Exploring the Edge, March 8–9, 15–16

We have been working in the Coyote Mountains for three weeks now as part of our Edge of Salado investigation.

I can say, without any doubt, that it has been one of my favorite settings to work in. Each site is nestled within a box canyon eroded from micaceous igneous rock, which presents a pure sense of grandeur each time you look up from your 1 x 2 m excavation unit.

These sites are the southernmost platform mound compounds recorded in the Hohokam region, and I really like telling people about how awesome they are.

Lunch is always a communal affair and so far we’ve had one field birthday, which are always pretty great. Brownies and snickerdoodles during an archaeological dig really should just be as standard as trowels and water.

Although we are all hoping for cool and beautiful artifacts, paperwork is a necessary part of any scientific, controlled excavation so that accurate information on soil type and volume, artifact locations, and what disturbances (such as rodent burrows) were encountered while excavating.

However, it isn’t nearly as dull as it can be because it’s generally done surrounded by a great group of people.

While out in the Coyote Mountains, we’ve seen some pretty spectacular rock art as well as a nice knapping demonstration this past weekend by Allen Denoyer.

Although fieldwork is one of the more enjoyable aspects of being an archaeologist, at the end of an exhausting day of paperwork, shoveling, screening, and backfilling, it’s usually about time to leave the past behind and get “Back to the Future.”

Preservation Fellow Lewis Borck leads our fieldwork and a team of volunteers. You can follow along at lsborck on Instagram, @LewisBorck on Twitter, and at Archaeology Southwest’s Facebook page.