The Shaw Butte Hilltop Site: A Prehistoric Hohokam Observatory
Creators: name: Bostwick, Todd W.
name: Plum, Stan
Publisher: name: Oxford V Conference, Cultural Aspects of Astronomy: An Intersection of Disciplines
Year: 1996
Subjects: subject: Arizona (State / Territory)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/335/arizona-state-territory
subject: Hole-in-the-Rock Canyon
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/78456/hole-in-the-rock-canyon
subject: Phoenix, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76695/phoenix-az
subject: Shaw Butte Hilltop Site
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/83546/shaw-butte-hilltop-site
subject: Phoenix Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/27/phoenix-basin
subject: Sierra Estrella
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/79868/sierra-estrella
subject: Ajo Mountains
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/83548/ajo-mountains
subject: Baboquivari Mountains
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/83547/baboquivari-mountains
subject: Salt River Valley
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2784/salt-river-valley
subject: Phoenix Mountains
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/77953/phoenix-mountains
subject: Mesa Grande
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/74499/mesa-grande
subject: Tempe, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/77287/tempe-az
subject: Papago Buttes
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/79719/papago-buttes
subject: Pueblo Grande
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/54505/pueblo-grande
subject: Tempe Butte
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/77289/tempe-butte
subject: Southern Arizona
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76716/southern-arizona
subject: Mesoamerican Classic period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5617/mesoamerican-classic-period
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5633/hohokam
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/21/hohokam
subject: O'odham
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8010/oodham
subject: Circular Platform Mound
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/2639/circular-platform-mound
subject: Metate Slick
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/2640/metate-slick
subject: Equinox Markers
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/2641/equinox-markers
subject: Wall opening
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/2642/wall-opening
subject: Roof Structure
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/2643/roof-structure
subject: Ball Court
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/310/ball-court
subject: Communal / Public Structure
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/314/communal-public-structure
subject: Great House / Big House
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/317/great-house-big-house
subject: Domestic Structures
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/256/domestic-structures
subject: Mound / Earthwork
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/323/mound-earthwork
subject: Post Hole / Post Mold
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/359/post-hole-post-mold
subject: Rock Alignment
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/360/rock-alignment
subject: Rock Shelter
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/265/rock-shelter
subject: Rock Art
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/361/rock-art
subject: Petroglyph
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/363/petroglyph
subject: Platform Mound
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/268/platform-mound
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Macrobotanical
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/10/macrobotanical
subject: Prehistoric Solar Observatories
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158847/prehistoric-solar-observatories
subject: Astroarchaeology
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/8814/astroarchaeology
subject: Petroglyph Design
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158848/petroglyph-design
subject: Pima Calendar Systems
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158845/pima-calendar-systems
subject: Geological
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/79503/geological
subject: Mesoamerican Calendar Systems
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158846/mesoamerican-calendar-systems
subject: Mapping
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/19875/mapping
subject: Solstice Positions
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/83336/solstice-positions
subject: Calendar Systems
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158843/calendar-systems
subject: O'odham Calendar Systems
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158844/oodham-calendar-systems
subject: Hohokam Calendar Systems
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158841/hohokam-calendar-systems
subject: O'odham Mythology
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/158842/oodham-mythology
subject: Environment Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/13/environment-research
subject: Historic Background Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/18/historic-background-research
subject: Architectural Survey
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/2/architectural-survey
subject: Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/6/methodology-theory-or-synthesis
subject: Geophysical Survey
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/23/geophysical-survey

description: The Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona was once occupied by the prehistoric Hohokam, a group of agriculturalists who constructed thousands of kilometers of irrigation canals as well as public architecture, including platform mounds and bailcourts. They also appear to have been keen astronomical observers, although the subject of Hohokam archaeoastronomy remains underexplored. This paper summarizes previous Hohokam archaeoastronomy studies, discusses O'odham (Piman) Indian calendar systems, outlines a theoretical framework for studying Hohokam archaeoastronomy, and present the results of a study of a fortified hill site in the Phoenix Mountains, Arizona. This site appears to have served as an observatory, where the Hohokam marked the appearance of solstices and equinoxes with light patterns in an artificially constructed rockshelter, and by the location on the horizon of sunrise and sunset in relation to architectural features. Furthermore, some of the petroglyphs at the site which may be associated with astronomical observations are described. The implications of a Hohokam calendar system also are discussed.