Mesita Del Buey Cavate Study
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LA-UR-02-4872 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Title MESITA DEL BUEY CAVATE SURVEY Cultural Resource Survey Report No. 187 Prepared by Bradley J. Vierra, Jennifer E. Nisengard, and Kari M. Schmidt RRES-ECO Cultural Resources Management Team Risk Reduction and Environmental Stewardship Division Los Alamos National Laboratory An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither The Regents of the University of California, the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by The Regents of the University of California, the United States Government, or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of The Regents of the University of California, the United States Government, or any agency thereof. The Los Alamos National Laboratory strongly supports a researcher’s right to publish; therefore, the Laboratory as an institution does not endorse the viewpoint of a publication or guarantee its technical correctness. LA-UR-02-4872 MESITA DEL BUEY CAVATE SURVEY Cultural Resource Survey Report No. 187 Los Alamos National Laboratory August 22, 2000 Survey No. 816 Prepared for the Department of Energy Office of Los Alamos Site Operations Prepared by Bradley J. Vierra, Jennifer E. Nisengard, and Kari M. Schmidt RRES-ECO Cultural Resources Management Team Risk Reduction and Environmental Stewardship Division LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY CONTENTS ABSTRACT................................................................................................................... 1 PROVENIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING............................................ 2 SURVEY PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND METHODS ........................................... 3 CULTURE HISTORY OVERVIEW ........................................................................... 4 Paleoindian Period: 9500 BC to 5500 BC................................................................ 4 Archaic Period: 5500 BC to AD 600 ....................................................................... 4 Early Developmental Period: AD 600 to 900........................................................... 5 Late Developmental Period: AD 900 to 1200 .......................................................... 5 Coalition Period: AD 1200 to 1325 ......................................................................... 5 Classic Period: AD 1325 to 1600............................................................................. 6 Spanish Colonial Period: AD 1600 to 1821 ............................................................. 6 Mexican Period: AD 1821 to 1846 .......................................................................... 7 U.S. Territorial: AD 1846 to 1912 ........................................................................... 7 Statehood to World War II Period: AD 1912 to 1945............................................... 7 PREVIOUS RESEARCH ............................................................................................. 9 RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................ 13 DESCRIPTION OF CULTURAL RESOURCES IN PROJECT AREA ................. 14 RESEARCH ISSUES AND SITE CONDITION ASSESSMENT............................. 28 Site Size................................................................................................................. 28 Cavates, Rock-Cut Rooms, and Kivas .................................................................... 28 Talus Units............................................................................................................. 28 Water-Catchment and Retention Features............................................................... 29 Interior Rock Art.................................................................................................... 29 Exterior Petroglyphs............................................................................................... 37 General Views........................................................................................................ 37 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................ 46 REFERENCES CITED .............................................................................................. 47 APPENDIX A Project Area Map ............................................................................ A-1 APPENDIX B Site Summary Information.............................................................. B-1 APPENDIX C Site Forms ........................................................................................ C-1 TABLE Table 1 Culture Historical Chronology for the Northern Rio Grande .......................... 4 FIGURES Figure 1 LA 4618 Site Plan........................................................................................ 11 Figure 2 LA 4624 Site Plan........................................................................................ 12 Figure 3 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86615 cavate rock art (Room 8) ............. 31 Figure 4 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86615 cavate rock art (Room 8) ............. 32 Figure 5 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86617 cavate rock art (Room 10) ........... 33 Figure 6 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86621 cavate rock art (Room 7) ............. 34 Figure 7 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86625 cavate rock art (Room 2) ............. 35 Figure 8 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86625 cavate rock art (Room 2) ............. 36 iii Figure 9 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 82605 petroglyph panel.......................... 38 Figure 10 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86622 petroglyph panel.......................... 39 Figure 11 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86624 petroglyph panel.......................... 40 Figure 12 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86626 petroglyph panel.......................... 41 Figure 13 1986 and 2000 photographs of LA 86629 .................................................... 42 Figure 14 1986 and 2000 photographs of masonry wall at the entrance of Room 10 at LA 86626 .................................................................................................... 44 Figure 15 2000 photographs of masonry terrace wall at LA 86626 (upper) and masonry blocks associated with a talus unit at 86630 ................................................. 45 iv ABSTRACT The Cultural Resource Team at the Ecology group recorded thirteen cavate and four rock art sites located along the southern face of Mesita del Buey. The Mesita del Buey Cavate Project was conducted during July and August 2000 at the request of the Facilities and Waste Operations Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The sites are located to the immediate west of Technical Area (TA) 54 within TA-36. This work was conducted in response to concerns raised by the Pueblo of San Ildefonso that activities in Area G at TA-54 were adversely affecting nearby cavate sites. Although Jim Jorgensen had originally located the sites in 1986, he only conducted a cursory inspection of them. This report presents the results of the systematic recording of the sites, including information on the nature and condition of the cavates and rock art. Thirteen of the cavate complex sites and all three of the rock art sites are considered eligible for inclusion to the National Register of Historic Places (LAs 82605, 86615, 86616, 86617, 86620, 86621, 86622, 86623, 86624, 86625, 86626, 86627, 86629, 86630, 86631, and 86632). LA 86628 was, however, mostly destroyed by artillery fire in the 1950s and is not considered eligible. Otherwise, the sites are generally in good condition with approximately 200 individual cavates or rock-cut rooms being represented. 1 PROVENIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING Location: Technical Area (TA) 36, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Land Manager: The Department of Energy (DOE) Legal Description: T. 19N, R. 6-7 E, unplatted Survey Dimension: 78 hectares (194 acres) Map: United States Geological Survey (USGS) White Rock and Frijoles 7.5 Minute Series Topography: Mesita del Buey Nearest Drainage: Pajarito Canyon Elevation: 2021 to 2065 m (6630 to 6775 ft) Vegetation: Piñon and juniper overstory with blue grama, snakeweed, and saltbush understory (Foxx and Tierney 1985) Soil Type: Rock outcrop Bedrock: Tshirege Member of the Bandelier Tuff (Los Alamos National Laboratory 1982) 2 SURVEY PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND METHODS A cultural inventory survey was conducted along the southern edge of Mesita del Buey at TA-36 adjacent to TA-54. Seventeen sites with approximately 200 cavates and numerous rock art panels are located along the escarpment overlooking Pajarito Canyon. These sites were systematically recorded and their condition assessed. This work was done in response to concerns raised by the San Ildefonso Pueblo. In their comments to the Site Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) they state that the past and continued development