Rockpile Areas and Other Specialized Activity Sites on the Gila River Terrace: An Appraisal of Hohokam Auxiliary Agricultural Strategies near Florence, Arizona
Creators: name: Vanderpot, Rein
Publisher: name: SRI Press
Year: 1992
Subjects: subject: Santan Mountains
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/79869/santan-mountains
subject: Arizona
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2/arizona
subject: Gila River
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/3958/gila-river
subject: Florence
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/3959/florence
subject: Poston Butte
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/79818/poston-butte
subject: Hohokam Classic period
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/144/hohokam-classic-period
subject: Historic Euro-American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5127/historic-euro-american
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/21/hohokam
subject: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/25/historic
subject: Prisoner of war camp
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8473/prisoner-of-war-camp
subject: Euroamerican
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/28/euroamerican
subject: AZ U:15:157(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16915/az-u15157asm
subject: AZ U:15:158(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16916/az-u15158asm
subject: AZ U:15:159(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16917/az-u15159asm
subject: AZ U:15:160(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16918/az-u15160asm
subject: AZ U:15:161(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16919/az-u15161asm
subject: AZ U:15:162(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16920/az-u15162asm
subject: AZ U:15:163(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16921/az-u15163asm
subject: AZ U:15:171(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/98490/az-u15171asm
subject: AZ U:15:164(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16922/az-u15164asm
subject: AZ U:15:165(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16923/az-u15165asm
subject: AZ U:15:166(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16924/az-u15166asm
subject: AZ U:15:167(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16925/az-u15167asm
subject: AZ U:15:168(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16926/az-u15168asm
subject: AZ U:15:169(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16927/az-u15169asm
subject: AZ U:15:170(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16928/az-u15170asm
subject: AZ U:15:155(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16929/az-u15155asm
subject: AZ U:15:156(ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/16962/az-u15156asm
subject: Rock piles
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/606/rock-piles
subject: Trash Midden
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/351/trash-midden
subject: Can dump
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/2175/can-dump
subject: Archaeological Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/339/archaeological-feature
subject: Artifact Scatter
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/340/artifact-scatter
subject: Midden
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/347/midden
subject: Shell
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/14/shell
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: Ammunition
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2132/ammunition
subject: Cans
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2133/cans
subject: Glass
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/6/glass
subject: Metal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/11/metal
subject: Rockpile Concentration
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/159169/rockpile-concentration
subject: Agave
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/144930/agave
subject: Classic Hohokam Plant Use
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/108763/classic-hohokam-plant-use
subject: Architectural Documentation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/16/architectural-documentation
subject: Archaeological Overview
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/1/archaeological-overview
subject: Data Recovery / Excavation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/5/data-recovery-excavation
subject: Heritage Management
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/24/heritage-management
subject: Systematic Survey
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/12/systematic-survey

description: This report presents the results of an archaeological survey of an 150-acre parcel for a proposed Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) facility near Florence, Arizona, and a testing program at AZ U:15:171, a site found within this parcel during preliminary survey. The project area is located on a slightly sloping alluvial terrace between 1 and 2 km north of the Gila River. Numerous minor drainages dissect this terrace environment, creating a system of irregularly shaped low ridges. During the survey, 16 previously undiscovered archaeological sites were recorded, Thirteen of these sites are prehistoric and the remaining 3 are historic Anglo-American. Of the prehistoric sites, 2 are ceramic and lithic scatters, and 11 are rockpile areas. One of the rockpile sites includes a second component, comprising a third sherd and lithic scatter. All 3 historic sites are trash dumps, 1 of which consists of remains of a World War II period Prisoner of War camp that was located just east of the project area. The testing program at AZ U:15:171 determined that the site represents a Hohokam farmstead occupied from the late Colonial period on, with a dramatically increased site use during the Classic period. One pithouse and four plant-processing features were identified. More than likely, the farmstead is associated with some of the rockpile sites found in the project area. Given the ability to address a series of research issues, the site was recommended to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Although all sites are discussed, this report gives emphasis to the rockpile sites. These rockpile areas are interpreted as Hokokam plant-cultivation locales. It is concluded that the rock features most likely functioned as planters, conserving moisture and trapping nutrients. Specific artifacts occurring in association with the features suggest that agave was a dominate crop, although various other plants may have been grown in and around the features. Locations of rockpile clusters mostly conform to a predictable pattern of favored settings. A favorability model for rockpile placement is offered. This model may facilitate comparison of the various rockpile areas occurring in the Hohokam area. For the Florence region, our findings provide important data on secondary agricultural practices by members of various Hohokam communities along this portion of the Gila River. This information is crucial for furthering our understanding of an integrated intrabasin Hohokam subsistence economy.