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