Craft Specialization in the Southern Tucson Basin: Archaeological Excavations at the Julian Wash Site, AZ BB:13:17 (ASM), Part 1: Introduction, Excavation Results, and Artifact Investigations

Results of large-scale excavations conducted by Desert Archaeology, Inc., personnel in 2000, at the Julian Wash site, AZ BB:13:17 (ASM), are reported in two volumes. Data recovery focused on portions of the site that were to be directly impacted by construction of the new highway interchange, while portions of the site not impacted were set aside as preserves later incorporated into a regional park. Excavations focused on four areas with concentrations of prehistoric cultural features. The investigations resulted in the partial or complete excavation of 244 features: 90 pit structures or possible structures, 35 human burial features from a single cemetery, and 119 extramural features. Over 59,000 artifacts were collected in addition to hundreds of soil, mineral, pollen, radiocarbon, and archaeomagnetic samples. Most of the features were prehistoric, ranging in age from the Late Cienega phase (400 B.C.-A.D. 50) to the Late Rincon phase (A.D. 1100-1150), although a small Historic era ditch and single modern dog and modern cat burials were also uncovered. Long term residential stability of up to several hundred years was documented for some multigenerational households at Julian Wash represented by overbuilt courtyard groups. Some level of larger macrosocial unit was indicated by a cemetery that was clearly linked to a larger-than-household social unit. Data were synthesized for all the various excavations at the site, and the most likely location of the central plaza is identified. The single most significant discovery of the project was demonstrable proof that Sedentary period (A.D. 950-1150) inhabitants were acquiring sand, and presumably clay, from the western side of the Santa Cruz River for the production of pottery on site and that the village-level specialization in pottery production previously documented at the West Branch site, AZ AA:16:3 (ASM), was occurring at a cluster of settlements in the southern Tucson Basin, Julian Wash included, all of which shared the same resources. Other important findings included the documentation of specific ritual behavior involving the use of palettes and evidence of varied craft and food production activities.