Below and Beyond Perry Mesa: The Archaeology of the Greater West Verde Area, Central Arizona

Presented by R.E. Burrillo

Wednesday, January 8, 3:00pm

Reception to Follow

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                                                                        We surveyed 3,200 acres of a largely unstudied area extending north from Cave Creek
                                                                        between Perry Mesa and the Verde River basin on behalf of the Tonto National Forest (TNF).
                                                                        The results have exceeded our wildest expectations, including re-recording and new
                                                                        discoveries of entire pueblo communities that challenge the existing models of settlement,
                                                                        agriculture, and regional exchange within the greater Verde River region. Initial Formative
                                                                        settlement is associated with the Central Arizona Tradition (CAT) and shows strong         
                                                                        similarities to settlement in the Cave Creek area. Settlement increased gradually until
                                                                        around A.D. 1275 when there was a sharp increase in population, corresponding both
                                                                        culturally and temporally to the Perry Mesa Tradition (PMT). While both CAT and PMT sites
                                                                        occur throughout the study area, there is some geographic bias, with fewer CAT sites toward the northern end and few PMT sites in extreme southern end of study area. During both periods, the region maintained multidirectional cultural ties, with both Hohokam buff wares and northern white wares on CAT sites, and both Hopi Yellow wares and Salado polychromes on PMT sites. These and related results have significant implications for the culture history of both Perry Mesa and the greater Verde River cultural landscape.

 

Ralph "R.E." Burrillo is an archaeologist, researcher, author, and conservation advocate. He holds a Master of Science in Archaeology from the University of Utah and is a Research Associate with Archaeology Southwest. His writing has appeared in Archaeology Southwest Magazine, Colorado Plateau Advocate, The Salt Lake Tribune, along with many regional publications. He is the author of Behind the Bears Ears: Exploring the Cultural and Natural Histories of a Sacred Landscape, which was chosen by ForeWord Book Reviews as their critic's choice in nonfiction for the year 2020. His most recent book, The Backwoods of Everywhere: Words from a Wandering Local, was recently published by Torrey House Press.​​​​​​