5MT 1749 is a Basketmaker III (AD 450-700) period habitation located on the mesa top some 250 m north of Lightning Tree Canyon. The site is rather substantial, covering approximately 3 acres, and consists of 1 surface structure, 44 rock pile features, 18 artifact concentrations, and 1 midden.

The surface structure is represented by a series of upright slabs at right angles to one another and a scattered pile of adobe. The proposed structure may once have measured approximately 10 m by 7 m, and included an unknown number of rooms. It is almost certain that the structure was associated with a pitstructure, but identifying pitstructures based on surface remains is difficult. In addition, chaining of the mesa top has significantly altered surface remains.

The 44 rock piles are the remains of an unknown activity. They may be some sort of roasting or cooking features, although these are usually only identifiable in excavation. The rock piles may even be all that is left of surface features.

Artifact concentrations were visibly dense clusters of lithic and ceramic artifacts, not necessarily in association with any rock pile feature. The ceramics from these concentrations yielded a significant number of Chapin black-on-white sherds, which helped date the site to Basketmaker III. The tools included numerous groundstone pieces, but also a large number of cores, hammerstones, and utilized flakes, cores and hammerstones.

Click here for a map of the site.

Click here for a data table from the site.

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