Crew at Hull Cabin

The Kaibab National Forest Heritage Team hosted its tenth Passports in Time (PIT) project from August 22-27, 1999. The project focused on sites along the Coconino Rim. Previously, archeologists understood little about this relatively roadless area located near the Grand Canyon. During the project, archeologists and PIT volunteers recorded 15 new sites and re-recorded three others. The sites included artifact scatters, cliff-dwellings, pictographs, rockshelters, and hilltop pueblos with massive masonry wall rubble. One site, possibly associated with pai people, even contained some early Hopi pottery.

Most of the sites dated to the Pueblo III period (AD 1100-1200). Volunteers found pottery types such as Flagstaff Black-on-White and Tsegi Orange Ware Polychromes (sherds rarely seen on the Kaibab). The northern end of the Coconino Plateau seems to have a mixing of Cohonina and Puebloan cultural materials. In fact, Cohonina gray wares were quite uncommon. Moenkopi corrugated was by far the most commonly found ceramic. The architecture consisting of large shaped sandstone slabs, and the presence of circular structures (possibly kivas) seems greatly different than traditional Cohonina styles. A few sites seem to have structures reminiscent of "towers" found in the Hovenweep area of southeast Utah.

Archeologists and volunteers filled in many data gaps during the survey. Although the function of these sites may never be known, the Forest Service can now monitor and protect these previously unknown, significant Heritage resources.