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Archaeological Testing at the Watson and Fresquez Properties, Lincoln State Monument, Lincoln, New Mexico

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Archaeological Testing at the Watson and Fresquez Properties, Lincoln State Monument, Lincoln, New Mexico MUSEUM OF NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES Archaeological Testing at the Watson and Fresquez Properties, Lincoln State Monument, Lincoln, New Mexico Dorothy A. Zamora Stephen S. Post Principal Investigator ARCHAEOLOGY NOTES 399 SANTA FE 2008 NEW MEXICO Administrative Summary From March 31 through April 11, 2008, Office of Cultural materials were found in all test pits Archaeological Studies (OAS), Department of at various depths. Test Pit 1 was excavated to 1.3 Cultural Affairs, conducted a testing program for m deep, and excavation was stopped because of Lincoln State Monument behind the Watson and OSHA safety regulations. Artifacts were still Fresquez houses in Lincoln, New Mexico. The present in this test unit, with an ash lens at the area is part of Lincoln State Monument (LA bottom of the excavation pit. Test Pit 2 was ster- 8977), within the of Sec. 34, T 9S, R 16E, ile except for the surface stripping, which consist- NMPM, Lincoln County, USGS 7.5’ Lincoln ed of modern artifacts. Test Pit 3 uncovered the Quadrangle. acequia and was dug down 1.3 m. The soil Lincoln State Monument proposes to place a changed from a charcoal, sandy clay to a silty pipeline from the Watson house to a new septic clay, with artifacts still in the fill. Test Pit 4 was tank and leach line on the slope behind the excavated to a depth of 30 cm. Artifact deposits house. It will require digging a new trench for the from early to modern time periods were mixed line from the Watson house. The old pipeline from prior trenching for the gas line, telephone from the Fresquez house will be replaced within lines, the old septic tanks, sewer lines, and from the existing trench, in accordance with state law. alluvial washing. Test Pit 5 contained cultural The procedure required archaeological testing in material down to 40 cm. Most of the artifacts the areas to be disturbed by the project. were from the surface, with some downward fil- The archaeological investigation followed a tering, probably from root action. All test units testing program approved by the Historic were taken down to sterile soil with the possible Preservation Division on March 20, 2008. The exceptions of Test Pits 1 and 3. testing at LA 8977 included excavating five 1 by 1 An acequia behind the Watson and Fresquez m units in areas where trenching for the lines and houses is shown on an 1878 map in the N. A. M. septic tank are to be placed. Test Pit 1 was placed Dudley inquiry papers. It runs from behind the in the area of an embankment and a retaining Tunstall store, west behind the Fresquez and wall. The wall was not visible on the surface but Watson houses, and eventually down to Rio was exposed during excavation. Test Pit 2 was Bonito. The acequia is not mentioned in any placed in the area of the septic tank on a hillside. known articles and is only shown on Dudley’s Test Pit 3 was placed below the embankment in a map. The historical importance of the acequia flat area where there proved to be an old 1878 prompted Lincoln State Monument to move the acequia. Because the retaining wall was exposed leach line west instead of east to avoid it. in Test Pit 1 and the acequia was present in Test In all test pits, artifacts showed extensive mixing Pit 3, two alternative areas were tested. Test Pit 4 with a wide range of dates. Two features were was placed between the retaining wall and the found: a stone wall dating possibly to the 1930s existing telephone line. Test Pit 5 was placed and a 1878 acequia. If these features are avoided, west of the septic tank on a slope for the leach the OAS recommends archaeological clearance line. for the project. MNM Project No. 41.863 (Lincoln Testing) NMCRIS No. 109864 Contents Administrative Summary . iii Contents . v Introduction . 1 Environment. 5 Previous Work in the Area . 7 Overview of Culture History. 9 The Lincoln County War. 9 Historic Features . 11 The Watson House . 11 The Fresquez House. 11 Acequia. 12 Testing Procedures . 15 Testing Results. 17 Test Pit 1. 17 Test Pit 2. 17 Test Pit 3. 17 Test Pit 4. 17 Test Pit 5. 17 Discussion . 17 Faunal Analysis . 37 Test Pit Assemblages . 37 Area Comparisons . 39 Species Utilization . 39 Conclusions . 41 Conclusions . 43 References Cited . 45 Appendix 1: Site Location Information . 49 FIGURES 1. Project vicinity map . 2 2. Town of Lincoln, showing location of Watson and Fresquez houses . 3 3. The crew and volunteers . 4 4. The environment of the project area, facing northwest . 5 5. The environment of the site, facing west. 6 6. Dudley inquiry map . 13 7. Path of the acequia, looking west . 14 8. Excavations in septic tank area . 18 9. Test Pit 1, showing stone wall. 19 10. Privy behind Watson house, facing northwest. 20 11. Profile of north and east walls of Test Pit 1 . 21 12. Batteries, not collected from Test Pit 1. 21 13. Test Pit 2, facing south . 24 14. Test Pit 3, facing south . 26 15. Profile of the north wall, Test Pit 3. 27 16. Test Pit 4, facing south . 32 17. Profile of the south wall, Test Pit 4. ..
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