Excavations at Four Archeological Sites on the Cnm Rio Rancho Campus, Sandoval County, New Mexico
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EXCAVATIONS AT FOUR ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES ON THE CNM RIO RANCHO CAMPUS, SANDOVAL COUNTY, NEW MEXICO Alexander Kurota, Patrick Hogan, Brian Cribbin, and F. Scott Worman Office of Contract Archeology University of New Mexico EXCAVATIONS AT FOUR ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES ON THE CNM RIO RANCHO CAMPUS, SANDOVAL COUNTY, NEW MEXICO by Alexander Kurota, Patrick Hogan, Brian Cribbin, and F. Scott Worman With Contributions from Connie Constan, Robin M. Cordero, David Holtkamp, Darden Hood, Douglas Rocks-Macqueen, and Pamela J. McBride Prepared for Central New Mexico Community College Dan L. Pearson CNM Facilities Planning 901 Buena Vista Drive SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 (505) 224-4580; Fax (505) 224-4566 Submitted by Patrick Hogan Principal Investigator Report Production by Donna K. Lasusky Graphics by Ronald Stauber, Adrienne Actis, and David Holtkamp Office of Contract Archeology MSC07 4230 1 University of New Mexico 1717 Lomas Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 Tel: (505) 277-5853; Fax: (505) 277-6726 NMCRIS No. 116136 OCA/UNM Project No. 185-992 February 2010 ii ABSTRACT This report documents the results of archeological data recovery and construction monitoring at four archeological sites located on the Central New Mexico (CNM) campus in Rio Rancho, Sandoval County, New Mexico. The work was performed by the Office of Contract Archeology, University of New Mexico (OCA/UNM) as a follow-up project to the Class III OCA survey of the 40-acre parcel of CNM-owned land. That survey documented six archeological sites and 12 Isolated Occurrences. Four of the sites, including LA 158640, and LA 158641, were recommended as eligible for the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion “d” of 36 CFR 60.4. The eligibility of LA 158642 and one other site could not be determined from the surface evidence. LA 160886 is one of the 17 additional sites documented by OCA during the survey of the adjacent UNM West Side Campus. Fieldwork at LA 158640 and LA 158642 was performed between 29 August and 5 September 2008 and between 24 November and 2 December 2008 and at LA 158641 the work was completed between 15 and 18 June, 2009. OCA’s construction monitoring resulted in the discovery of additional cultural resources at LA 158641 and additional work at that site took place on 15 and 16 July 2009. Finally, test excavations were also performed at LA 160886 between 15 and 20 July, 2009. Of the four sites, LA 160886 appears to be lithic procurement and workshop area while the other three sites encompass a series of discrete short-term occupations dating to the Archaic, Developmental, and Coalition/Classic periods. iii iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The efforts and cooperation of a number of individuals have contributed to the successful completion of this report. Firstly, we are thankful to Mr. Dan Pearson of CNM Facilities Planning for contracting with the Office of Contract Archeology to perform the archeological data recovery. OCA field crew consisted of Andrew Carrie, Joanne Gilby, David Holtkamp, Jamie Hilyard, Andrea Kontrath, Lisa Lucero, Adam Lujan, Yuichi Nakazawa, David Plaza, Shannon Porter, and Douglas Rocks- Macqueen. Brian Cribbin served as a Crew Chief during a portion of the excavations as well as during the construction monitoring phase of the project. Scott Worman provided geoarchaeological soil descriptions and Alex Kurota served as the Field Supervisor and Project Director. GIS graphics and feature drawings were produced by Ron Stauber, Adrienne Actis and David Holtkamp. The various artifact analyses were performed by the following specialists: Matthew O’Brien-lithic analysis, David Holtkamp-ground stone analysis, Connie Constan-ceramic analysis, Robin Cordero-faunal analysis, and Pamela McBride-macrobotanical analysis. Chronometric dates were provided by Beta Analytic, Inc. (radiocarbon dating). In the office, our Unit Administrator Donna Kay Lasusky provided administrative support and produced the project’s final report documents. Finally, the project’s Principal Investigator Patrick Hogan offered numerous thoughtful insights and guidance during the fieldwork and also participated on the report write- up and the overall research synthesis. We are very grateful to all these individuals and institutions for their enthusiasm and hard work which altogether have brought this research into a successful conclusion. v vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction by Patrick F. Hogan and Alexander Kurota ................................................ 1 Chapter 2 Environmental Setting by Patrick F. Hogan and F. Scott Worman .................................. 5 Geology and Soils .......................................................................................................................... 5 Climate and Paleoclimate .............................................................................................................. 6 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................... 9 Fauna ............................................................................................................................. 11 Chapter 3 Geology and Geomorphology by F. Scott Worman ........................................................ 13 Geomorphic Setting ..................................................................................................................... 13 Geological Context ...................................................................................................................... 15 Soils ............................................................................................................................. 18 Holocene Landscape Change ....................................................................................................... 22 River Floodplains ............................................................................................................ 22 Aeolian Deposits ............................................................................................................. 26 Playas ............................................................................................................................. 29 Summary and Implications .......................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 4 Culture History by Alexander Kurota and Patrick F. Hogan .......................................... 31 Paleoindian Period ....................................................................................................................... 31 Archaic Period ............................................................................................................................. 32 Early Archaic .................................................................................................................. 33 Middle Archaic ............................................................................................................... 34 Late Archaic .................................................................................................................... 34 Puebloan Period ........................................................................................................................... 35 Basketmaker III–Pueblo I (Early Developmental) Period .............................................. 35 Pueblo II (Late Developmental) Period .......................................................................... 35 Pueblo III (Coalition) Period .......................................................................................... 35 Pueblo IV (Classic) Period ............................................................................................. 36 Historical period .......................................................................................................................... 36 Previous Research ....................................................................................................................... 37 Chapter 5 Research Design and Field Methods by Patrick F. Hogan and Alexander Kurota ........ 39 When Were the Sites Occupied? .................................................................................................. 39 What Activities Were Performed? ............................................................................................... 39 How Was the Lithic Technology Organized? .............................................................................. 41 Field Methods ............................................................................................................................. 41 Chapter 6 Excavations at LA 158642 by Alexander Kurota, F. Scott Worman, and Douglas Rocks-Macqueen ............................................................................................................................. 45 Site Stratigraphy by F. Scott Worman .......................................................................................... 47 Study Units 6 and 7 ......................................................................................................... 47 Study Unit 7 ....................................................................................................... 47 Study Unit 6 ....................................................................................................... 48 Backhoe Trench .............................................................................................................. 49 Area 3 ............................................................................................................................