Preliminary Draft: Excavation of LA 148019: New Light on the Late Archaic Occupation of Kirtland Air Force Base
Creators: name: Church, Michael K.
name: Gallison, James D.
name: J. David Kilby
name: Herrera, Roberto
Publisher: name: Engineering-Environmental Management (e2M), Inc.
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: Bernalillo (County)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/3646/bernalillo-county
subject: Albuquerque, New Mexico
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/84765/albuquerque-new-mexico
subject: Coyote Canyon||Arroyo Del Coyote||Manzanita Mountains
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/86333/coyote-canyonarroyo-del-coyotemanzanita-mountains
subject: Kirtland Air Force Base
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/17943/kirtland-air-force-base
subject: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5728/historic
subject: Prehistoric
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/53/prehistoric
subject: Developmental Period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/8329/developmental-period
subject: Coalition period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/188/coalition-period
subject: Late Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/11/late-archaic
subject: LA 148019
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/130384/la-148019
subject: AR-03-03-05-797
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/130386/ar-03-03-05-797
subject: Artifact Scatter
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/340/artifact-scatter
subject: Water Control Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/279/water-control-feature
subject: Hearth
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/343/hearth
subject: Socorro Black-on-white
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/3408/socorro-black-on-white
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: Basalt
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/214/basalt
subject: Ground Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/7/ground-stone
subject: Red Pedernal Chalcedony
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/3577/red-pedernal-chalcedony
subject: Mineral
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/12/mineral
subject: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing
subject: Site Stabilization
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/11/site-stabilization

description: This report describes the results of testing at LA 148019/AR-03-03-05-797, a small site with few surface artifacts that contains an eroding prehistoric structure exposed in a cutbank channel that drains into the headwaters of Coyote Canyon at Kirtland Air Force Base. The site was discovered during a pedestrian survey in 2004 and recommended eligible to the National Register of Historic Places based on the presence of a buried charcoal and ash feature. However, the buried feature was in danger of loss to erosion and required immediate attention. In 2005, we conducted limited testing to investigate the extent of the site and evaluate the exposed ash and charcoal layer associated with a ground stone metate collapsed into the gully channel. Located along a lower hillside and ridgeline saddle, the site area is drained by small rills and three larger gullies that may have recently incised their channels. Reinspection of the channel areas during testing in 2005 led to the new discovery of a possible prehistoric water control features. Hillside instability was confirmed with the placement of three 1 x 1 m units across the length of the site. The test produced few artifacts and revealed shallow and eroded rocky soils. The focus of our work was the area of the exposed ash and charcoal layer in the cutbank. The placement of a 1 x 3 unit along top edge of the cutbank resulted in the exposure of a shallow structure containing groundstone, fire cracked rock and lithic artifacts. A single radiocarbon sample indicates that structure dates to the Late Archaic. Despite the eroded nature of the site, the buried structure at the site is unique to Coyote Canyon and provides one of the first dates for a Late Archaic occupation in the area. Together with the water control feature, the site provides a new glimpse into land use patterns in the Manzanita Mountains.