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5MT 1692 is a late Pueblo III (AD
1200-1300) located in an alcove in the north Lightning Tree Canyon
rim cliff band. The site is relatively small, consisting of just
two defined rooms, a plaza area, and a kiva. There is no well defined
midden; artifacts are fairly evenly scattered down the talus slope
below the rooms.
The plaza space appears to have been
created by building a series of arcing retaining walls and then
filling in the space behind them with rubble. The kiva is dug into
this fill, so actually the whole plaza and retaining wall system
was simply a way to create an above ground kiva (soil depth is very
shallow at this spot).
One rock art panel is present, consisting
of whitish-grey pictographs that are faded and hard to discern.
However, a bird-like figure, and some straight line geometrics can
just be made out. Near the rock art panel is a small niche that
may or may not be man-made. No artifacts were found in the niche.
The site has been rather significantly
impacted by looting. The floors of both rooms have been completely
excavated and the back dirt deposited in the north end of the presumed
kiva. Shovel probes dot the slope below the habitation.
Click here for a map of the site.
Click
here for a data table from the site.
Photos:
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