Late Prehistoric Villages Southeast of Tucson, Arizona and the Archaeology of the Tanque Verde Phase

Abstract

Nearly 20 prehistoric villages and rock shelters are known to exist in the Rincon Valley, southeast of Tucson, Arizona. With one exception, none has been excavated. The exception, Tanque Verde Ruin, was partially excavated 38 years ago. Other scattered features—bedrock mortars, petroglyphs, and pictographs—are common. Sherd collections indicate the presence of Tucson Hohokam in the Rincon Valley from late Colonial to middle Classic times.This paper reports the recent excavation of Arizona BB: 14:24, a part of the same village as Tanque Verde Ruin, at the west end of the Rincon Valley. Throughout, an attempt has been made to collect, incorporate, and evaluate the largely unpublished data from Tanque Verde Ruin. Both sites are assigned to the Tanque Verde Phase of the Tucson Basin Hohokam cultural sequence, although some things suggest that they were also occupied during the preceding Rincon and Rillito Phases.A survey in the immediate vicinity of Arizona BB: 14:24 yielded evidence of widespread settlement in the Tanque Verde foothills during Tanque Verde times (approximately A.D. 1100–1300). Available information about excavated and surveyed Tanque Verde Phase sites is examined in order to provide a comprehensive statement about the Tanque Verde Phase and its cultural affinities.