Archaeological Testing of the Juhan Park Parcel along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson, Arizona
Creators: name: Swartz, Deborah L.
Publisher: name: Desert Archaeology, Inc.
Year: 1996
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: Pima (County)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/7353/pima-county
subject: Tucson, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76651/tucson-az
subject: Prehistoric Period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5789/prehistoric-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:9:222 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/105849/az-bb9222-asm
subject: AZ AA:12:488 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/105276/az-aa12488-asm
subject: AZ AA:12:44 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/105835/az-aa1244-asm
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Inhumation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/947/inhumation
subject: Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/357/roasting-pit-oven-horno
subject: Trash Concentration
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/1831/trash-concentration
subject: Prehistoric Well
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3609/prehistoric-well
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: 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: Human Remains
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/9/human-remains
subject: Macrobotanical
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/10/macrobotanical
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: 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: Research Design / Data Recovery Plan
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/9/research-design-data-recovery-plan
subject: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing

description: Under the authority of the State of Arizona Antiquities Permit 1996-101ps, Desert Archaeology, Inc., completed archaeological testing. This project was undertaken because the parcel was located on floodplain deposits of the Santa Cruz River, and an initial survey identified a low-density surface artifact scatter that is part of a previously recorded archaeological site, AZ AA:12:44 (ASM). The object of the project was to determine whether subsurface archaeological or historical remains were present in the area prior to construction of a city park. This report includes sections on the project area location and description, archaeological background, previous archaeological work in the project area, project methods, results, a discussion of related issues, and recommendations. The archaeological testing was conducted between June 18 and 20, 1996, by Deborah Swartz, Susan Hall, and Tim Goddard of Desert Archaeology. The survey identified a low artifact density across the parcel. Because of the geomorphological setting, this suggested that buried deposits could be present. Twelve test trenches, totaling 518 m (1,700 ft), were excavated. The goal was to situate the trenches primarily within the areas of proposed subsurface construction impacts. Trenches were placed along proposed fence lines, power pole locations, and areas where large trees will be planted. Additional judgmental trenches were situated between the construction-related trenches to provide additional information about the subsurface deposits. Much of the area has been disturbed by modern dumping of asphalt and other construction materials, particularly in the eastern portion of the study area. In some places, this disturbance was as deep as the trench, approximately 1.6 m (5 ft), so no natural deposits were observed. In the trenches where the natural stratigraphy was observed, the deposits on the eastern side of the parcel contained no prehistoric remains. The natural sediments on the western portion of the parcel were different and did contain cultural features. Nine features were identified in the backhoe trenches, all on the western half of the parcel. These include one roasting pit, one well, three large pits, one small pit, one human inhumation, and two areas of darker sediments with light charcoal flecking but no distinct feature outlines. Descriptions of these features are provided below.