Crew at Big Springs
Crew at Big Springs
The Kaibab National Forest Heritage Team hosted its 13th Passports in Time (PIT) project from Oct. 1-6, 2000. The project continued documenting large Pueblo II sites found by Volunteer Einar Ericson. Archeologists and PIT volunteers recorded an additional 15 large C-shaped Pueblos with possible kivas. This week, volunteers also documented a new architectural type. These sites are isolated rooms constructed of large limestone boulders arranged in a circular plan. Several of them measured 6-10 meters in diameter. The ceramics indicate that these structures may be earlier than the Pueblo II C-shaped pueblos.
Most of the sites dated to the Pueblo II period (AD 1000-1100). Volunteers found pottery types such as Black Mesa, Dogoszhi and Sosi Black-on-Whites, North Creek Black-on-Gray, Shinarump Corrugated, North Creek Corrugated, Tusayan Corrugated and Moenkopi Corrugated. Interestingly, a locally made red ware seems to take the place of San Juan red wares. Tusayan Black-on-red sherds are the most commonly found Tsegi orange ware. The lithic assemblage at most sites was quite remarkable with tools literally covering the ground. The debitage represented a myriad of material types from cherts and obsidians to beautiful jaspers.
We also spent much of the week playing catch-up by setting up a lab to clean and analyze the ceramics. In addition, on Wednesday, Larry took about 1/3 of the group into Snake Gulch where folks were impressed by the 6 miles of rock art. Other fun activities included sharing stories around the campfire, playing "Set", group cooking and listening to the booming thunder and lightning which shook Big Springs all night Tuesday.
| Neil | John | Larry | Connie | Jerry and June |
| Frances Mayse | Steve Harper | Jackie Tuxiill | Leslie Thatcher | James Morgan |
| Pete and Verla | Wij Galloway | Jill Baker | Ed Schlegel | Calla |