initial investigations at the round mountain cerro de trincheras site in southeastern arizona john...

Initial Investigations at the Round Mountain Cerro de Trincheras Site in Southeastern Arizona

John R. Roney (Colinas Cultural Resources) Robert J. Hard (University of Texas-San Antonio)

A.C. MacWilliams (University of Calgary) Mary Whisenhunt (University of Texas-San Antonio)

18th Biennial Mogollon Archaeology Conference

Round Mountain Site

Round Mountain Site

Round Mountain (AZ CC:4:61 (ASM))

Cerros de Trincheras

– Round Mountain tentatively dated to Early Agriculture period

– Cerros de Trincheras in western and southern Chihuahua, northern Sonora, and southern Arizona

Setting: Gila River Floodplain

History of Research• Site found on

Google Earth• Limited surface

collection, test excavation, surface recording

Construction• 1.9 kilometers of

constructed walls/terraces

Rock Rings

• Assumed to represent individual dwellings

• 3.5 m in diameter

Surface Collection

• Most mapped artifacts concentrated near summit and on southeastern side of hill

• Distribution clusters near rock rings

Chipped Stone Surface Distribution• Almost all found inside walls• Four Tularosa corner-

notched points, one likely San Pedro point

Ground Stone Artifacts• Extensive assemblage

of metates, manos• Heavy wear; most

composed of basalt

Unusual Artifacts

• Rectangular stone mortar

• Stone pipes

Ceramic Distribution• Sherds clustered

at hill summit• Suggests later

occupational use of mountain top

Excavations• Three test units• All located south-

southeast on hill near summit

Artifacts From Excavation

1 cm 5 cm

Ethnobotanical Collection

• Light and heavy fractions collected

• No domesticates

• Wood record dominated by juniper, mesquite, oak

Radiocarbon Dating

• Beta 390818, AMS on charred Atriplex wood• 2370 ± 30 BP radiocarbon years• 510 – 395 B.C. Calibrated, 2 sigma• Excavated from Test Unit 2, level 6

Conclusion

Acknowledgements• Dept of Anthropology, the College of Liberal and

Fine Arts, Center for Archaeological Research, and the Office of Vice-President of Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio

• Colinas Cultural Resource Consulting• Bureau of Land Management, Safford District• Dick Kaler, Duncan, Arizona• Bill and Jill Cavaliere, Rodeo, NM• Team Members: Gabriela Gonzalez, Ashley Jones,

David Barron