Middle to late holocene stream dynamics of the Santa Cruz River, Tucson, Arizona : implications for human settlement, the transition to agriculture and archaeological site preservation. Item Type Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic); text Authors Freeman, Andrea Kelly Lee. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 16:02:55 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/191219 MIDDLE TO LATE HOLOCENE STREAM DYNAMICS OF THE SANTA CRUZ RIVER, TUCSON, ARIZONA: IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENT, THE TRANSITION TO AGRICULTURE AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE PRESERVATION by Andrea Kelly Lee Freeman Copyright © Andrea Kelly Lee Freeman 1997 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1997 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Andrea Kelly Lee Freeman entitled Middle to Late Holocene Stream Dynamics of the Santa Cruz River, Tucson, Arizona: Implications for Human Settlement, the Transition to Agriculture, and Archaeological site Preservation. and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy AlArr z) C. V Hayn Date / ,/ /9 1Date Date Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. / 27 / 99/ Dissertation Director C. Vance Hay es, Jr. Date 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: <!!7,2---'-' 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Research for this dissertation was funded by the U. of A. Graduate College, ADoT, the City of Tucson, the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, and the Center for Desert Archaeology. Radiocarbon assays were provided by Beta Analytic, Inc. and the University of Colorado Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research. My sincere gratitude goes to Elizabeth Black and Dena McDuffie for formatting and editing and to Elizabeth Gray, Rob Ciaccio, and Catherine Gilman for drafting. Additional mapping and drafting was provided by GEO-MAP, Inc. with particular recognition to Jim Holmlund for long hours and friendly advice when needed. Stratigraphic pits were excavated by Paul Giacomino (Desert Diggers) and Dan Arnit (Innovative Excavating). Josh Edwards, Todd Schmitz, Todd Surovell, and Vance Haynes' "Late Quaternary Geology" class aided me in geologic mapping. Many friends and colleagues have stimulated my intellectual development and supported me with friendship and love. I would like to thank the staff of Desert Archaeology, Inc. (DAI), the founding members of the Quaternary Alliance (Qal), and the EGS for their support. Helga Wi5cherl, Chaz Tompkins, Louise Senior, and Dunbar Birnie allowed me share in the joy of raising their daughters and watching them grow. The unconditional love and cherished phrases from my friends, April Birnie and Anwyn Tompkins, rescued me many times with a sense of calm and simplicity that no one else could muster. Six four-footed friends provided occasional companionship: Zack, Bones, Amos, Lola, Georgia, and Ripley. Numerous bipeds deserve a special note of appreciation for devoted encouragement: S. Bierwirth, K. Harry, B. Miksa, K. Nicoll, M. Slaughter, K. Tankersley, R. VanDyke, L. Young, and T. Young. For those left out, please know that you are in my heart and mind, but not the regulations of the Graduate College. Field discussions with E. Hajic, B. Huckell, G. Huckleberry, A. Meglioli, P. Pearthree, B. Roth, K. Vincent, M. Waters, and colleagues at DAI helped me to refine my thinking on the relationship between streams and archaeology. My committee, Vance Haynes, John Olsen, and Steve Kuhn, greatly improved the content and format of this thesis. All flaws or omissions in this dissertation are expressly my own. Additional members of my examination committee, David Meltzer, William Longacre, Vic Baker, and Owen Davis helped me through many difficult and unpleasant lessons. My advisor, Vance and "ldr," David provided me with the rare (deserved) scowl and unswerving belief in my abilities. Two other professors provided appropriate words and inspiration during especially trying times: C. Kramer and M. Schiffer. My strength to continue in this pursuit came from training and support I received early in my life. For that unique gift, I thank my former swim coaches and my parents, Hilda and Ralph Freeman, who taught me to break down walls. Finally, this research would not have been initiated without the support of my employer, Bill Doelle. Bill cajoled me into writing this dissertation and provided the support for me to do so. I can never thank him enough. If I can ever be worthy of the faith that those mentioned above have had in me, my life will be fulfilled. 5 DEDICATION To my grandparents... David Carlson Grace Carlson Marvel Carlson Samuel Freeman E. Joan Freeman ...from whom I inherited my life's geography. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 10 LIST OF TABLES 12 ABSTRACT 13 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 14 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 15 DEFINITION OF THE STUDY AND FOCUS AREA 17 ALLUVIAL GEOLOGY AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA 22 Arroyo Cutting and Filling 24 Preceramic Archaeology in the Tucson Basin 31 CHAPTER 2: MIDDLE AND LATE HOLOCENE ARCHAEOLOGY IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA 40 INTRODUCTION 40 THE SOUTHWESTERN "ARCHAIC" 43 San Dieguito and Pinto-Gypsum 44 Amargosa 45 The Cochise Culture 46 The Desert Culture 48 PICOSA, Oshara, and the Southwestern Archaic 48 THE MIDDLE ARCHAIC 49 Why So Few Middle Archaic Sites? 50 Characteristics of the Southwestern Middle Archaic 52 Middle Archaic Sites in Southern Arizona 56 Status of the Middle Archaic in Southern Arizona 69 New Hallmarks of the Southern Arizona Middle Archaic 70 Middle Archaic Site Types and Site Distributions 72 THE LATE ARCHAIC/EARLY AGRICULTURAL PERIOD 73 Investigations of Late Archaic/Early Agricultural Sites in Southern Arizona 74 GEOCLIMATIC MODELS FOR ARCHAIC PERIODIZATION 80 Antevs' Altithermal 81 Correlate Human Responses 82 Altithermal Abandonments? 84 MIDDLE TO LATE ARCHAIC TRANSITION 88 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 7 CHAPTER 3: HISTORIC STREAM BEHAVIOR AND HYDROLOGIC PROCESSES OF THE SANTA CRUZ RIVER 91 INTRODUCTION 91 PALEOCOMPETANCE RECONSTRUCTIONS 93 Desert Stream Processes 93 Sediment Characteristics 95 Summary 97 HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTIONS 97 Historic Descriptions of the Santa Cruz River 99 REGIME-BASED RECONSTRUCTIONS 104 San Xavier Reach 105 Tucson Reach 106 Cortaro Reach 107 MODELLING PREHISTORIC CHANNEL BEHAVIOR 108 CHAPTER 4: GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE SANTA CRUZ RIVER WITHIN THE TUCSON BASIN 110 OVERVIEW OF THE SANTA CRUZ RIVER TERRACES ........ 111 QT5 and QT4 (The Univerisity and Cemetary terraces) 112 Qt3 (the Jaynes terrace) 113 Qt2 (the Holoecene terrace) 113 Qt 1 (the Historic terrace) 115 SAN XAVIER 116 Unit I 117 Unit II 117 Unit III 118 Unit IV 118 Unit V 118 Unit VI 119 Unit VII 119 RIO NUEVO SOUTH/A-MOUNTAIN 119 Clearwater Site (AZ BB:13:6) 120 Project Area Background 124 Methods 126 Stratigraphy 127 Correlation 138 Summary 140 ALAMEDA STREET 141 Stratigraphy 142 RILLITO FAN 146 Rillito Fan Site (AZ AA:12:788) 147 Methods 148 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 8 Results of Geomorphic Study 149 Summary 157 INA ROAD 159 AZ AA:12:111/688 160 AZ AA:12:130 160 AZ AA:12:503 161 Geologic Background 162 Previous Geochronological Work in the Project Area 164 Recent Excavation at AA: 12:503 (ASM) by Statistical Research 165 Recent Excavation at AA:12:130 (ASM) by SWCA 165 Results of Testing Along Ina Road 167 Correlation 168 Summary 169 SILVERBELL ROAD 170 SUMMARY 171 CHAPTER 5: ALLUVIAL STRATIGRAPHY, GEOCHRONOLOGY, AND GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE SANTA CRUZ BEND AND JUHAN PARK SITES 173 INTRODUCTION 173 Santa Cruz Bend (AZ AA:12:746) 175 Stone Pipe (AZ BB:13:425) 176 Square Hearth (AZ AA:12:745) 177 Juhan Park (AZ AA:12:44) 177 Implications of Excavations at the Santa Cruz Bend, Stone Pipe, and Square Hearth Sites 178 GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS 179 Description of the Area 180 The Santa Cruz Bend Profile 181 Sediments Revealed in Juhan Park Archaeological Testing 191 The Juhan Park Profile 194 SUMMARY 200 CHAPTER 6: ALLUVIAL STRATIGRAPHY, GEOCHRONOLOGY, AND GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE LOS POZOS SITE 202 INTRODUCTION 202 THE LOS POZOS SITE (AZ AA:12:91, ASM) 203 The Middle Archaic Component 205 The Early Agricultural Period Component 208 METHODS 214 ALLUVIAL STRATIGRAPHY 214 West Side Stratigraphic Trench 216 TABLE