Nov 19Desert Archaeology shell specialist Chris Lange explores a fascinating bit of Sedentary period Hohokam craftwork. The Hohokam people were not only successful farmers and irrigation canal builders, but were also craftspeople, creating tools and ornaments out of bone, stone, and shell. The shell crafting tradition of the Hohokam sets them…
Nov 6Jim Vint recently completed a survey on historic ranchland north of Arivaca, Arizona. His background research led first to Ventura Robledo, and then to discrepancies between newspaper stories and a coroner's inquest. Either way, Robledo met a tragic end. Miguel Moreno has a Ranch House out buildings & corrals in…
Jul 17Project director John Marshall praises the big piece of equipment non-archaeologists may be surprised to learn about. Click on any photo for a lovely larger view. When most people think of an archaeological excavation, they probably think of minute detail work. They think dental picks and fine brushes. While those…
Jun 14What started out as a reexamination of schist temper led Desert Archaeology ceramicist James M. Heidke to review evidence regarding the time of year precontact pottery may have been made. Fontana and others found that mid-20th century Tohono O’odham potters only made vessels during the hot summer months, both for…
Apr 30Desert Archaelogy ceramicist James M. Heidke wrote this tribute to the late Diana Kamilli and her contributions to ceramic provenance studies in Arizona. Diana Chapman Kamilli passed away in early August of last year, after a short illness. This belated Field Journal entry seeks to recognize the important contribution that…
Feb 1Homer Thiel tells the story of a prominent Black businesswoman who built successful culinary ventures in both Phoenix and Tucson in the late 1800s. Hundreds of African Americans arrived in the Territory of Arizona between 1856 and 1912. Early on these included escaped enslaved men such as Hampton Brown. After…
Jan 8Residents of the Tucson Presidio farmed, raised livestock, and occasionally hunted. Food was plentiful in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but cookstoves were not. Historical archaeologist Homer Thiel explores the other ways people found for applying fire to food in order to transform raw ingredients into meals. The…
Jan 1Jim Heidke and Homer Thiel examine the use of Native American pottery in Tucson’s historic Barrio Libre. In 2001 Desert Archaeology conducted archaeological excavations on Block 136 in Tucson’s Barrio Libre. This barrio is located south of the downtown and was the home of many Mexican Americans, Native Americans, and…
Jun 6Ceramic analyst Hunter Claypatch conducted his doctoral research on ceramic technology from northern Sonora and spent several months living in the town of Trincheras, Sonora. Here, he highlights the region's rich archaeology and culture (and tacos). Cerro de Trincheras is a terraced volcanic archaeological site located within the town of…
May 26Water is the the desert's most precious resource. As modern communities in the West grapple with dwindling supplies, Homer Thiel explores how people living near Tucson in the mid-19th century acquired water for their homes and gardens. People need water for drinking, cooking, washing, and watering plants, among other uses.…