior to the residential development of the area. This report documents the results of this study and focuses primarily on the Hohokam remains of the Cienega site. The Cienega site has been dated to the Middle Rincon subphase based in the results of the ceramic analysis in concert with the archaeomagnetic dates from the site. Site occupation appears to have been largely seasonal or periodic rather than year-round. The seasonal nature of site use is reflected in house construction, where 6 out of 13 excavated structures were constructed of pole-and-brush. There was a high frequency of structural remodeling and instances of multiple interior hearths. At the same time, there is an uncommon degree of residential stability at the site. The site was organized in a manner reminiscent of a larger settlement, and Cienega may have been established as a satellite occupation of a more permanently settled village or hamlet. As a seasonal site, the primary purpose for Cienega's settlement involved plant production and processing. The botanical information offers the best indications of seasonal site occupation. Traditional crop cultivation was somewhat restricted at the site, and agricultural remains such as maize and beans were found in low frequences. Alternatively, greater emphasis appears to have been placed on wild plants, including agave and cholla. Cultivation of these plants may have been possible as several key resources were locally available, not the least of which consisted of a permanent spring along with potentially suitable soils and gradient for dry-farming.