Excavations at Canyon Del Muerto, Arizona and Durango Caves, Durango, Colorado
odd: label: Local Number
content: HSFA 1987.5.2
name: label: Collection Collector
content: University of Colorado Museum of Natural History
setName: label: See more items in
content: University of Colorado Museum of Natural History films
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Film reel (3 minutes, color silent; 100 feet, 16mm)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1939
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Footage documenting archaeological sites representing Anasazi occupation in the American Southwest. Included is film of the excavation of settlement sites by Earl H. Morris in Hidden Valley, near Durango, Colorado. Film of the site is very brief, however, evidence has revealed occupation dates from the AD 700s. Basket Maker III occupation of the site was characterized by isolated pit houses and surface granaries, the excavation of one such unit being visible in the film. The footage also captures archaeological sites, however not excavations, at the Canyon del Muerto, in Southeast Arizona. Documented are dozens of petroglyphs representing animal forms as well as geometric designs. In addition, the Mummy Cave Tower is also visible in the film, notable because of E. Morris' discovery of prayer sticks embedded in the adobe walls of the structure. Interpretation has suggested initial occupation from Basket Maker II and III on through Pueblo III.