DRC-2009-008122 - 0901a06880141c4f

IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa28128
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 1
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Artifact scatter
10.ELEVATION:5574 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631332 m East,4154376 m North
12.[SE]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)-White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa28128 consists of a scatter of lithic and
pottery artifacts that appears to be contained within an area that
measures 30 m N/S x 20 m E/W.The scatter is situated on a relatively flat
plain just east of a low sandy ridge.Lithic artifacts include debitage
and ground stone items;pottery artifacts include white ware bowl and jar
sherds as well as a corrugated cooking jar sherd.The few pottery sherds
noted on the surface suggest a use of the site at one or more times during
the years that span the Pueblo II and III periods.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[Xl FAIR (C)[l POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):Impacting agents on the site may include historic farming
(AG)and grazing (GR),and possibly chaining (CL).More important,
perhaps,were possible borrow excavations that apparently occurred
immediately north of the site (OT).It appears that at least 0.5 m of fill
was systematically removed or stripped from the landscape just north of
the site,possibly removing cultural materials that had been associated
with the site.Rodents have burrowed through the site (RO),unearthing
artifacts that might otherwise have gone hidden.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[Xl SIGNIFICANT (C)
[l NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[l UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa28128 may date to the Pueblo II
and/or Pueblo III periods.The relatively small artifact assemblage
suggests that the site was a locus of limited activity,perhaps including
food processing.Data recovered from subsurface deposits might be used to
address research domains such as chronology,settlement,and subsistence.
The site is eligible for nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/21/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[0]DEGREES ASPECT:[]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[29]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Plain (0)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More specifically,the
site is located on a relatively level plain a few hundred meters east of a
low,sandy ridge.Prior to the development of the White Mesa Mill,the
landscape was probably relatively flat with a slight southern aspect.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments appear to consist of the deep,red,
fine-grained aeolian loess characteristic of this portion of White Mesa.
The sediment depth is indicated in the recent (ca.within the last 10
years?)removal of sediments to the north of the site.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SURROUNDING SITE:pinyon-juniper (H)
DESCRIBE:Current vegetation on the site includes bunch grasses,
snakeweed,immature sage,prickly pear cactus,and tumbleweed.The
landscape and vegetation have been much altered from their original state
by historic land-clearing practices.The original vegetation was probably
much like that to the west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems
to represent the sage to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Artifact scatter
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Pueblo II-III periods
(P4)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:Diagnostic artifacts recorded on the site include a corrugated
jar body sherd.Corrugated pottery was produced after about A.D.950.The
surface treatment of the white ware sherds is consistent with this
assessment.Given that the temporal assignment is based only on a few
sherds,this assessment is extremely tentative.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[30]m by [20]m
AREA:[600]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:More than 100 em (D)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):This observation is
based on a large area of stripped sediments immediately north of the site.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[]TESTED (B)
[X]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and groundstone scatter (GS)
DESCRIBE:The site consists of a scatter of pottery sherds,debitage,and
several groundstone tools.The pottery consists of several white ware
sherds,and one corrugated gray jar body sherd.Documented chipped stone
artifacts include 7 pieces of debitage.The groundstone assemblage
includes 5 tools or tool fragments.These are described below.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
4 metate fragments (MZ)
1 unknown handstone (NZ)
DESCRIBE:Five groundstone tools (T1-T5)were documented on the site.Four
of these are metate fragments.None of these is complete enough to
ascertain the metate type (i.e.trough metates,basin metates,or slab
metates).
T1 is a small,irregular-shaped fragment of tabular,dense white sandstone
with a single surface that is pecked and slightly concave.The artifact,
probably a metate fragment,currently measures 8.5 x 7.0 x 2.3 em.
T2 is a metate fragment that consists of the same material as T1.Both
sides of the artifact appear ground and have flat to slightly concave
surfaces.Both sides are well-smoothed,and one side is polished.No peck
marks are evident.However,multiple grinding striae are apparent on both
sides.The artifact measures 21.5 x 16.0 x 5.0 em.
T3 is also a metate fragment made from the same material as T1 and T2.One
side has a deeply ground and pecked facet.The item measures 17.5 x 13.5 x
3.5 em.
T4 is a metate fragment that consists of a light brown,fine-grained
sandstone.Both sides exhibit grinding and pecking.The object measures
13.0 x 8.5 x 3.0 em.
T5 is a possible mano blank.This item is composed of a piece of coarse
white sandstone that has been shaped into a subrectangular form.While the
edges have definitely been flaked into shape,no grinding or other use-
wear is apparent.The item measures 26.0 x 15.5 x 5.0 em.The white
sandstone described above may derive from the local Dakota Formation.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:7 pieces of debitage (B)
MATERIAL TYPE:A few varieties of Morrison mudstone,including an "olive
green"silicified mudstone;a coarse-grained "tan/cream"mudstone;a
"tan/light green"silicified sandstone,which is probably a Morrison
silicified sandstone;and a light gray opaque chert.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[2]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[2]SHATTER [ ]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):2/sq.meter
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
B Mesa Verde white ware (Ee)
B Mesa Verde corrugated gray ware (EI)
DESCRIBE:The pottery assemblage consists simply of four sherds:1 white
ware bowl sherd,2 white ware jar sherds,and 1 corrugated jar body sherd.
All sherds are presumably local.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):l/sq.meter
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
DESCRIBE:
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0 0.5 milesl-----·-··-r'"-J"~l-_..'1.1-·--T-----1r---1--.J-T---"lL----l --I
0.0 0.5 1.0 km
428a28128
south edge of surface-stripped area
site boundary
----
----2-track road
KEY
.dt.datum
S sherd
F flake
T#tool M.Bond,10/21/08
l....-•
---
Top:42Sa28128,overview,facing north,cap over datum,Abajo Mountains in
background
Bottom:42Sa28128,overview,facing nOlih,close-up ofcap over datum
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa28129
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 2
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Artifact scatter
10.ELEVATION:5579 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631232 m East,4154393 m North
12.[SW]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)-White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa28129 consists of a scatter of lithic and
pottery artifacts contained within a 30 x 30 m area.This artifact scatter
is concentrated on a very slight rise in an otherwise flat terrain.The
landscape rises to the west toward the crest of a low ridge.Lithic
artifacts include debitage and ground stone tools;pottery items include
white ware bowl and jar sherds,as well as corrugated cooking jar sherds
and one Chapin Gray jar rim.The small pottery assemblage suggests that
the primary use of the site occurred during the Pueblo II period;however,
one or more earlier components (dating to the Basketmaker III and/or
Pueblo I periods)may also be indicated.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):Impacting agents on the site may include historic farming
(AG)and grazing (GR),and possibly chaining (CL).More important,
perhaps,were borrow excavations that apparently occurred immediately
north of the site (OT).It appears that at least 0.5 m of fill was
systematically removed or stripped from the landscape just north of the
site,possibly removing cultural materials that had been associated with
the site.Rodents have burrowed through the site (RO),unearthing
artifacts that might otherwise have gone hidden.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Based on pottery assemblage data,Site
42Sa28129 may harbor features associated with one or more components that
include the Pueblo II period and Basketmaker III and Pueblo I periods.The
site's artifact assemblage suggest limited activity functions (such as
food processing)or seasonal habitation.Data from significant subsurface
deposits may yield information pertinent to research domains such as
chronology,subsistence,and settlement.The site is eligible for
nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached.
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/21/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[1]DEGREES ASPECT:[180]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[28]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Plain (0)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More specifically,the
site is located on a relatively level plain just below,and east of,the
base of a low,sandy finger-ridge.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments appear to consist of the deep,red,
fine-grained aeolian loess characteristic of this portion of White Mesa.
The sediment depth is indicated in the recent (ca.within the last 10
years?)removal of at least 50 cm of sediments to the north of the site.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SURROUNDING SITE:juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:Current vegetation on the site includes bunch grasses,
snakeweed,small sage,prickly pear cactus,and tumbleweed.The landscape
and vegetation have been much altered from their original state by
historic land-clearing practices.The original vegetation was probably
much like that to the west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems
to represent the sage to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Artifact scatter
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Pueblo II period (P3)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:Although small,the pottery assemblage suggests a Pueblo II
period association.Corrugated body sherds,a white ware jar body sherd
with Dogoszhi design,and a bowl body sherd with Black Mesa design suggest
a Pueblo II period designation.One Chapin Gray jar rim sherd was also
noted,suggesting an earlier presence on or near the site as well.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[30]m by [30]m
AREA:[900]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Fill noted but depth unknown (E)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):At least 50 cm of
sediment depth are apparent by the stripping of sediments to the immediate
north of the site.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[TESTED (B)
[X]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and groundstone scatter (GS)
DESCRIBE:The site consists of a scatter of pottery sherds,debitage,and
several groundstone tools.The pottery consists of corrugated jar body
sherds,white ware bowl and jar sherds,and one Chapin Gray jar rim sherd.
Only five pieces of debitage were noted,but consisted of several material
types.Three groundstone tools or tool fragments were also documented on
the site (T1-T3).These are described further below.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
1 slab metate,portable (ME)
1 slab metate,nonportable (MF)
1 metate fragment (MZ)
DESCRIBE:Three groundstone tools (T1-T3)were documented on the site.All
three artifacts are metate fragments,two of which are large enough to
identify as slab metate fragments.
T1 is a large,"non-portable"unifacial slab metate.Made from a white,
dense sandstone,the slab has an uneven grinding facet on one surface.
Peck marks are also apparent on this surface.Extant margins around the
artifact indicate that the obj ect was flaked to shape it.The item
measures 41.0 x 27.0 x 9.0 cm.
T2 is a fragment of a unifacial metate.The artifact is made from a brown
sandstone.The object measures 11.0 x 6.0 x 2.3 cm.
T3 is smashed,unifacial slab metate consisting of several fragments.The
item is made from a light brown sandstone similar to T2.Refit,T3
measures 29 x 35 cm,and was 2 to 4 cm thick.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:5 pieces of debitage (B)
MATERIAL TYPE:Several material types were observed on the site,all of
which may have derived from the Morrison formation.One is a "tan/olive-
green silicified sandstone,"another is a "brown silicified sandstone,"a
third is a light gray mudstone,and the fourth is Brushy Basin chert.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[2]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[]SHATTER [ ]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):2/sq.m
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
B Mesa Verde corrugated ware (E1)
B Mancos B/w (EP)
B Late White Painted (EC)
B Late White Unpainted (EC)
DESCRIBE:The pottery assemblage consists of 14 sherds.Corrugated jar
body sherds dominate the assemblage (n=9).In addition to these cooking
jar sherds,1 Chapin Gray jar rim sherd was found.Other sherds include 2
Mancos B/w (one jar body sherd with Dogoszhi design style,one bowl body
sherd with Black Mesa design style),one Late White Unpainted jar body
sherd,and one Late White Painted sherd of unknown form.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):2/sq.m
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
DESCRIBE:
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0 0.5 milesI~..,L,---T--TLT-+--'--r
0.0 0.5 1.0 km
r-----------.,....---------------------
428a28129
--~
(
\T3
\T2 s
KEY
.A datum
S sherd
F flake
T#tool
site boundary
M.Bond,10/21/08
1-._---------------------------
Top:42Sa28129,overview,facing north,close-up ofcap over datum
Bottom:42Sa28129,overview,facing north,cap over datum;note the sediment cut in the
immediate background ofthe datum
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa28130
2 .AGENCY NO:
3 .TEMP NO.:Site 8
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 48,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Artifact scatter
10.ELEVATION:5578 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631285 m East,4154451 m North
12.[SE]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa28130 consists of a scatter of lithic and
pottery artifacts.Located on relatively flat terrain with a slight slope
to the southeast,the scatter is confined to a small area that measures
approximately 10 m north/south by 30 m east/west.The lithic artifact
assemblage includes debitage and a single ground stone tool.The pottery
assemblage consists of several gray ware (corrugated)jar sherds.A few
Mancos Corrugated rim sherds suggest that this locus may have been used
during the Pueblo II period.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):Perhaps the greatest impact to the site was a surface-
stripping episode that occurred some time in the recent past (OT).
Approximately 40 cm of fill was removed in a long and wide swath just
immediately south of the site.Rodents have burrowed through the site
(RO),unearthing artifacts that might otherwise have gone hidden.Other
impacting agents on the site may include historic farming (AG)and grazing
(GR),and possibly chaining (CL).
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa28130 appears to date to the Pueblo
II period.Its small artifact assemblage suggests a limited activity
function such as food processing.Subsurface deposits could yield data
pertinent to research domains such as chronology,subsistence,and
settlement.The site is eligibile for nomination to the NRHP under
criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/24/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[Xl PART B [Xl TOPO MAP
[l ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[Xl SITE SKETCH [ l CONTINUATION SHEETS
[l PART E [Xl PHOTOS
[l OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[2]DEGREES ASPECT:[100]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[29]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Plain (0),Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site located on a very gently sloped plain that slowly drops to the
southeast.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments consist of the red aeolian loess
that characterizes this portion of White Mesa.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Barren (R)
SURROUNDING SITE:Juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:Current on-site vegetation includes small sagebrush,bunch
grasses,snakeweed,mustard,and prickly pear.Most of the modern ground
surface is not covered by vegetation.The landscape and vegetation have
been much altered from their original state by historic land-clearing
practices.The original vegetation was probably much like that to the
west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems to represent the sage
to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Artifact scatter
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Pueblo II (P3)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:The site's pottery assemblage is very small,and includes just
Mancos Corrugated rim sherds (n=2)and several corrugated body sherds.
Indeed,these sherds may all derive from a single vessel.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[10]m by [30]m
AREA:[300]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Depth suspected but not tested (F)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):An area of surface
stripping occurs immediately south of the site.At least 35 to 40 ern of
fill was removed in this area,suggesting that cultural deposits could be
this deep at the least.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[TESTED (B)
[X]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and ground and pecked stone artifacts (GS).
DESCRIBE:The site's cultural materials consist of a small scatter of
pottery sherds and lithic debitage.Additionally a single lithic tool,a
fragment of ground stone (Tl),was noted on the site.Also nearby is a
limestone cobble,an item that probably represents a manuport.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
1 metate fragment (MZ)
DESCRIBE:Only one tool was documented on this site.This object,Tool 1
(Tl),is a simple fragment of ground stone.It consists of white
sandstone,and has a single ground surface.The item was apparently from a
corner of the tool,which was both pecked and ground into shape.The
object measures 11.0 x 15.0 x 3.5 ern.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:4 (B)
MATERIAL TYPE:Three material types were noted in this small assemblage:
Brushy Basin chert,white silicified sandstone,and an opaque dark gray
chert.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[2]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[0]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):II sq.meter
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
B Mancos Corrugated (ET)
B Corrugated body sherds (El)
DESCRIBE:The sherds in the pottery assemblage may derive from a single,
Mancos Corrugated vessel.The assemblage simply consists of 2 Mancos
Corrugated jar rim sherds and 6 corrugated jar body sherds.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):2/sq.meter
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
DESCRIBE:
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0 0.5 miles
t----r---.l--].rL_--l-~r--l-Lr-·-r-'"!··-T
0.0 0.5 1.0 km
428a28130
At
o 10 miIn:::::a::::M ==
/
(
\
F
------
~
T1 \
)
./
KEY
--------------------------------------------north edge of surface stripped-area
(this area steps down 35 to 40 cm from
the site area to the north)
Jt.datum
S sherd
F flake
T#tool M.Bond,10/24/08
1-_----------------------,-----
)
/
Top:42Sa28130,overview,facing NNE,Abajo Mountains in background
Bottom:42Sa28130,overview,facing NNE,cap over datum
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa28131
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 9
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[ ]PREHISTORIC [X]HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[ ]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Camp
10.ELEVATION:5584 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631293 m East,4154650 m North
12.[NE]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa28131 is an historic camp with a single feature
and a few artifacts.The site is situated on an alluvial flat,immediately
adjacent to a small wash or rill.The feature is a hearth (Feature 1),
lined with small sandstone slabs,that measures 1.2 m in diameter.The
artifacts consist of two fragments of sanitary-sealed tin cans and a
single rifle cartridge.These items suggest that the site might date to
A.D.1945 (see Part C,#4).The whole site measures about 6 by 14 m,
incorporating a fenceline to the north.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):The most immediate threat to this historic feature is
posed by the erosional forces of a small wash adjacent to the feature
(ER).Just north of the site is an access road for the Mill (RD).
Considering the nature of the facility,it seems appropriate to note the
potential for development projects (PR)to impact the site.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[ ]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[ ]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa28131 is an historic site with at
least one feature,a hearth,that probably contains significant deposits.
This site is eligible under nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/25/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[ ]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[ ]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[ ]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[2]DEGREES ASPECT:[150]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[29]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Floodplain (J)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site is found among low dunes of White Mesa's interior.It is nestled in a
small "valley"among these dunes,and immediately along the small wash or
rill at the bottom of this small valley.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Alluvial Plain (H)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments probably derive from two processes,
aeolian and alluvial.Aeolian materials consist of the fine,light reddish
brown sands deposited on the top of White Mesa.This same material,as
well as finer local silt and clay,is also redeposited alluvium from the
nearby wash bottom.
34 .VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:juniper-sage (2)
SURROUNDING SITE:developed (U)
DESCRIBE:On-site vegetation consists of grasses,cheatgrass,mustard,
heron's bill,and globemallow.Nearby are juniper and sage.The landscape
and its vegetation has been radically altered by the on-going development
activities at the Mill.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART C -HISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Camp
2.HISTORIC THEME (s):Farming/ranching (FR)
3.CULTURE:
CULTURAL AFFILIATION DATING METHOD
Unknown (ZZ)Cross-dating/diagnostic artifacts
DESCRIBE:A cultural affiliation cannot be determined base on the
small assemblage of items recorded with the site.It is likely
associated with farming and/or ranching activities,and may have
been associated with Anglo,Navajo,or Ute farm or ranch hands.
4.OLDEST DATE:1942 RECENT DATE:
HOW DETERMINED:Present are two sanitary-seal tin cans and a rifle
cartridge.The rifle cartridge is a 2 1/8-inch long,British .303
cartridge with a rebated rim.It has a VPT 42 headstamp,dating its
creation in 1942.The cartridge probably came to the United States
soon after the cessation of World War II.
5.SITE DIMENSIONS:[6]m x [14]m Area:[84]Sq.m
6.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
SAMPLING METHOD:
7.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Fill noted,by exact depth unknown
(E)
HOW ESTIMATED (If tested,show location on map):
8.EXCAVATION STATUS:[EXCAVATED
[]TESTED
[X]UNEXCAVATED
TESTING METHOD:
9.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ammunition with marks (AW),
Sanitary cans (TC)
DESCRIBE:This site simply consists of several artifacts and a
feature,an historic hearth or campfire feature (Feature 1).The
artifact assemblage includes fragments of sanitary-seal tin cans and
a rifle cartridge.
10.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
#
PASTE
GLAZE/SLIP
DECORATION
PATTERN
VESSEL FORM(s)
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF CERAMIC TRADEMARKS:[ ]
DESCRIBE:
11.GLASS:
#
MANUFACTURE
COLOR
FUNCTION
TRADEMARK
DECORATION
DESCRIBE:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY #/SQ.M (glass and ceramics):
13.TIN CANS:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
TYPE
OPENING
SIZE
MODIFIED
LABEL/MARK
FUNCTION
DESCRIBE:Two sanitary-seal cans were noted on the site,but more
specific data were not recorded.
14.LANDSCAPE AND CONSTRUCTED FEATURES (locate on site map):
DESCRIBE:
15.BUILDING AND STRUCTURES (locate on site map):
#MATERIAL TYPE
DESCRIBE:
16.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
Location for 42Sa28131,Black Mesa Butte,Utah,7.5'
0.0 O.S miles
~---r--L,-,L··]·---T-rL·r---+-'--····-T
0.0 O.S 1.0 km
~-------------
428a28131
--._--....--
o "mIL::m::=t.=J
.._~..;;ed7\nce
//-~\-.._.._.._..__.._.._..-
I \
I \
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rifle cartridge /
KEY
At.
S
F
T#
F#O~
datum
sherd
flake
tool
feature
rock
/
../
/
/
/
M.Bond,10/25/08
42Sa28131,overview,facing SW;site is on other side offenceline;juniper tree on right;
lathe stands over site datum
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa28132
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 10
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:artifact and rock scatter
10.ELEVATION:5587 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631113 m East,4154386 m North
12.[SW]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa28132 simply consists of a small artifact and
rock scatter.The artifacts include a few pieces of lithic debitage and
several plain gray jar body sherds.The rock consists of a few pieces of
fire-cracked rock.The site is situated on the slope of a finger-ridge,
the crest of which is just to the west.The artifact scatter is primarily
concentrated in an area that measures approximately 15 m in diameter.The
site may well be associated with the early (Basketmaker III?)component on
nearby Site 42Sa6397,which lies just to the north on the crest of the
finger-ridge.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):Rodent disturbance (RO)and natural erosional processes
(ER)appear to have been the most immediate disturbances to the site.
Historic agricultural practices and land improvement techniques may have
also damaged the site,though these aren't immediately apparent.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa28132 is a possible Basketmaker III
period site that may be associated with nearby 42Sa6397.The artifact
assemblage is ambiguous with regard to function,though the small size of
the assemblage suggests that only few activities took place in this locus.
However,one or more subsurface features may be present.Such subsurface
deposits may yield data pertinent to research domains such as chronology,
subsistence,and settlement.Thus,42Sa28132 is considered eligible for
nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/24/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[Xl PART B [Xl TOPO MAP
[l ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH [l PART C
[Xl SITE SKETCH [ l CONTINUATION SHEETS
[l PART E [Xl PHOTOS
[l OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[5]DEGREES ASPECT:[135]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[26]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)(]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P),Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site is located on the slope of a finger-ridge,the crest of which is
immediately west of the cluster of artifacts defining the site.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:The sediments on the site's surface consist of the
fine-grained,red aeolian loess that characterizes this portion of White
Mesa.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SURROUNDING SITE:Big sagebrush(P)
DESCRIBE:On-site vegetation includes sagebrush,snakeweed,cheatgrass,
and mustard.There are several barren patches in the vicinity as well.The
landscape and vegetation have been much altered from their original state
by historic land-clearing practices.The original vegetation was probably
much like that to the west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems
to represent the sage to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Artifact and rock scatter
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Basketmaker III (B5)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:The pottery assemblage of the site simply consists of 10 pottery
sherds,all of which are plain gray jar body sherds.Considering the
exclusion of other pottery types,this small assemblage very tentatively
suggests a Basketmaker III occupation of the site.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[15]m by [15]m
AREA:[177]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Depth suspected,but not tested (F)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[]TESTED (B)
[X]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter (LS)
DESCRIBE:The site simply consists of a scatter of artifacts,including
pottery and lithic debitage,and a few pieces of burned rock.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
DESCRIBE:
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:2 (B)
MATERIAL TYPE:The two secondary flakes noted on the site are made from a
white silicified sandstone (possibly from the Dakota Formation).
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[0]DECORTICATION [3]SECONDARY [0]TERTIARY
[0]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):l/sq.meter
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
C Plain gray jar body (EY)
DESCRIBE:A total of 10 sherds were documented on the site.All of these
are plain gray jar body sherds.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):2/sq.meter
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
DESCRIBE:
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0 0.5 milesI-,-',,,----,t--,··'r---rJ.--,-···-/--,----1
0.0 0.5 1.0 km
,.-----------------------------
428a28132
o '10 rn
...=-:::m i
KEY
A datum
S sherd
F flake
T#tool
R rock
,,/"
/R
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/8 A
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F
M.Bond,10/24/08
1----------------------'---------
Top:42Sa28132,overview,facing south,cap over datum;truck in background is near
project's south boundary
Bottom:42Sa28132,overview,facing WNW,cap over datum
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa28133
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 11
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Artifact and rock scatter
10.ELEVATION:5585 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,630855 m East,4154516 m North
12.[C]OF [SW]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[38S]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa28133 consists of a very small scatter of
artifacts and several pieces of sandstone rock.Considering the setting,
it seems likely that all of these items must be manuports.The artifacts
consist of three stone tools (a ground stone fragment,a hammerstone
fragment,and a possible lapstone).The several pieces of sandstone are
small and tabular.These may be remnants of one or more broken artifacts
or may be architectural.All items are confined to an area measuring 5 m
in diameter.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT (S):Old rodent burrows are apparent on the site (RO).
Otherwise natural erosional processes (ER)probably constitute the
greatest impacting agent to the site.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa28133 is a small artifact
assemblage of unknown aboriginal affiliation.While chronologically
diagnostic artifacts are absent from the surface,food processing
activities are indicated.Research domains that might be addressed with
data from subsurface deposits in this site includes chronology,
subsistence,and settlement.The site is therefore considered eligible for
nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/25/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[]DEGREES ASPECT:[]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[24]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P),Slope (Q),Bench (R)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site is located on a small "benchU or flat step,on the slope of a finger-
ridge,the crest of which lies east of the site.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments consist primarily of the red
aeolian loess that characterizes this part of White Mesa.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SURROUNDING SITE:Juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:On-site vegetation includes snakeweed,bunch grasses,and
prickly pear cactus.Sagebrush grows close by.The landscape and
vegetation have been much altered from their original state by historic
land-clearing practices.The original vegetation was probably much like
that to the west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems to
represent the sage to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Artifact and rock scatter
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Unknown Aboriginal (ZZ)
DATING METHOD:None (A)
DESCRIBE:No diagnostic artifacts were observed in association with this
site.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[5]m by [5]m
AREA:[20]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Depth suspected,but not tested (F)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[]TESTED (B)
[X]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ground/pecked stone (GS)
DESCRIBE:The artifact assemblage consists of three tools (TI-T3),of
which two are groundstone artifacts (Tl and T3)and one is a hammerstone
fragment (T2).
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
2 Metate fragment (MZ)
1 Hammerstone (IF)
DESCRIBE:Three tool fragments were documented on the site.Two of these
are groundstone tools (Tl and T3)and the third is a hammerstone fragment
(T2).
Tl is a metate fragment made from white silicified sandstone.This item
has a single ground facet.The artifact measures 9.5 x 13.0 x 2.3 em.
T2 is a hammerstone fragment made from an alluvial cobble of silicified
gray mudstone.Battering marks occur on one margin of the artifact.The
remaining tool measures 5.5 x 5.5 x 4.5 em.
T3 is a complete groundstone implement that may have functioned as a type
of netherstone.The artifact is made from a brown sandstone.It has a
single,lightly ground and pecked facet.The item measures 29 x 18 x 5 em.
The bottom of the artifact is gray,as if it was discolored by fire.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:
MATERIAL TYPE:
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[]DECORTICATION []SECONDARY []TERTIARY
[]SHATTER [ ]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
DESCRIBE:
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
DESCRIBE:
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
Location for 42Sa28133,Black Mesa Butte,Utah,7.5'
0.0 0.5 miles
I 'r,l,----r--,.··'r"'·r-L,-!--._,--r
0.0 0.5 1.0 km
...-------------,----------------_._-
o 2m
a:::JILIilI_J
------
'"\
\
)
//IA
-<:
------------site boundary
~
/
I ~2
(
\
~
~
428a28133
A.datum
tool
sandstone rock
M.Bond,101.25/08
~----------------~--------
Top:42Sa28133,overview,facing north,cap over datum;sediment push piles and Abajo
Mountains in background
Bottom:42Sa28133,overview,facing NW,cap over datum;powerline poles mark west
edge ofCell 4B project area;Bears Ears and Elk Ridge in far background
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
10 STATE NO.:42Sa28134
2 •AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 12
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Lithic artifact scatter
10.ELEVATION:5571 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631284 m East,4154318 m North
12.[NE]OF [NE]OF [SE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22El
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa28134 consists of a small scatter of lithic
artifacts.The artifacts include several pieces of lithic debitage and two
ground stone tools.The site occupies a space measuring about 10 m in
diameter and is located on the crest of a small finger-ridge.No
diagnostic artifacts are present that might indicate the site's age.
21.SITE CONDITION:[l EXCELLENT (A)[l GOOD (B)
[Xl FAIR (C)[1 POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):Rodent burrows pose the most immediate impact to the site
(RO).Other impacts may include historic agricultural clearing and other
associated activities (AG,GR).The construction of the old fenceline to
the immediate north of the site (ca.15 m)and its associated two-track
road may have also affected the appearance of the site (aT).
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[Xl SIGNIFICANT (C)
[1 NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[1 UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa28134 is a small artifact
assemblage of unknown aboriginal affiliation.While chronologically
diagnostic artifacts are absent from the surface,food processing
activities are indicated on both.Research domains that might be addressed
with data from subsurface deposits in this site includes chronology,
subsistence,and settlement.The site is therefore considered eligible for
nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/24/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[ ]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[ ]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[ ]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[98]DEGREES ASPECT:[]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[28]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P),Plain (0)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,this
small site is situated on the crest of a small finger-ridge that rises
just slightly above the grassy flats of White Mesa.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments consist of the reddish aeolian
loess that characterizes this portion of White Mesa.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Barren (R)
SURROUNDING SITE:Big sagebrush (Q)
DESCRIBE:Current on-site vegetation consists of bunch grasses,snakeweed,
and prickly pear cactus.Doubtless this represents a departure from the
site's original vegetation,particularly if this location had been cleared
for farming and/or grazing in the historic past.To the west,near the
edge of the mesa overlooking Cottonwood Wash,vegetation expected of the
sage to juniper ecotone is present.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Lithic artifact scatter
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Unknown Aboriginal (ZZ)
DATING METHOD:None (A)
DESCRIBE:No diagnostic artifacts were observed on the site.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[10]m by [10]m
AREA:[7 9]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Depth suspected,but not tested (F)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[]TESTED (B)
[X]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Lithic scatter (LS)and ground and pecked
stone artifacts (GS)
DESCRIBE:The site simply consists of a small scatter of lithic debitage
and a few groundstone artifacts.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
2 Metate fragment (MZ)
DESCRIBE:Two tools (T1 and T2)were documented on the site.Both items
are groundstone artifacts.
T1 is a metate fragment.It is made from a dark brown,fine-grained
sandstone.The artifact consists of two pieces.These articulate and
demonstrate that both faces are lightly ground.Together the fragments
measure 13.0 x 9.5 x 4.0 em.
T2 is a large piece of white silicified sandstone with a single slightly
concave facet.The object measures 12.0 x 8.5 x 7.0 em.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:4 (B)
MATERIAL TYPE:Two material types were observed in this small debitage
assemblage:a white silicified sandstone (probably from the Dakota
Formation),and Brushy Basin chert.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[2]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [0]TERTIARY
[0]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):l/sq.meters
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
DESCRIBE:
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
DESCRIBE:
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0
!----T--J--r -_..rL.---r---Jr---r-_Lj
0.0 0.5
0.5 miles·1 ..r
1.0 km
428a28134 o 10 m
IIL11~~=I
-----------------------------------2-tr ck ro d (associa ed with fenceline)- - - - - --------------------------------------------
KEY
&datum
F flake
T#tool M.Bond,10/24/08
1.....-._
Top:42Sa28134,overview,facing SW,lathe stands over datum
Bottom:42Sa28134,overview,facing south,lathe stands over datum
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa6391
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 4 (Abajo Archaeology,2009)
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Habitation
10.ELEVATION:5600 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,630940 m East,4154617 m North
12.[NE]OF [SW]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:Thompson (1977)collected items from the
site when it was first recorded.These were curated at Southern Utah State
College (SUSC).It was not reported where the Division of State History
curated its materials during James Dykman's testing activities in 1978
(Lindsay 1978).These materials are assumed to have been curated at the
Utah Museum of Natural History (UMH).
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:The site was initially documented by Thompson (1977:21)
as a "very thin scatter of sherds,flakes,and ground stone fragments near
the top of a very low ridge."Thompson noted that the site covered an area
about 40 m in diameter.No collections were procured from the site at that
time.Based on the pottery sherds observed,Thompson recommended that the
site dated to A.D.900 or later.Thompson (1977:14)indicated that the
site would require mitigation.
Soon after Thompson's initial documentation of the site,the site
was the subject of two testing programs performed by the Antiquities
Section of the Utah Division of State History (Lindsay 1978;Nielson
1979).Refer to Part B,#6 for more details of the testing.The salient
point here is that two loci were tested,each locus separated by more than
100 meters.Considering the great distance between these two cultural
loci,it is now apparent that the eastern locus (with Trenches B and C)is
the site that Thompson had recorded as 42Sa6393.For this reason,the
materials and data from Trenches Band C will be discussed below with
42Sa6393.The salient point here is that at least two pit structures and
one cist have been documented as subsurface features on 42Sa6391 proper.
The current survey project places the 42Sa6391 slightly east of its
previously given location (ca.40 meters).As it appears now,42Sa6391
consists of a scatter of lithic and pottery artifacts.Sandstone rock on
the surface may be the remains of architecture,though there does not
appear to be any patterning to its occurrence on the surface.The scatter
is contained within an area that measures about 40 m north/south by 30 m
east/west,and occupies the crest of a low,sandy finger-ridge.A 3/4-in.
steel pipe,representing an earlier site datum,indicates that the site
had been previously documented.The faint traces of at least one,and
perhaps two,of the previously excavated test trenches just east of the
site datum are just barely discernable.These trenches appear to have been
backfilled.
The artifact scatter comprises pottery,lithic debitage,one chipped
stone tool (a biface),and pecked and ground stone tools.As noted
earlier,there is a scatter of sandstone rock on the site,suggesting the
presence of subsurface architecture.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):Recent archaeological investigations,taking place in the
late 1970s/early 1980s,may have posed the most extensive effects to the
site (RE).A collector pile indicates historic visits and collections on
the site (VA).Rodent disturbance is also evident on modern ground surface
(RO).Impacting agents on the site may also include historic farming (AG)
and grazing (GR),and possibly chaining (eL).
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa6391 was tested by Dykman (1978a)
and Nielson (1979);two pit structures and one cist were located in these
limited excavations.The pottery assemblage on the site suggests that the
site was occupied during the middle Pueblo II period.The diversity of
artifact types suggests that a variety of activities occurred on the site.
These materials,and the subsurface features,suggest that data recovered
from the site may have been a locus of habitation for one or more
ancestral Pueblo family groups.Data recovered from the site might address
a problems under a number of research domains including,but not limited
to,chronology,settlement,subsistence,and social structure.Thus,site
42Sa6391 is eligible under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:Exposures 237 and 238
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/22/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[X]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[98]DEGREES ASPECT:[]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[25]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More specifically,the
site is located on the crest of a small finger-ridge.The main ridge lies
just to the east.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:The surface of the site is composed of the fine,red
aeolian loess that dominates the sediments in the immediate area.Rodent
burrows are notable for the white,calcium carbonate-rich chunks of earth.
If the burrows are shallow,this suggests a high B-horizon.If the burrows
are deep,then rodents are unearthing deep subsoils.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Grassland (M)
SURROUNDING SITE:Juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:Current on-site vegetation consists of little sagebrush,bunch
grasses,snakeweed,and prickly pear cactus.The landscape and vegetation
have been much altered from their original state by historic land-clearing
practices.The original vegetation was probably much like that to the
west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems to represent the sage
to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Habitation
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Pueblo II period (P3)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:The pottery assemblage suggests an association with the early to
middle Pueblo II period.This tentative assessment is based on the
presence of corrugated body sherds,narrow neckbanded sherds (probably
late Mancos Neckbanded),Mancos Black-on-white sherds (with Dogoszhi and
Black Mesa design styles),and a red ware sherd.Alternatively,there
might be both a Pueblo I component and a Pueblo II component on the site.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[40]m by [30]m
AREA:[1200]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Depth suspected,but not tested (F)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[X]TESTED (B)
[]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:The site was first tested under the supervision of
James Dykman (1978a)in April of 1978.Dykman (1978a:71)notes that the
site's surface manifestations consisted of a "large,10 m by 6 m artifact
concentration.This concentration included ceramics,chipped stone,and
ground stone that has a density of up to 20 artifacts per square meter."
Dykman (1978a:71)indicates that two test trenches were excavated at that
time:one trench,Trench A,was excavated close to the site datum;the
second trench,Trench B,was excavated 100 m east of the site's datum to
"bisect a small concentration of cultural material."While the testing
report provided a map showing Trench A in relation to the site datum,
Trench B was not.Trench A located two features (Dykman 1978a:73).The
first of these is an apparent pit structure of unknown size and depth.The
second feature consisted of a small cist,lined with sandstone slabs,that
contained a partial Mancos Corrugated jar (Dykman 1978a:Figures 22 and
23)and an unfinished stone adze.
Several months later the site was again tested,this time under the
supervision of Asa Nielson (1979).Nielson notes that the previously
excavated Trench B was "about 125 m"east of the site's datum.Nielson
emplaced two additional trenches on the site.Trench C was located 132 m
east of the datum,apparently parallel to Trench B.Like Dykman,Nielson
did not provide a map illustrating the far-flung trench's relationship to
the site's datum.Trench 0,like Trench A,was placed much closer to the
site's datum.Trench C located a pit structure in the site's eastern
locus.Trench 0 also located a pit structure.
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and ground stone and pecked stone artifacts (GS).Also present is a
scatter of fragmented sandstone.
DESCRIBE:The artifact scatter comprises pottery,lithic debitage,one
chipped stone tool (a biface),and pecked and ground stone tools.
Additionally,there is a scatter of sandstone rock on the site,suggesting
the presence of subsurface architecture.The pottery assemblage includes
corrugated and neckbanded jar body sherds,white ware bowl and jar body
sherds,and one red ware sherd of unknown form.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
1 Biface (IG)
4 Metate fragment (MZ)
3 Hammerstone (IF)
DESCRIBE:A total of eight tools (T1-T8)were located and described for
the site.The tools included four undifferentiated metate fragments,one
biface,and 3 hammerstones.Tools T4-T8 are located in the collector pile
about 20 m east of the site datum.
Tl is a metate fragment made from a dense white and brown sandstone.One
facet is ground and exhibits peck marks.The object measures 11.5 x 5.8 x
4.3 em.
T2 is another metate fragment made from a white,silicified sandstone.One
facet is ground-this facet is slightly concave and exhibits pecking.The
item measures 6.5 x 7.2 x 6.5 em.
The biface,T3,is a stage 4 biface made from a mottled,light and dark
gray opaque chert.The item appears to have broken during manufacture as
the distal end of the artifact exhibits a transverse fracture.The tool
measures 3.4 x 2.3 x 0.6 em (the last measurement,thickness,is the only
complete measure of the artifact).See the attached figure for more
detail.
T4 is a hammerstone made from a disk-shaped white quartzite alluvial
cobble.The artifact measures 7.5 x 7.0 x 2.8 em.
T5 is a peckingstone made from a subrectangular nodule of Brushy Basin
chert.The artifact measures 7.3 x 6.5 x 6.0 em.
T6 is a small,well-used,disk-shaped hammerstone made from a light gray
chert.The artifact measures 6.0 x 4.8 x 2.5 em.
T7 is a fire-reddened metate fragment made from a white,silicified
sandstone.A one face is slightly concave and bears peck marks.The
artifact measures 13.5 x 10.0 x 4.5 em.
T8 is a metate fragment made from a dark brown sandstone.The item
measures 10.1 x 9.8 x 1.7 em.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:92 (D)
MATERIAL TYPE:Nine material types were observed in the debitage
assemblage;most of these materials probably derive from the Morrison and
Dakota Formations.These artifacts include:a translucent gray and white
chert (most abundant);a translucent,mottled,gray and white chert;an
opaque white chert;an opaque light gray chert;Brushy Basin chert;a
gray,white,and olive silicified sandstone;a green silicified mudstone;
a dark green and brown mudstone;and a chalcedony.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[0]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[2]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
C Corrugated body sherds (El)
B Mancos B/w (EP)
C Mesa Verde White Ware (Ee)
B Neckbanded,NFS (22)
B Mancos Gray (EG)
B San Juan Red Ware (EB)
DESCRIBE:A total of 51 sherds were documented on the surface of the site;
12 of these sherds were found in the collector pile on the site.
Corrugated jar body sherds are the most abundant pottery sherd types
(n=23).The rest of the assemblage includes 3 Mancos B/w sherds (1 jar,1
bowl,1 form unknown),14 Late White Unpainted sherds (3 bowl body,3 jar
body,and 8 form unknown),1 Late White Painted bowl sherd,4
undifferentiated neckbanded jar sherds,4 Mancos Gray jar sherds,and 2
San Juan Red Ware sherds (form unknown).
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):3/square meter
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
2 Earthen/Subterranean (I)Pithouse (AF)
1 Masonry (8)Cist (AE)
DESCRIBE:Dykman (1978:73)located two features in Trench A (Dykman
1978:73).The first of these is an apparent pit structure of unknown size
and depth.It seems likely that this feature represents a pithouse.The
second feature consisted of a small cist,lined with sandstone slabs,that
contained a partial Mancos Corrugated jar (Dykman 1978:Figures 22 and 23)
and an unfinished stone adze.Trench D,excavated several months later by
Nielson (1979:24),revealed the location of a second pithouse.Nielson
suggests that the structure is a north-to-south oriented structure with a
bench.It seems likely that this feature is a pithouse.
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0~l--!
0.0
0.5 miles
---rL-,---']---rL ,-f---·-j----r
0.5 1.0 km
r-----------------------,------
o 10 mnp~__
------------collector pile ~----'''~,
(includes T4-T8)
/
~
\possible old trench
location )
/
/
T3
I::-_
--J
-- --
T1
T
[
""
/
t
\
1
site boundary
428a6391
~~-~-------------~-----..------------------At-
KEY
A datum
T#tool M.Bond,10/22/08
1------------------------------
t
o 10 m....I
42Sa6391
KEY
A pipe datum
cist
pR struct~\"1 '_Trench A "":.\
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site 428a6391
Tool 4F 3
Actual Size
Top:42Sa6391,stake at datum,orange jug and yellow folder marking west ends ofold
trenches,facing west;powerline pole on right marks west edge ofproject area
Bottom:42Sa6391,stake at datum,orange jug and yellow folder marking locations ofold
trenches
Top:42Sa6391,overview,facing SW,cap over datum
Bottom:42Sa6391,overview,facing SW,close-up of cap over datum
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa6392
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 3
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Seasonal habitation
10.ELEVATION:5587 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,630859 m East,4151457 m North
12.[SE]OF [SW]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)-White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:N/A
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:This site was first documented by Thompson (1977)and
subsequently confused with a site located just to the south,42Sa6431,
during test excavations conducted by the Antiquities Section (Nielson
1979;30-46).Thompson (1977:21)described the site as being "40 meters in
diameter and is found in a very narrow,natural crescentic depression with
an opening drainage falling at 3 degrees to the W."As noted earlier,this
does not fit the description of the site tested later by Nielson as
42Sa6392.That site,as Nielson (1979:30)notes,is found on a "small,
south-west oriented ridge."It is important that future researchers
examining collections made from 42Sa6392 during test excavations by the
Antiquities Section in the late 1970s and early 1980s are not from
42Sa6392,but rather 42Sa6431.Thompson,apparently,did not collect
anything from 42Sa6392 during its initial documentation.
At the time of its initial documentation,the site manifested itself as a
"thin scatter of...flakes,ground stone fragments,and a few sherds either
painted or corrugated..."(Thompson 1977:21).Thompson proffers that the
site dates to after A.D.900,and suggests that the site would require
further mitigation.
Our documentation of 42Sa6392 places the site about 100 m west and
slightly north of its previously recorded location.The site currently
manifests as a scatter of lithic and pottery artifacts and includes a
small concentration of jacal.The site occupies an area measuring
approximately 40 m in diameter,although the centrally located cluster of
jacal materials is smaller,covering an area that measures about 5 m in
diameter.The site is perched on a slight west-facing slope below the
crest of a finger-ridge.On the ground,Thompson's observation that the
site is in a "natural crescentic depressionu is suggested by a very slight
depression in the middle of the site area that may be more impressionistic
than real.Lithic artifacts include debitage and flaked and ground stone
tools.Pottery items include white ware bowl sherds,and neckbanded and
corrugated cooking jar sherds.The pottery may indicate a primary use of
the site during the years that span the early to middle Pueblo II periods.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):Rodents probably posed the greatest recent impact to the
site (RO).Other impacting agents on the site may include historic farming
(AG)and grazing (GR),and possibly chaining (eL).
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Pottery assemblage data suggest that Site
42Sa6392 dates to the early to middle Pueblo II period.The artifact
assemblage,and the possible remains of a jacal structure,suggest that
the site may have functioned as a seasonal habitation.Data recovery
efforts at the site may provide information pertinent to research domains
such as chronology,subsistence,and settlement.Thus,the site is
eligible for nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/22/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[X]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[270]DEGREES ASPECT:[10]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[24]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P),Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site is located on the west-facing slope of a low finger-ridge found on
the in-land portion of the larger mesa.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:Sediments appear to consist of the deep,fine-
grained,reddish brown aeolian sediments forming much of this portion of
White Mesa's surface.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Opper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Barren (R)
SURROUNDING SITE:Juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:On-site vegetation,which is sparse,currently consists of bunch
grasses,immature sage,snakeweed,prickly pear cactus,and Russian
thistle (tumbleweed).The landscape and vegetation have been much altered
from their original state by historic land-clearing practices.The
original vegetation was probably much like that to the west,along the
Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems to represent the sage to juniper
ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Seasonal habitation
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Pueblo II period (P3)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:Although small,the pottery assemblage suggests an association
with the early to middle Pueblo II period.This tentative assessment is
based on the presence of corrugated body sherds,narrow neckbanded sherds
(probably late Mancos Neckbanded),and one BlufflDeadmans Blr sherd.
Alternatively,there might be both a Pueblo I component and a Pueblo II
component on the site.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[40]m by [40]m
AREA:[1260]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:Depth suspected,but not tested (F)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[]TESTED (B)
[X]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and groundstone (GS).Also present is a concentration of jacal (JA).
DESCRIBE:The artifact scatter consists of a scatter of pottery sherds,
chipped stone artifacts,and a groundstone tool.In addition there is a
concentration of jacal that measures about 5 m in diameter.Several pieces
of sandstone rock,measuring up to 10 em in diameter,are associated with
the jacal fragments.The pottery assemblage consists of 6 corrugated body
sherds,1 plain gray body sherd,3 neckbanded gray sherds,1 white ware
bowl sherd,and one red ware bowl sherd.The chipped stone artifact
scatter is more substantial and includes 62 pieces of debitage and one
biface (Tl).The groundstone artifact (T2)consists of an undifferentiated
metate fragment.All artifacts are discussed further below.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
1 Biface (IG)
1 Metate fragment (MZ)
DESCRIBE:The chipped stone tool,Tl,is a Stage 3 or Stage 4 biface made
from a light gray translucent chert.The artifact may be a projectile
point preform.See the attached figure for more detail.The groundstone
artifact,T2,is a metate fragment that probably derived from the margin
of the larger tool.The artifact was made from a brown sandstone.Only one
facet was apparently ground,and only lightly so.T2 measures 13.5 x 6.5 x
4.0 em.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:62 (D)
MATERIAL TYPE:At least 11 material types are represented in the debitage
assemblage,most of which are probably associated with Morrison and Dakota
Formations.The materials are as follows:light gray,translucent chert
(most abundant);opaque white chert;opaque,mottled white and gray chert;
translucent white and gray chert;opaque,mottled gray and brown chert;
fine-grained,black basalt;opaque,gray chert;olive and tan silicified
siltstone;Brushy Basin chert;tan silicified sandstone;and an opaque tan
chert.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[0]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [3]TERTIARY
[1]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):3/square meter
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
B Corrugated body sherds (E1)
B Mancos Gray (narrow neckbanded)
B Plain gray body sherd (EY)
B Late White,Painted (EC)
B Bluff/Deadmans B/r (EB)
DESCRIBE:A total of 12 sherds were documented on the site's surface.
These include cooking jar sherds as well as bowl sherds.Included in the
assemblage are 6 corrugated jar body sherds,1 plain gray jar body sherd,
3 Mancos Gray jar sherds (including 1 jar rim),1 Late White Painted bowl
sherd,and 1 Bluff/Oeadmans B/r bowl body sherd.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):2/square meter
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
1 Jacal (0)Unknown (ZZ)
DESCRIBE:This feature (Feature 1)consists of a concentration of jacal
and sandstone rubble.The concentration lies in the approximate center of
the artifact scatter and measures about 5 m in diameter.The chunks of
jacal measure 5 to 6 cm in diameter,while the sandstone rock measures
about 10 cm in diameter.These materials are also associated with
considerable rodent disturbance,suggesting that the jacal and rock could
have been extracted from subsurface contexts by industrious rodents.
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
Location for 42Sa6392,Black Mesa Butte,Utah,7.5'
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428a6392
KEY
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T#tool M.Bond 10/22/013
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Top:42Sa6392,overview,facing north,cap over datum
Bottom:42Sa6392,overview,facing north,close-up ofcap over datum
Site 42Sa6392
Tool if:1
Actual Size
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa6393
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 5
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Habitation
10.ELEVATION:5604 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631078 m East,4154612 m North
12.[NW]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:Thompson (1977)collected items from the
site when it was first recorded.These were curated at Southern Utah State
College (SUSC).It was not reported where the Division of State History
curated its materials during James Dykman's testing activities in 1978
(Lindsay 1978).These materials are assumed to have been curated at the
Utah Museum of Natural History (UMH).
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:This site was initially recorded by Thompson (1977)as a
locus of cultural materials that measured 50 meters in diameter.Artifacts
that he observed on the site included a notched axe,mano fragments,
cores,flakes,and pottery sherds.Thompson (1977:21)indicates that the
site is situated on a 3 degree slope with a western aspect.Thompson's
location of the site places it about 100 meters east of 42Sa6391.The
initial documentation included a collection of pottery,which included
Mancos Corrugated,Mancos B/w,and Deadmans B/r,pottery types that are
indicative of the Pueblo II period.Thompson's site form for 42Sa6391
indicates that the axe was also collected.Thompson implicitly suggests
that the site should be the target of future mitigation efforts.
To that end,the Antiquities Section apparently intended to test the
site in spring of 1978 (Lindsay 1978).Unfortunately,archaeologists at
that time failed to correctly relocate the site.Instead,the site
designation was applied to a locus of cultural materials well to the south
of Thompson's 42Sa6393.As noted earlier,it seems likely that Thompson's
site 42Sa6397 was misidentified as 42Sa6393.James Dykman (1978b)
excavated a series of trenches on the site erroneously identified as
42Sa6393;the data from these excavations are not reported here,but are
instead discussed with 42Sa6397.
Further compounding the confusion,it is now apparent that
Antiquities Section personnel did test the location of the original
42Sa6393,but did so under another site number,42Sa6391.The details of
these test excavations are discussed in Part B,#6.It will suffice to say
here that one of the two test trenches yielded evidence of a pit
structure,which may be a pithouse.
Currently,the site consists of a scatter of lithic and pottery
artifacts.In addition,two parallel trenches and their associated
backdirt piles are very evident on the site.These are apparently Trenches
Band C,excavated by Dykman (1978b)and Nielson (1979),respectively.The
site measures approximately 60 m north/south by 45 m east/west in an area
immediately west of the crest of a finger-ridge.Two concentrations of
artifacts (Artifact Clusters 1 and 2)were noted on the west side of the
site.The site's lithic assemblage includes debitage as well as ground
stone items.The pottery assemblage includes white ware jar sherds,red
ware sherds,and neckbanded and corrugated jar body sherds.It is possible
that the site dates to the early to middle Pueblo II period.However,it
is also possible that the site has a late Pueblo I component as well as a
middle Pueblo II component.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):The primary impacting agent to the site is probably the
previous activities of archaeologists on the site (RE).The site was
apparently trenched in the past with heavy equipment:two backhoe trench
depressions and their associated berms are still present.Rodent burrowing
has also affected the site (RO).
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa6393 was incorrectly tested as a
part of 42Sa6391 (Dykman 1978a;Nielson 1979).The site's pottery
assemblage suggests that the site may have dated to the early to middle
Pueblo II periods.The relatively diverse artifact assemblage observed on
the site's surface,and a pit structure located during test excavations by
Nielson (1979),suggest that the site may have functioned as a habitation
for one or more ancestral Pueblo family groups.Data recovered from the
site might address problems under a number of research domains including,
but not limited to,chronology,settlement,subsistence,and social
structure.Thus,site 42Sa6393 is eligible under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/22/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[270]DEGREES ASPECT:[5]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[26]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P),Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site is located on a slight ridge slope immediately west of the finger-
ridge's crest.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments consist of the red aeolian loess
that dominates this portion of White Mesa.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Big sagebrush (P)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Barren (R)
SURROUNDING SITE:Juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:Current on-site vegetation consists of little sagebrush,bunch
grasses,snakeweed,and prickly pear.The landscape and vegetation have
been much altered from their original state by historic land-clearing
practices.The original vegetation was probably much like that to the
west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems to represent the sage
to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Habitation
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Basketmaker III (B5)and
Pueblo I-II periods (P2)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:The pottery assemblage is rather ambiguous to the assessment of
the number of components on the site.The gray ware assemblage includes
narrow neckbanded sherds (probably Mancos Gray),as well as corrugated jar
sherds.A Chapin Gray sherd is present as are several plain gray sherds.
White ware pottery types include Mancos B/w.Deadmans B/r is also present.
Thus,it is possible that the entire assemblage might represent an early
to middle Pueblo II component.It is also possible that a late Pueblo I
period component is represented as well as a later Pueblo II component.It
is also possible that a Basketmaker III component is represented in
combination with one or more of the aforementioned components.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[60]m by [45]m
AREA:[2700]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:Grab sample (B).Thompson (1977:21)
collected sherds from the site,including 41 corrugated body sherds,
4 Mancos Corrugated sherds,18 Mancos B/w,and 5 Deadmans B/r.
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:More than 100 cm (D)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):Test excavations,
conducted with backhoes,located a pit structure,the floor of which is
1.4 m below modern ground surface.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[X]TESTED (B)
[]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:Two parallel backhoe trenches,Trenches Band C,were
placed in the approximate center of the site.In one episode of testing,
Dykman (1978)excavated Trench B,which did not yield any evidence for
cultural features,nor did Dykman indicate the presence of artifacts.A
few months later,Nielson (1979)excavated Trench C and located a pit
structure.Nielson (1979:21 and Figure 8)reports that the structure's
floor was located about 1.4 m below modern ground surface.Nielson reports
that one diagnostic artifact,a possible Mancos Gray sherd,was recovered
from the floor.Other pottery sherds recovered from the trench included
one Chapin B/g,three plain gray,on Mancos B/w,nine corrugated body
sherds,and one unidentified red ware sherd.
The backhoe trenches were not backfilled.Currently the trenches,
and their associated backfill piles,are readily apparent on the modern
ground surface.
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and groundstone artifacts (GS).
DESCRIBE:The artifact assemblage consists of pottery,lithic debitage,
and several groundstone tools.Most of the artifacts are found in one of
the two artifact clusters identified on the site (AC-1 and AC-2).The
pottery assemblage (n=115)includes plain gray cooking jar sherds,
neckbanded cooking jar sherds,and corrugated cooking jar sherds;
additionally,white ware bowls and jars are represented as is a pitcher
form;several red ware sherds are also present,one of which derived from
a seed jar.The debitage is perhaps characterized by its high frequency of
Brushy Basin chert.The groundstone tool assemblage (T1-T4)consists
entirely of undifferentiated metate fragments.Artifact assemblage
components are discussed further below.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
4 metate fragments (MZ)
DESCRIBE:The lithic tools found on the site (T1-T4)consist entirely of
groundstone items,all of which are undifferentiated metate fragments.
T1 is a metate fragment made from a dense,white silicified sandstone.One
facet exhibits use and is slightly concave on its entire surface.The
artifact measures 15 x 10 x 7 cm.
T2 is made from the same material as T1 (probably Dakota silicified
sandstone).It too has a single,slightly concave used facet,but is also
heavily stippled with peck marks.T2 measures 8.5 x 8.0 x 2.5 cm.
T3 is found in AC-2.It is made from a relatively soft brown sandstone.It
has one slightly concave,used facet and measures 9.5 x 8.0 x 3.5 cm.
T4 is located in the larger of the two backhoe trenches mapped during this
project.It is made of the same material as T3.It has a single slightly
concave used facet that is also heavily stippled.It measures 14.0 x 8.5 x
2.5 cm.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:66 (D)
MATERIAL TYPE:Four material types were observed for the site's debitage
assemblage:Brushy Basin chert;a translucent,mottled gray and white
chert;a translucent white chert;and a white and gray silicified
sandstone.At nearly 80 percent of the assemblage,Brushy Basin chert is
clearly the dominant material on the site.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[0]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[2]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):25/sq.meter (in AC-1)
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
D Corrugated body sherds (E1)
B Plain gray (EY)
B Mancos Gray (EG)
B Chapin Gray (EE)
B Mancos Corrugated (ET)
D Mesa Verde White Ware
B Mancos B/w (EP)
B Deadmans B/r (EL)
B San Juan Red Ware (EB)
DESCRIBE:A total of 115 pottery sherds were documented on the surface of
the site.At nearly one-half of the assemblage,corrugated body sherds are
the most common type of sherd on the site.Early cooking jar types include
several possible sherds of Mancos Gray,several plain gray sherds,and one
Chapin Gray rim sherd.A number of white ware sherds are present,
including one sherd that appears to be early (either Chapin B/w or Piedra
B/w).Several of the white ware sherds appear to be Mancos B/w-these
include sherds with Black Mesa and Dogoszhi design styles.Also present
are San Juan Red Ware sherds,including several that were typed to
Deadmans B/r.A variety of forms are represented on the site,including
cooking jars,bowls,white ware jars,a seed jar,and a pitcher.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):9/sq.meter (in AC-1)
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
1 earthen/subterranean (I)pithouse (AF)
DESCRIBE:Nielson (1979:21-24)describes the feature,as it was exposed in
Trench C,as an oval or "quadrilateralU pit structure that measures at
least 1.8 meters wide.The structure's floor is approximately 1.4 meters
below modern ground surface.Nielson states that the floor "appears to be
level,with no special clay or sand covering.u
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
0.5 miles
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Location for 42Sa6393,Black Mesa Butte,Utah,7.5'
NATIONAL
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Top:42Sa6393,overview,facing north,cap over datum
Bottom:42Sa6393,overview,facing north,close-up ofcap over datum
Top:42Sa6393,facing WSW,old berm and trench on right
Bottom:42Sa6393,facing WSW,smaller old trench and berm on right
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa6397
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 7
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Artifact,rock,and jacal scatter
10.ELEVATION:5597 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631083 m East,4154473 m North
12.[SW]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:Dykman (1978:84)reports that only two
artifacts,both Chapin Gray artifacts,were collected from their
excavations.The location of these objects was not stated in the testing
report (Lindsay 1978),but are assumed to have been curated at the Utah
Museum of Natural History (UMH).
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:This site was originally recorded by Thompson (1977:22)
as a "thin flake and sherd scatterU in an area that measures 100 meters in
diameter.Thompson notes that the site is situated on a gentle three-
deyree slope with an eastern aspect.While Thompson did not make any
collections from the site,he did observe "plain corrugatedU and painted
sherds in the assemblage,prompting him to suggest that the site dates to
around A.D.900.
Unfortunately,the site was erroneously tested under the site number
42Sa6393 (Dykman 1978).Dykman's description of that site better fits
Thompson's description of 42Sa6397.Dykman (1978:78)notes that "the site
is on the end of a small ridge that trends north to south.An artifact
concentration is located on top of the ridge and down the slope to the
east."The testing report's plot of the site varies considerably from
Thompson's original placement of 42Sa6393,moving it considerably farther
south (Lindsay 1978:Figure 2),essentially siting Dykman's 42Sa6393 in
the location of Thompson's 42Sa6397.Confusing the issue further,however,
Nielson (1979:51-52)reports that he revisited 42Sa6397 in July of 1978
and determined that testing or further mapping of the site was not
required.We can only speculate that Nielson encountered 42Sa28132,which
is indeed a sparse scatter of artifacts.Nielson's observations are
discussed further with Site 42Sa28132.
A total of seven backhoe trenches were excavated on the site.The
details of these test excavations are discussed in greater detail in Part
B,#6.
As it appears now,the site consists of a scatter of lithic and
pottery artifacts,as well as fragments of sandstone rock and jacal.The
lithic artifact assemblage includes debitage as well as chipped stone and
ground stone tools.The pottery assemblage is dominated by plain gray jar
sherds.The site occupies a space that measures about 60 meters in
diameter.Two concentrations of cultural materials are apparent on the
site,referred to here as Artifact Clusters 1 and 2 (AC-1 and AC-2).The
site is centered on the crest of a finger-ridge with a north-to-south
orientation.Previous investigations on the site are apparent by the
presence of a steel,3/4 pipe datum.The faint traces of the seven backhoe
trenches,which were apparently backfilled,are barely visible.Site
42Sa6397 consists of a scatter of lithic and pottery artifacts,as well as
fragments of sandstone rock and jacal.Two concentrations of cultural are
apparent on the site,referred to here as Artifact Clusters 1 and 2 (AC-1
and AC-2).
The site is centered on the crest of a finger-ridge with a north-to-
south orientation.The artifact scatter occupies a space that measures 60
m in diameter.AC-1 is located on the southern end of the site.AC-2 is
nestled in the site's approximate center.As a whole,the site's lithic
artifact assemblage includes debitage as well as chipped stone and ground
stone tools.The site's pottery assemblage is dominated by plain gray jar
sherds.
AC-1,located on the south end of the site,includes a concentration
of burned sandstone and jacal (Feature 1).Most of the pottery observed in
AC-1 indicates a Basketmaker III component.However,several Mancos
Corrugated rim sherds suggest Pueblo II period component,too.
AC-2,found in the site's center,includes small burned sandstone
slabs,pottery,and lithic artifacts.A collectors pile in this location
includes plain gray pottery and a neckbanded sherd.
Based on the pottery sherds mentioned above,the site appears to
harbor a Basketmaker III component as well as a minor Pueblo II component.
As noted above,a neckbanded sherd was observed in AC-2.A few other
neckbanded sherds,as well as a few red ware sherds,were located in the
site's general scatter.If the neckbanded sherds are associated with the
corrugated pottery,these may more specifically indicate an early Pueblo
II period component.
Previous investigations on the site are apparent by the presence of
a steel,3/4 pipe datum and at least one backhoe trench.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S)By far the greatest impact to the site is the
archaeological test excavations that occurred on the site at an earlier
date (RE).Rodent disturbance (RQ)has also exacted a toll on the site.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa6397 was misidentified during
testing phase excavations by the Antiquities Section of the Division of
State History (Dykman 1978b).Tested as 42Sa6393,at least two pit
features were located in backhoe trenches excavated on the site.The
pottery assemblage suggests at least two components on the site:a
Basketmaker III period component and an early Pueblo II period component
are suggested.The site's functions remain ambiguous.At the least,it
seems likely that subsurface investigations on the site would yield data
pertinent to such research domains as chronology,settlement,subsistence,
and social structure.Thus,the site is eligible for nomination to the
NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/24/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[X]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[98]DEGREES ASPECT:[]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[26]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P),Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site rests squarely on the crest and slopes of a north-to-south oriented
finger-ridge.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments are composed of the red aeolian
loess that so characterizes this portion of White Mesa.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:big sagebrush (P)
SURROUNDING SITE:juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:On-site vegetation includes sagebrush,cheatgrass,heron's bill,
mustard,snakeweed,and globe mallow.The original landscape and its
vegetation have probably been radically altered by historic clearing
activities.It is likely that this location harbored vegetation
characteristic of the sage to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Artifact,rock,and jacal scatter
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Basketmaker III (B5)and
Pueblo II (P3)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:The site's pottery assemblage suggests at least two components:
a substantial Basketmaker III component and a relatively minor Pueblo II
component.Considering that several Mancos Corrugated rim sherds are
located on the site,as well as a few neckbanded sherds,it is possible
that the Pueblo II occupation is more specifically characterized as an
early Pueblo II period component.Given that early Pueblo II components
are well represented on this portion of White Mesa,it seems reasonable to
suggest that this site is similarly occupied.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[60]m by [60]m
AREA:[2800]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:None (A)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:20-100 em (C)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):The cultural
features encountered in Trenches Band E were reported as 45 and 30 em
deep,respectively.It seems likely that,if pit structures are present,
the depth of cultural materials will exceed 100 em.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[X]TESTED (B)
[]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:A total of seven backhoe trenches were excavated on the
site.Two of the trenches (Trenches B and E)located subsurface cultural
features,both of which were classified as "storage pits."The feature in
Trench B,a north-to-south oriented trench on the east side of the site,
is a "small square shaped storage pit...located near the northern end of the
trench."Trench E is a relatively short north-to-south oriented trench
located just west of the site datum.Dykman (1978:82)notes that "a small
use surface or storage pit was located in the southern end of the trench."
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and ground and pecked stone artifacts (GS).There is also a
concentration of jacal (JA).
DESCRIBE:Cultural materials on the site consist of pottery,chipped stone
debitage,and a number of lithic tools.Several loci of artifacts were
documented on the site,including two artifact clusters (AC-1 and AC-2).
Additionally,a collector pile at the site datum includes pottery and
lithic artifacts.A concentration of sandstone rubble and jacal is
associated with AC-1,and is described as Feature 1.
All of the pottery sherds documented on the site's surface derives
from cooking jars (including Chapin Gray sherds,plain gray sherds,
neckbanded gray sherds,and corrugated sherds).The debitage assemblage is
dominated by Brushy Basin chert,though several other material types are
also present.The lithic tool assemblage consists of seven items (T1-T7).
These artifacts include four metate fragments,one mano fragment,and two
bifaces.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
3 trough metate (MC)
1 indeterminate ground stone (MN)
1 two-hand mano (NB)
2 biface (IG)
DESCRIBE:The lithic tools (T1-T7)include four metate fragments,one mano
fragment,and two bifaces.
T1 is a fragment from the margin of a trough metate.The artifact is made
from a dense,white silicified sandstone.A deep basin is apparent in the
cross-section of the artifact.This ground basin is also stipple-pecked.
The object measures 16.0 x 10.5 x 4.0,though the ground facet penetrates
2.5 em deep.
T2 is similarly a fragment of a trough metate.It is also made of the
dense,white silicified sandstone.The object has a single,slightly
concave facet that is also stipple-pecked.It measures 16 x 9 x 8 em.
T3 is similar to T2.Again,it probably derived from a trough metate and
was made of the white silicified sandstone.It has a single,concave,
stipple-pecked facet.The object measures 13.0 x 9.5 x 5.0 em.
T4 is a small fragment of ground stone.It is made from white,silicified
sandstone.One facet is lightly ground.The item measures 10.2 x 5.3 x 2.2
em.
T5 appears to be a fragment of a two-hand mano.Made from white,
silicified sandstone,one facet is beveled,yielding a triangular cross-
section.This feature securely identifies the artifact as a two-hand mano.
The item measures 16.5 x 12.0 x 2.5 em.
T6 is a Stage 4 biface fragment with a missing base.It is made from a
translucent,light pink chert.The margins are denticulated.The artifact
was probably a projectile point.It measures 1.3 em wide x 0.3 em thick.
Its length is unknown.See the attached figure for more detail.
T7 is a Stage 2 or 3 biface fragment.It is made from a translucent light
pink and lavender chert.The apparent distal end is missing.The item
measures 3.2 em wide and 0.5 em thick.Its length is unknown.See the
attached figure for more detail.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:78 (0)
MATERIAL TYPE:Several material types were documented for the lithic
debitage assemblage.These include:Brushy Basin chert;dark green
silicified mudstone;green oolitic mudstone;translucent mottled gray and
white chert;translucent white and gray chert;translucent white and light
green chert;opaque white chert;translucent white chert;light cream and
tan silicified sandstone;and an opaque dark gray chert.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[1]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[1]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):25/sq.m
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
B Corrugated body sherds (E1)
C Plain gray (EY)
B Neckbanded,NFS (EA)
B San Juan Red Ware (EB)
B Chapin Gray (EE)
B Mancos Corrugated (ET)
DESCRIBE:The site's pottery assemblage includes 37 sherds.Most of the
pottery sherds documented were cooking jar sherds.Two red ware sherds
were also noted on the site,but their form was not documented.Most of
the pottery sherds occur in one of three areas on the site:AC-1,AC-2,
and the collector pile near the site datum.The small assemblage suggests
two components on the site:a Basketmaker III component (suggested by the
Chapin Gray pottery)and a Pueblo II component (suggested by the Mancos
Corrugated pottery).However,the site's occupation may be more complex.
Neckbanded pottery,and the red ware,may signal an intermediate
occupation during the Pueblo I.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):3/square meter
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#TYPE
2 Other-pit (aT)
DESCRIBE:Dykman (1978:80-82)notes that two small pit features were found
during the course of test excavations.Little construction detail is
available for these features.For "Pit I"in Trench B,Dykman notes that
"a small square shaped storage pit was located near the northern end of
the trench.The storage pit measured .45 m deep and 0.5 m wide.The fill
consisted of light gray charcoal and pieces of burned daub.No artifacts
were located in the cist,and the top .15 m of the storage pit had been
obliterated by chaining."While Dykman describes the feature as a "cist,"
there is no way to know how the feature was constructed (i.e.masonry?
earthen walled?);furthermore,its shape is unusual for most storage
cists.Pit 2 is a "small use surface or storage pit...located in the
southern end of the trench.The cultural feature measures 1.3 m in
diameter and 0.3 m deep.The fill consisted of light gray charcoal.Two
Chapin Gray sherds were recovered from the fill,but no final definition
was made of the feature because of the disturbance of discing and plowing"
(Dykman 1978:82).
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
1 Jacal/Adobe (H)Unknown (22)
DESCRIBE:This feature (Feature 1),defined during the current survey,
consists of a concentration of small fragments of burned j acal.This
material is confined to a 2 by 3-meter area contained within Artifact
Cluster 1 (AC-l).The pieces of jacal are very small,friable,and appear
to be burned.The fragments are 1 to 5 cm in diameter.About 20 small
fragments of burned sandstone co-occur with the jacal.
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0 0.5 miles~T-_,L-,------',--,-'--'.-,--+-,1-.,----T
0.0 0.5 1.0 km 07/06/09
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.------------------------------
428a6397
(Recorded as 428a6393 by Dykman (1978)
Pit 1
artifact ncentration
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Redrawn from Dykman (1978:Figure 24)
1...-._
Top:42Sa6397,overview,facing north,cap over datum
Bottom:42Sa6397,overview,facing north,close-up of cap over datum
Tool ifr 6
Site 42Sa6397
Tool iF 7
Scale:Actual Size
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa6431
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:Site 6
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Habitation
10.ELEVATION:5582 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,630866 m East,4154373 m North
12.[SE]OF [SW]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (1)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)--White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:Thompson (1977)collected items from the
site when it was first recorded.These were curated at Southern Utah State
College (SUSC).It was not reported where the Division of State History
curated its materials during Asa Nielson's testing activities in 1978
(Nielson 1979).Cultural materials collected by Nielson include 39 pottery
sherds (Chapin Gray and Plain Gray),two possible mauls,several flakes,
and a "tanged"or "split-stemmed"point that was probably curated and
reworked.These materials are assumed to have been curated at the Utah
Museum of Natural History (UMH).
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Thompson (1977:28)first documented this site,
describing its location as a place of "aeolian soil that slopes to the SW
at 3 degrees."Noting that the site was contained within an area that
measures 30 meters in diameter,Thompson describes a diverse assemblage of
cuItural materials."Cultural debris consists of primary and secondary
flakes,a hammerstone,1 mano and numerous ground stone fragments as well
as sherds.Sherds collected have been analyzed to reveal 2 Chapin Gray,1
Mancos Corrugated rim (16 corrugated body sherds),16 Mancos B/W,and 3
Deadmans B/R."While brief,Thompson's description of the site's size,
setting,and artifact assemblage figured importantly in the site's re-
identification for this project.However,testing activities that
apparently took place on the site should be discussed first.
In July of 1978,Antiquities Section archaeologists had conducted
test excavations on a site that they determined to be 42Sa6392 (Nielson
1979:30-46).The locational data supplied by Thompson,scant though they
are,indicate the conflation of 42Sa6392 with 42Sa6431.Supervised by Asa
Nielson,testing activities first involved the placement of nine test
trenches.Test excavations located three features:a hearth,a burial,and
a lens of charcoal and daub.More details for these features are provided
in Part B,#13.
Cultural materials that Nielson collected include 39 pottery sherds
(Chapin Gray and Plain Gray),two possible mauls,several flakes,and a
"tanged"or "split-stemmed"point that was probably curated and reworked
(Nielson 1979:Figure 20).The pottery is indicative of the Basketmaker
III period,a fact that was not lost on Nielson,who seems a little
perplexed that he failed to locate a Pueblo II period assemblage when he
writes,"Subsurface collections recovered during test excavation differ
from surface collection(s)made by Thompson (1977).The collections of
subsurface material show a complete lack of corrugated or painted wares.
Thompson's collections suggest a possible Pueblo II (ca 1075-800 B.P.)
occupation."As noted earlier,Thompson did not make collections from
42Sa6392.We assume that Nielson was aware of Thompson's collections from
42Sa6431,however,which did demonstrate a strong Pueblo II period
signature (see the preceding paragraph).
As it looks now,Site 42Sa6431 is a scatter of lithic and pottery
artifacts as well as a concentration of jacal.A probable midden area is
located in the southern portion of the site.It seems likely that the site
includes at least one habitation feature.
The site is further distinguished by a number of backhoe trenches,
and their associated berms,that had been excavated in the late
1970s/early 1980s during exploratory testing.A 3/4 in.piece of metal
pipe had been installed as a datum just north of the site's approximate
center.
The site covers an area that measures approximately 120 m
north/south by 60 m east/west.The site occupies the crest of a finger-
ridge and the ridge's terminal southern end.Lithic artifacts recorded on
the site include debitage and ground stone items.The pottery assemblage,
as a whole,includes white ware bowl sherds,and corrugated,neckbanded,
and plain gray jar sherds.
A possible midden area is located in the southern end of the site,
on a gentle slope with a southern exposure.The midden area,described as
Feature 1,measures approximately 30 m in diameter.A small concentration
of jacal (Feature 2)just northeast of the midden area may represent
architectural remains associated with the midden area.Feature 1 contains
a pottery assemblage that indicates a Pueblo II period component.
In contrast,a possible concentration of Basketmaker III pottery is
found in the up-slope,or northern,portion of the site.The pottery in
this location is dominated by plain gray pottery.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[X]FAIR (C)[ ]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):By far the greatest impact to the site is the
archaeological test excavations that occurred on the site at an earlier
date (RE).Rodent burrowing has also taken place on the site (RO).
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:The site is deemed significant by virtue of the presence of
subsurface cultural deposits.Site 42Sa6431 was tested in 1978 as 42Sa6392
(Nielson 1979).Nielson's test excavations resulted in the documentation
of three cultural features,including a probable hearth,a burial,and a
subsurface lens of charcoal and daub.At least two components are apparent
on the site.A Basketmaker III component is associated with the features
documented by Nielson (1979).Such features would yield data pertinent to
research domains such as chronology,subsistence,and social structure.A
midden on the site is associated with the Pueblo II period,suggesting the
presence of a habitation feature.Should such a feature be located,
research issues under such domains as chronology,settlement,subsistence,
and social structure may be addressed.Thus the site is eligible for
nomination to the NRHP under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/23/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[Xl PART B [Xl TOPO MAP
[l ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH [l PART C
[Xl SITE SKETCH [l CONTINUATION SHEETS
[l PART E [Xl PHOTOS
[l OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[210]DEGREES ASPECT:[5]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[24]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Ridge (P),Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).More immediately,the
site is located on the spine and crest of a finger-ridge.The possible
midden area is situated on the south end of the site,which occupies a
gentle slope marking the terminal end of the finger-ridge.Cultural
materials may be found on the west-and east-facing slopes on either side
of the ridge crest as well.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:Sediments on the site are dominated by the red
aeolian loess that characterizes this portion of White Mesa.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:juniper-sage (2)
SURROUNDING SITE:juniper-sage (2)
DESCRIBE:On-site vegetation includes sagebrush,cheatgrass,snakeweed,
mustard,juniper,Mormon tea,prickly pear,and globe mallow.The site's
original vegetation probably included a lot more juniper than is currently
present.Only one small,young juniper is present,the survivor of
historic chaining activities.The original vegetation was probably much
like that to the west,along the Cottonwood Canyon rim,which seems to
represent the sage to juniper ecotone.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Habitation
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Ancestral Pueblo,Basketmaker III (B5)and
Pueblo II (P3)
DATING METHOD:Ceramic cross-dating (M)
DESCRIBE:The site's pottery assemblage suggests two components:a
Basketmaker III component and an early to middle Pueblo II component.The
Basketmaker III component is characterized by the presence of a relatively
large number of plain gray jar body sherds.These are localized to one
portion of the site,a 30 x 40 m area that is east of the site's datum.
The midden area,described here as Feature I,contains the highest
frequency of Pueblo I I period pottery.Feature 1 is located at the
southern end of the site.The formal pottery types most characteristic of
the Pueblo II period on the site are Mancos B/w and Deadman's B/r,while
the incidence of corrugated pottery more generally reflects a Pueblo
II/III occupation.The Mancos B/w sherds exhibit both Black Mesa and
Dogoszhi design styles.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[60]m by [120]m
AREA:[7200]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:Grab sample (B),by Thompson (1977)
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:20-100 cm (C)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):At least two
sessions of testing were performed on the site.Nielson (1979)first
tested the site in 1978.The site was tested again at a later,unknown
date.Nielson documented three features,all of which appear to be around
50 cm below modern ground surface.It seems likely that the site contains
pitstructures.If this is the case,cultural deposits may exceed 100 cm.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[ ]EXCAVATED (A)[X]TESTED (B)
[]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:The backhoe trenches that Nielson excavated in July of
1978 are now difficult to discern.Nielson's trenches were apparently
backfilled-a few alignments were barely detectable by the differential
desiccation of cheatgrass.Relocation of the trenches was made even more
difficult by the fact that at least one other session of test excavations
occurred on the site,evidently after Nielson's initial testing efforts.
This second testing event,which apparently involved the excavation
of seven backhoe trenches,is readily apparent on the site.As is the case
with 42Sa6393,these trenches were not backfilled and are accompanied by
parallel berms of backdirt.To date,a report for these excavations has
not been found.
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:Ceramic scatter (CS),lithic scatter
(LS),and ground and pecked stone artifacts (GS).There is also a
concentration of jacal (JA).
DESCRIBE:The artifact assemblage on the site consists of pottery,
debitage,and eight lithic tools,which include both groundstone items as
well as a battered stone tool.The pottery assemblage (n=53)includes
cooking jars (plain gray,neckbanded,and corrugated jar sherds)as well
as white ware and red ware bowls and,probably,jars.The lithic debitage
assemblage (n=32)is characterized by a high frequency of Brushy Basin
chert.The lithic tools documented on the site (T1-T8)include five
undifferentiated metate fragments,two manos,and one hammerstone.In
addition to these artifacts,a concentration of jacal,described here as
Feature 2,occupies a 2 square meter area in the southern portion of the
site just northeast of Feature 1.Feature 2 may represent the location of
a subsurface architectural feature.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
5 metate fragments (MZ)
2 handstones (NZ)
1 hammerstone (IF)
DESCRIBE:The site's lithic tool assemblage
including five slab metate fragments,
hammerstone.
comprises eight items (T1-T8),
two likely manos,and one
T1 may actually represent two tool types.One facet of this fragmented
tool is convex,ground,and stipple-pecked,indicating this item's use as
a mano.It is not possible to distinguish whether this tool is a one-hand
mano or two-hand mano.The tool's opposing face is slightly concave,but
also exhibits peck marks and has been ground,suggesting the use of this
side of the tool as a pallette or lap stone.The object is made from a
dense,fine-grained sandstone and measures 13.5 x 11.5 x 2.8 em.
T2 is a complete hammerstone made from an alluvial cobble of gray
quartzite.The artifact is battered along its margins and measures 9.0 x
5.5 x 3.8 em.
T3 consists of several fragments of a metate made from a piece of white,
tabular sandstone.Only one facet is ground.The item measures 12.5 x 10.0
x 2.6 em.
T4 is a small fragment of a metate made from white silicified sandstone.Enough
of the object is present to indicate that the artifact had a single use surface,
which is concave.The remaining artifact measures 18 x 5 em,and was 8 em thick.
It is possible that this item was a trough metate,but not enough of the item was
present to distinguish it from a basin metate.
T5 is a fragment of a metate.This item is made from a relatively soft,tabular,
brown sandstone.One facet is ground.None of the metate's original margins are
intact.The item measures 8.0 x 6.0 x 3.4.
T6 is a metate fragment.The artifact is made from a white silicified sandstone.
Both faces are lightly ground and pecked.An original margin is edge-flaked
(scabbled).The artifact measures 16.0 x 11.6 x 4.3 em.
T7 is a fragment of some kind of handstone,perhaps a mano,made from an alluvial
cobble.Both facets show wear.The artifact,originally disk-shaped,measures 8 x
5.5 x 3.8 em.
T8 is a small fragment of a metate made from sandstone.The item may be fire-
oxidized.Both sides are ground,though one more than the other.The artifact
measures 8.5 x 8.0 x 2.7 em.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:32 (D)
MATERIAL TYPE:Just three material types were documented for the lithic debitage
assemblage:Brushy Basin chert,a green mudstone with oolitic inclusions,and a
light "tan"and brown silicified sandstone.The first two materials derive from
the Morrison Formation;the third material probably comes from the Dakota
Formation.
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[1]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[2]SHATTER [0]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):3/square meter
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
C Corrugated body sherds (El)
C Plain gray (EY)
B Mancos Gray (EG)
B Mancos B/w (EP)
C Mesa Verde White Ware (EC)
B San Juan Red Ware (EB)
B Oeadmans B/r (EL)
DESCRIBE:The pottery assemblage at this site consists of 53 sherds.Many of
these are either corrugated jar body sherds (n=ll)or plain gray jar body sherds
(n=18).Interestingly,all of the latter are found in an area just east of the
site's datum,suggesting the presence in the location of a Basketmaker III
component.Also found in this location is a possible Mancos Gray jar sherd.In
contrast,Feature 1,the possible midden area,harbors many of the later pottery
types.These include Mancos B/w (n=9),4 San Juan Red Ware sherds (of which 2 are
Oeadmans B/r bowl rim sherds),6 Late White Unpainted and 4 Late White Painted
sherds.The Mancos B/w sherds exhibit Black Mesa (n=5)and Oogoszhi (n=4)design
styles.At least one of these sherds is a bowl rim sherd.While not documented,
it seems likely that the white ware sherds represent both bowl and jar forms.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):4/square meter
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#TYPE
1 Midden (MO)
1 Burial (BU)
1 Hearth (HE)
lather-lens of ash and daub (aT)
DESCRIBE:The midden area,Feature 1 as it was defined during the current survey
project,is located on the southern end of the site.The midden is situated on a
slope below the possible location of one or more buried pit structures.The
midden includes pottery sherds and debitage as well as several tools (TI-T3).The
midden measures approximately 30 m in diameter.At least one old backhoe trench
bisects the feature.
Three other subsurface features were located during Nielson's test
excavations in 1978.Nielson describes the first of these as a "probable slab-
lined fire hearth,"which was found on the west end of his Trench B.He writes
that the feature was observed at 43 cm below modern ground surface,but that the
top of it was truncated by historic activities (probably plowing).The feature
bottoms out at 60 cm below MGS.It is 67 cm (east-west)by 43 cm (north-south).
The second feature is a disturbed burial.Most of the body,excepting the
left arm,is present.The body was extended.Two possible mauls and several Plain
Gray sherds were found in association with the body.
Nielson (Nielson 1979:40)describes his third feature as a "lens of ash
associated with fire-hardened clay and occasional burned daub."This lens of
material measures about 20 cm thick and measures 1.4 m long.Nielson suggests
that "the ash lens may be the remains of a jacal surface structure as suggested
by small amounts of burned daub and pieces of burned sandstone on the surface."
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
1 Jacal/Adobe (H)Unknown (ZZ)
DESCRIBE:This feature (Feature 2)consists of a concentration of small fragments
of burned j acal.This material is confined to a 2 square meter area just
northeast of the midden (Feature 1).
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0
I----T-J-,----r'--
0.0
0.5 miles---\----,...J..-,--+-r -r
0.5 1.0 km
.-----------------;--------;----------
-------1"7-
428a6431
Nielson
Trenches C
and D?i--7-----I
1_-__
----------11-
I
KEY
A datum
T#tool
berm
T5-/'/ T
I
plain gray pottery
scatter
site
boundary
II1II backhoe ench
F#feature M.Bond,1O/2~V08
L..--:::.....-_
.----------------------------------
428a6431
(Recorded as 42Sa6392 by Nielson (1979»
arti ct concentration
Tench G
\fire pit
o 10m••m I
Trench
rench D
Trench A Trench H
Redrawn from Nielson (1979:Figure '13)
Top:42Sa6431,overview of north end of site,facing SW,cap over datum
Bottom:42Sa6431,overview of north end ofsouth,facing SW,close-up ofcap over
datum
Top:42Sa6431,overview ofsouth end of site,facing SW
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1.STATE NO.:42Sa6757
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Habitation
10.ELEVATION:5592 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631191 m East,4154564 m North
12.[NW]OF ESE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (Utah)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,7.5'Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)-White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:N/A
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:Edge of the Cedars State Park (ECP)
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa6757 may be described as a habitation site with
at least one pit structure that may have been a year-round dwelling,and
other smaller structures that may have served as seasonal habitations or
food processing facilities.The site was apparently originally documented
through the efforts of the Antiquities Section of Utah's Division of State
History (Lindsay 1978:Table III;Worthington 1978).The site was later
tested for significance (Nielson 1979:85-95)and extent (Nielson 1981?).
At the time of its initial documentation,the site was simply recorded as
a "Mesa Verde Anasazi"site (Worthington 1978).
Excavation of the site documented a total of five features,
including two pit structures and two very small habitations or field
houses (Davis and others 1985:128-164).A fifth feature,Feature 5,is
noted on the site's map but is not otherwise described except in
association with artifacts (Davis and others 1985:Figure 7-27 and Table
10-2);it seems reasonable to surmise that Feature 5 was a small pit
feature of some type.Pottery data indicate that all features dated to the
Basketmaker III period.Brief descriptions of the four main features
follow in Part B,#14.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[]FAIR (C)[X]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):The excavation of the site by Abajo Archaeology (Davis
1985)constitutes the greatest impact to the site (CE).At the time of
excavation,impacts documented for the site had included historic chaining
and/or other land-leveling activities (CL),re-seeding (AG),and
collecting (VA)(apparent by way of a collector's artifact pile).Davis and
others (1985:128-129)note that three backhoe trenches had been excavated
to test for significance and that the State later excavated 13 other
trenches to determine extent.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:While it is likely that most of the cultural features associated
with this site have been excavated,it is possible that small features
peripheral to the excavated portions of 42Sa6757 have not been located.In
other words,while known features were mitigated,intact subsurface
sediments may remain on the site.Further,the site's midden area has not
been examined in a systematic fashion.Data recovery from these areas of
the site may still provide data pertinent to research domains such as
chronology,subsistence,settlement,and social structure.Thus,the site
is still eligible under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology (AS)
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/25/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[90]DEGREES ASPECT:[3]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[27]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).Site 42Sa6757 is situated
on a gentle,east-facing slope of a low finger ridge that has a north-
south orientation.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments consist of the deep,red,fine-
grained aeolian loess characteristic of this portion of White Mesa.
Agenbroad (1985:Figure 8-5)illustrates that the overburden of the
aeolian loess is 50 to 70 cm deep across much of the site,at which point
caliche-rich sediments are encountered.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Big Sagebrush (P)
SURROUNDING SITE:Juniper-Sage (2)
DESCRIBE:The site's current plant profile has been heavily affected by
past excavation efforts as well as historic chaining and railing.Current
vegetation includes bunch grasses,cheat grass,sage,snakeweed,prickly
pear,and mustard.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Habitation
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Basketmaker III (B5)
DATING METHOD:Pottery cross-dating (M),tree-ring dating (C),
architectural style (L),lithic cross-dating (N),Carbon-14 (B)
DESCRIBE:The excavation data for 42Sa6757 yielded multiple lines of
evidence for a chronological assessment of the site.Most telling are the
pottery and architectural data,both of which indicate a Basketmaker III
period occupation for all features on the site.Tree-ring and projectile
point data corroborate this assessment.A C-14 date (2140 +-145 B.P.)was
too ambiguous to be of much use.See Davis (1985)for more information.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[56]m by [76]m
AREA:[4256]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:Unknown (Z)
Worthington (1978)does not document surface collections in the original
site for for 42Sa6757.Likewise,Nielson (1979)does not indicate surface
collection for subsequent testing.It is not known if later testing at an
unknown date resulted in surface collections.Presumeably surface
collections occurred in the excavated portions of the site by Davis
(1985).Bond (1985:271 and Table C-44)does note that 102 sherds were
collected from the "surface collection"of the site.
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:20-100 em (C)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):As noted in Part A,
#33,Agenbroad (1985)illustrates the general depth to caliche across the
site.Where pit structures were encountered,the depth of cultural fill
exceeded 1 meter in depth.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[X]EXCAVATED (A)[X]TESTED (B)
[]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:Backhoe trenches accomplished the test excavations
conducted by the Division of State History (Nielson 1979)and Abajo
Archaeology (Davis 1985).
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:pottery (CS),chipped stone artifacts
(LS),ground/pecked stone artifacts (GS),faunal bone (WB),vegetal
remains samples (VR),and shell (SL)
DESCRIBE:Arbitrarily listed above are multiple artifact classes retrieved
from the excavated site.Naturally,this list is not exhaustive.The
reader is referred to Davis (1985)for a full accounting of the artifacts
collected and cataloged for 42Sa6757.See Nielson (1979)for information
regarding the artifacts collected during the testing phase excavations.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
2 Stemmed points (HC)
4 bifaces (IG)
2 retouched flakes (IY)
1 utilized flake (IA)
6 pecking stones (10)
9 hammerstones (IF)(n=9)
3 polishing stones (IP)
6 one-hand manos (NA)
8 two-hand manos (NB)
2 indeterminate mano (NZ)
5 slab metate (ME)
9 trough metate (MC)(n=ll)
9 basin metate (MA)(n=ll)
DESCRIBE:Lithic tools
(n=2),bifaces (n=4),
pecking stones (n=6),
Davis (1985)describes
cataloged from the site include projectile points
retouched flakes (n=2),utilized flakes (n=l),
hammerstones (n=9),and polishing stones (n=4).
the chipped stone assemblage more extensively in
Chapter XI in the site's excavation report.
Likewise,Westfall (1985)reports extensively on the ground stone
assemblage in the site's write-up in Chapter XIII.She notes that 19 manos
and 25 metates were collected from the site during the site's excavation
by Abajo Archaeology.Six of the manos are one-hand manos,eight are two-
hand manos,and two are of indeterminate type.Of the metates,five are
slab metates,11 are trough metates,and nine are basin metates.
Other stone artifacts removed during the site's excavation by Abajo
include pendants (n=2)and shaped stone slabs (n=8).
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:Davis (1985)notes that 885 pieces
of debitage were collected during the site's excavation.
MATERIAL TYPE:Davis (1985:Table 11-3)distinguishes 10 material types
associated with the site's debitage assemblage.These debitage material
types,and their counts and percentages,are as follows:chert (n=518,
58.5%),quartzite (n=223,25.2%),chalcedony (n=65,7.3%),jasper (n=ll,
1.2 %),agate (n=14,1.6%),siltstone (n=8,0.9%),quartz (n=21,2.4%),
basalt (n=15,1.7%),diorite (n=5,0.6%),diorite (n=5,0.6%),and
sandstone (n=5,0.6%).
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[2]DECORTICATION [2]SECONDARY [2]TERTIARY
[2]SHATTER [1]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):Data not available.
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
F Undifferentiated Plain Gray (EY)(n=1403)
C Undifferentiated Corrugated (E1)(n=23)
E Chapin Gray (EE)(n=109)
B Mancos Gray (EG)(n=l)
B Lino Gray (JA)(n=30)
B Mancos Corrugated (ET)(n=5)
B Mudware (22)(n=6)
D Chapin B/w (EM)(n=48)
B Piedra B/w (EN)(n=5)
C Mancos B/w (EP)(n=12)
B Undifferentiated White Ware (EC)(n=9)
B Bluff B/r (EK)(n=l)
C Deadmans B/r (EL)(n=12)
C Undifferentiated Red Ware (EB)(n=l1)
DESCRIBE:A total of 1675 pottery sherds were collected from the site.
Bond (1985:271-273,Table 10-2)reports on the pottery assemblage from the
data recovery excavations at 42Sa6757.A few very minor discrepancies
occur between his total site tally and Tables C-44 through C-55.The
correct tally for the whole site is provided above.The whole site
assemblage indicates that the site's primary occupation was during the
Basketmaker III period,or prior to A.D.750 or 780 (as suggested by the
lack of Abajo Rio).An early Pueblo II period presence is indicated by the
Mancos Gray,corrugated pottery,Piedra B/w,Mancos B/w,and the red ware
sherds.The later assemblage is probably intrusive pottery that has washed
in from another site.Alternatively,there may be a small Pueblo II period
feature that has yet to be discovered on the site.
Seven complete or nearly complete vessels were recovered from the
site.These include two Chapin Gray short-necked ollas,a Chapin Gray
"slope-neckedu olla,two Chapin Gray pitchers,a Chapin B/w bowl,and a
Piedra B/w bowl.Also of note was a large portion of a duck effigy vessel.
Only one worked sherd was recorded for the assemblage.
The only potential extralocal pottery is represented by the Lino
Gray sherds.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):Data not available.
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#TYPE
1 midden (MD)
1 hearth (HE)
DESCRIBE:The midden defined and tested at 42Sa6757 was not immediately
apparent at the surface (Davis 1985:164).Instead,the feature was
partially buried under 3 to 5 cm of aeolian sediments.The midden is south
of the pit structures,is roughly elliptical,and covers approximately 650
square meters.It is characterized by a relatively dark color and
relatively high concentrations of artifacts.The midden is fairly shallow
and does not appear to be more than 15 cm thick.This area was tested by
backhoe trenches,but otherwise not systematically sampled.
Feature 5 is noted in Backhoe Trench 8,which cuts through the
northern portion of the midden,on the site's excavation map and receives
brief description as a "basin-shaped firehearth"(Davis 1985:129 and Figure
7-27).It is not described further,however.
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
4 subterranean (I)pithouse (AF)
DESCRIBE:Feature 1 is a roughly D-shaped or sub-circular pithouse
with a relatively straight eastern wall.The room measured 4.5 m north-
south by 4.7 m east-west,and was approximately 1.2 m deep.Feature 1 did
not have the appended antechamber that many Basketmaker III pithouses
have.Instead,the southern wall is sloped,not vertical.A set of
bilaterally symmetrical floor features,including wing walls,post holes,
and pits were documented,as was an uncoped hearth.The structure was not
burned;instead,it appears as though wooden architectural elements were
recycled.In spite of this,enough of a roof and/or floor artifact
assemblage was recovered to suggest a few food-processing activity areas
in the room,particularly in the area enclosed by the wing walls in the
south part of a the room,and in the area immediately surrounding the
hearth.
Feature 2 is a sub-circular pit structure that measured 4.2 m in
diameter and was 45 cm deep.Like Feature 1,this room did not have the
appended antechamber common to Basketmaker III pithouses.Rather,a vent
tunnel along the southeast side of the room supplied the feature with air.
Other features in the room were organized bilaterally and in a pattern to
suggest a southeast alignment for the room.These features included wing
walls,a hearth,and apparent deflector postholes.A milling bin as well
as several relatively deep pit features were also documented in the room.
The room had burned.One of the room beams yielded a noncutting date of
A.D.627.A relatively high number of groundstone artifacts were recovered
from the floor;these items,and the room's features,indicate a primary
function of food-processing for the structure.
Feature 3 is a sub-rectangular,semi-subterranean room that measured
2.3 m north-south by 2.1 m east-west and was about 20 cm deep.The room
was divided by an interior,upright slab wall that segregated the eastern
1/3 of the room from the western 2/3.No hearth was observed in the
structure;however,I suggest that a test trench may have obliterated an
ephemeral hearth.No other internal features were present.Two exterior
postholes on the west side of the feature indicate an expedient exterior
roofing technique,such as a lean-to,might have been used to roof the
structure.The structure was not burned.Davis and others (1985)suggest
that the room was used as an informal habitation with some storage
function.
Feature 4 is a rectangular pit structure that measured 3.5 m east-
west by 2.2 m north-south.It is difficult to assess how deep the original
structure was;its floor was located at about 30 em below modern ground
surface.Only a few features were found in the room.These included a
hearth,a pit,and a single posthole.The room was burned upon
abandonment.Most artifacts had been removed from the feature before
burning.Davis (1985:162-164)suggests that the room may have functioned
as an expedient habitation.
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATION
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
0.0 0.5 miles
I-······,---'--~-T[··r-T-·T·L'-+··T-i
0.0 0.5 1.0 km
II••
,..••••••••••.-••••••••.-•Il••.-.
428a6757
----------=:-------
.-....-.•j •-/•.4 -•••IsheetI•..I•I•A-I•/\~
•t.Ii•KEY /\...~..~.datum ........--------A
.......
Redrawn from
Davis and othf~rs _,
(1985:Figure 1-2/)
bladed area
F#feature
'Plano trench••
• •#State trench
-------~~------
Top:42Sa6757,facing north;note old trenches
Bottom:42Sa6757,facing northeast;mill facility in background
----------
IMACS SITE FORM
PART A -ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
1 .STATE NO.:42 Sa8014
2 .AGENCY NO:
3.TEMP NO.:
4.STATE:Utah COUNTY:San Juan
5.PROJECT:Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Denison Mines (USA)
Corporation White Mesa Mill Cell 4B,San Juan County,Utah
6.REPORT NO.:U-09-AS-0334p
7.SITE NAME/PROPERTY NAME:N/A
8.CLASS:[X]PREHISTORIC []HISTORIC []PALEONTOLOGIC
[]ETHNOGRAPHIC
9.SITE TYPE:Seasonal habitation
10.ELEVATION:5610 ft.
11.UTM GRID:Zone 12,631227 m East,4154674 m North
12.[NW]OF [SE]OF [NE]OF SECTION [32],T.[37S],R.[22E]
13.MERIDIAN:SLC (Utah)
14.MAP REFERENCE:Black Mesa Butte,Utah,7.5'Provisional Edition 1985
15.AERIAL PHOTO:N/A
16.LOCATION AND ACCESS:The site is situated in the approximate mid-section
of White Mesa,a north-to-south oriented mesa that parallels drainage
systems to the east and west.By traveling approximately five miles south
of Blanding,Utah on US Highway 191,one arrives at the long driveway
entrance to the White Mesa Uranium Mill (currently under the ownership of
Denison Mines),which is located on the west side of the highway.The site
may then be reached by traveling approximately one mile to the west,
essentially approaching the rim of Cottonwood Wash Canyon.The site may
only be accessed by permission of the land owner.
17.LAND OWNER:Private (PR)-White Mesa Mill,Denison Mines (USA)
18.FEDERAL ADMIN.UNITS:N/A
19.LOCATION OF CURATED MATERIALS:Edge of the Cedars State Park (ECP)
20.SITE DESCRIPTION:Site 42Sa8014 was probably a seasonally occupied
habitation.As with 42Sa6757,this site was initially documented by the
Utah Division of State History Antiquities Section (Davis and others
1985:165).It was subsequently tested for significance,although no
citation for that work could be found.Casjens (1980:344-345)writes that
the site was further tested for extent;Davis and others (1985:Figure 7-
38)indicate the location of the Antiquities Section's trenches on the
excavation plan view of the site.
Two features were located and excavated on the site.One of the
features is a pit structure while the other is a slab-lined cist.Pottery
assemblages associated with both features suggest that the two were
probably contemporaneous.It is likely that the site was in use sometime
during the late ninth and/or early tenth century (see Part B,#2 for more
detail on the site's chronological determinations).Brief descriptions of
the site's two features follow in Part B,#14.
21.SITE CONDITION:[]EXCELLENT (A)[]GOOD (B)
[]FAIR (C)[X]POOR (D)
22.IMPACT AGENT(S):The excavation of the site by Abajo Archaeology (Davis
1985)constitutes the greatest impact to the site (CE).At the time of
excavation,impacts documented for the site had included historic chaining
and/or other land-leveling activities (CL),re-seeding (AG),and
collecting (VA)(apparent by way of a collector's artifact pile).Davis and
others (1985:128-129)note that nine backhoe trenches had been excavated
prior to the site's mitigation by Abajo Archaeology,presumably to test
for significance and/or extent.A mill access road passes immediately
north of the site.The construction of Cell 3 to the north of this road
has no doubt significantly affected the immediate landscape of 42Sa8014.
23.NAT.REGISTER STATUS:[X]SIGNIFICANT (C)
[]NONSIGNIFICANT (D)
[]UNEVALUATED (Z)
JUSTIFY:While it is likely that most of the cultural features associated
with this site have been excavated,it is possible that small features
peripheral to the excavated portions of 42Sa8014 have not been located.
Data recovery from these areas of the site may still provide data
pertinent to research domains such as chronology,subsistence,settlement,
and social structure.Thus,the site is still eligible for nomination to
the National Register under criterion (d).
24.PHOTOS:See attached.
25.RECORDED BY:Mark Bond
26.SURVEY ORGANIZATION:Abajo Archaeology
27.ASSISTING CREW MEMBERS:Jonathan Till
28.SURVEY DATE:10/25/08
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
[X]PART B [X]TOPO MAP
[]ARTIFACT/FEATURE SKETCH []PART C
[X]SITE SKETCH [ ]CONTINUATION SHEETS
[]PART E [X]PHOTOS
[]OTHER:
PART A -ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
29.SLOPE:[2]DEGREES ASPECT:[180]DEGREES
30.DISTANCE TO PERMANENT WATER:[28]X 100 METERS
TYPE OF WATER SOURCE:[]SPRING/SEEP (A)
[X]STREAM/RIVER (B)[]LAKE (C)[]OTHER (D)
NAME OF WATER SOURCE:Cottonwood Wash
31.GEOGRAPHIC UNIT:Blanding Basin (CAJ)
32.TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATION
PRIMARY LANDFORM:Mesa (C)
SECONDARY LANDFORM:Slope (Q)
DESCRIBE:The site is generally situated along the midsection of the
north-to-south oriented White Mesa.White Mesa itself is a long landform
that parallels the drainage systems of Cottonwood Wash on the west,and
Recapture Wash to the east.These drainages channel water from the Abajo
Mountains (north)to the San Juan River (south).Site 42Sa8014 is located
near the base of the same ridge slope as 42Sa6757.Davis and others
(1985:165)note that,prior to the mill's construction,a small east-
flowing drainage passed just to the north of the site.
33.ON-SITE DEPOSITIONAL CONTEXT:Aeolian (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL:On-site sediments consist of the deep,red,fine-
grained aeolian loess characteristic of this portion of White Mesa.
Agenbroad (1985:Figure 8-6)illustrates that the overburden of the
aeolian loess is 40 to 50 cm deep across much of the site,at which point
caliche-rich sediments are encountered.
34.VEGETATION
A.LIFE ZONE:Upper Sonoran (E)
B.COMMUNITY:
PRIMARY ON-SITE:Grassland (M)
SECONDARY ON-SITE:Developed/Industrial (U)
SURROUNDING SITE:Juniper-Sage (2)
DESCRIBE:The site's current plant profile has been heavily affected by
past excavation efforts as well as historic chaining and railing.Current
vegetation includes bunch grasses,sagebrush,Russian thistle,prickly
pear cactus,snakeweed,introduced grasses.A few small juniper trees.
35.MISCELLANEOUS TEXT:
36.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
PART B -PREHISTORIC SITES
1.SITE TYPE:Seasonal habitation
2.CULTURE -CULTURAL AFFILIATION:Pueblo I (PI)
DATING METHOD:Pottery cross-dating (M),architectural style (L),lithic
cross-dating (N),Carbon-14 (B)
DESCRIBE:One absolute date,a C-14 sample from the floor of Feature 1,
yielded a date of 1455±130 B.P.Considering the pottery assemblage,this
seems far too early to accurately represent the feature's occupation.Bond
(1985:274)recommends that the site dates to the late Pueblo I period.The
pottery assemblage indicates an occupation during the late A.D.800s/early
A.D.900s.The single stemmed projectile point and the groundstone
assemblage corroborate the pottery assemblage date.The architecture is
not inconsistent with this interpretation.
3.SITE DIMENSIONS:[30]m by [30]m
AREA:[900]sq m
4.SURFACE COLLECTION/METHOD:It is not known if the initial surface
documentation resulted in collections.Likewise,Casjens (1979)does not
indicate surface collection during the site's subsequent testing.It is
not known if later testing at an unknown date resulted in surface
collections.Collections from surface contexts did occur during the site's
mitigation in 1981 (Davis 1985).Bond (1985:273 and Table C-56)does note
that 18 sherds were collected from the surface of the site.
5.ESTIMATED DEPTH OF CULTURAL FILL:20-100 cm (C)
HOW ESTIMATED (IF TESTED,SHOW LOCATION ON SITE MAP):As noted in Part A,
#33,Agenbroad (1985)illustrates the general depth to caliche across the
site (40 to 50 cm deep).Where the pit structure,Feature 1,was
encountered,the depth to floor was 45 cm below modern ground surface.
6.EXCAVATION STATUS:[X]EXCAVATED (A)[]TESTED (B)
[]UNEXCAVATED (C)
TESTING METHOD:Backhoe trenches accomplished the test excavations
conducted by the Division of State History (Nielson 1979)and Abajo
Archaeology (Davis 1985).
7.SUMMARY OF ARTIFACTS AND DEBRIS:pottery (CS),chipped stone artifacts
(LS),ground/pecked stone artifacts (GS),faunal bone (WB),and vegetal
remains samples (VR)
DESCRIBE:Arbitrarily listed above are multiple artifact classes retrieved
from the excavated site.Naturally,this list is not exhaustive.The
reader is referred to Davis (1985)for a full accounting of the artifacts
collected and cataloged for 42Sa8014.
8.LITHIC TOOLS:
#TYPE
1 stemmed point (HB)
1 scraper (IH)
1 drill (IB)
1 core (10)
1 utilized core (IS)
9 peckingstones (10)(n=12)
7 hammerstones (IF)
1 polishing stone (IP)
5 one-hand mana (NA)
9 two-hand mana (NB)(n=9)
1 indet.mana (NZ)
4 trough metate (MC)
DESCRIBE:Lithic artifacts recovered from 42Sa8014 include a projectile
point (a stemmed point with flared tangs,a style common to the BMIII and
PI periods),a scraper,a drill,a core and a core tool,peckingstones
(n=12),hammerstones (n=7),and a polishing stone.This last item was
interpreted as a "floor polisher."Ground stone tools include 15 manos (5
one-hand manos,9 two-hand manos,and 1 indeterminate)and 4 trough metate
specimens.
9.LITHIC DEBITAGE -ESTIMATED QUANTITY:Davis (1985)notes that 142 pieces
of debitage were collected from the site.
MATERIAL TYPE:Davis (1985:Table 11-4)distinguishes six material types
associated with the site's debitage assemblage.These debitage material
types,and their counts and percentages,are as follows:chert (n=81,
57.0%),quartzite (n=13,9.2%),chalcedony (n=35,24.6%),jasper (n=l,
0.1%),agate (n=6,4.2%),and quartz (n=6,4.2%).
FLAKING STAGES:(0)NOT PRESENT (1)RARE
(2)COMMON (3)DOMINANT
[1]DECORTICATION [1]SECONDARY [3]TERTIARY
[2]SHATTER [1]CORE
10.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (ALL LITHICS):Data not available.
11.CERAMIC ARTIFACTS:
#TYPE
E Undifferentiated Plain Gray (EY)(n=413)
B Undifferentiated Corrugated (E1)(n=l)
B Chapin Gray (EE)(n=8)
B Moccasin Gray (EF)(n=4)
E Mancos Gray (EG)(n=208)
B Piedra B/w (EN)(n=7)
B Mancos B/w (EP)(n=l)
C Bluff B/r (EK)(n=24)
B Deadmans B/r (EL)(n=4)
B Undifferentiated Red Ware (EB)(n=9)
DESCRIBE:A total of 681 pottery sherds were collected from the site an
analyzed.Bond (1985:273-274,Table 10-4)reports on the pottery
assemblage from the data recovery excavations at 42Sa8014.Several minor
discrepancies occur between Table 10-4,which reports pottery type totals
by feature,and Tables C-56 through C-62,which sum type by feature
context.We have recalculated the tally for the whole site for this site
form-these totals are provided above.The whole site assemblage indicates
that the site probably represents a single occupation that dates to the
late Pueblo I period,probably in the late A.D.800s or early A.D.900s.
12.MAXIMUM DENSITY-#/SQ M (CERAMICS):Data not available.
13.NON-ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
DESCRIBE:
14.ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (LOCATE ON SITE MAP):
#MATERIAL TYPE
1 subterranean (I)pit structure (AF)
1 masonry (B)cist (AE)
DESCRIBE:Feature 1 is a sub-circular pit structure.The feature measures
3.3 m north-south by 3.5 m east-west,and is about 45 cm below modern
ground surface.Six pit features and one mealing bin were located within
the room,but no postholes.The utter lack of postholes suggests that the
roof was an ephemeral,exterior structure that may have been removed upon
the feature's abandonment.The room was not burned.Though not recognized,
one or two of the structure's pit features probably served as an informal
hearth.The mealing bin and artifact assemblage suggest a variety of
activities were associated with the room,including food processing,tool
production and maintenance,and perhaps hunting-related activities.
However,the feature's small size and its relatively informal construction
indicate a seasonal occupation (Davis and others 1985:172).
Feature 2 is the remains of a rectangular,slab-lined cist that measured
1.9 m east-west by 0.7 m north-south and was about 40 cm deep.The feature
was partially destroyed during testing activities.Enough of the feature
remained however to indicate that Feature 2's interior had been burned,
perhaps as a part of food-processing activities.Located only 1.2 m east
of Feature 1,the cist was most probably associated with the activities
centered on the pit structure.
15.COMMENTS/CONTINUATIONS:
0.5 miles
,,_Jr"-,--,,,.J .-,-I-,I~,~I
05 1~km
0.0
~-I !I II
0.0
Location for 42Sa8014,Black Mesa Butte,Utah,7.5'
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
.------------------------------------
428a8014
--......••••••••••••.._.........
=
F1 ••~---,..
( \@;CJ
I ••••~0q,'8\~---.....~
•F2•
..;••
..'••••••••••••••••
.._.......
..-
••__w .
o 10 mIi..I
KEY
&.datum
F#feature~Plano trench
••••Utah State Antiquities trench
Redrawn from Davis and others
(1985:Figure 7-38)
L...-, _
Top:42Sa8014,Feature 1 depression in foreground,facing south
Bottom:42Sa8014,overview,facing south
--------