AGUA FRIA CHAPTER

Calderwood Project

The Agua Fria Chapter has continued work on the Calderwood project which was conducted as AAS' first excavation from 1965 - 1971. Through Don Dove and Ed Pritchett, Donna Ruiz y Costello located the excavation materials in 2001 and retrieved them from Richard Bliss who had them stored very carefully and in an organized fashion at his home in west Phoenix. As suggested by general chapter advisor Maurice Shoger, Larry Robertson conducted a complete inventory of the materials received from Richard Bliss over several months in 200l. At a preliminary planning meeting held at Mr. Shoger's home, the inventory list was shared by laboratory principals with professional archaeologists Mark Hackbarth and Tom Wright in late summer of 2001. In the fall of 2001, sorting, assignation of laboratory specimen numbers and washing began with a series of laboratory classes taught by Maurice Shoger. These classes have continued throughout the chapter's first five years and have included: Laboratory Techniques I, Ceramics ID and Analysis, Lithic ID and Analysis, and Shell ID and Analysis. Faunal ID and Analysis was conducted by Lydia Pyne, Dr. Curtis Marean's Ph. D. candidate, at the ASU faunal laboratory in the summer 2005. From 1965 through 1971, under leadership of Don Dove and others, principal investigators for the Calderwood excavation were Ed Pritchett (field director) and Walter "Dutch" Duering (assistant field director in the final years). Materials are in process of being analyzed by the Agua Fria Chapter with report(s) and curation decision pending.

In 2003, Walter "Dutch" Duering came on board as the Calderwood project advisor. His presence has served as a valuable bridge between 1971 and the present and will ensure continuity for the final report.

Linda Dorsey is the primary laboratory director. Specialists for the project are Dutch Duering (ceramics), Linda Dorsey (lithics), Paulette Gehlker (shell), Donna Ruiz y Costello (faunal and human osteology), Dutch Duering (architecture, overall site report, and ACCESS database). Donna Ruiz y Costello is the excavation historian. As of January 2007, all ceramic sherds (~11,00) have been labeled and level 1 Analysis has begun. A Ceramic Analysis Manual is being written by Walter "Dutch" Duering as part of this project. All primary lithic specimens have been labeled and Lebel 1 analysis has been completed. Level 2 analysis has begun on the lithic materials. Work on shell analysis and Faunal analysis is progressing well

The various analysis projects present an opportunity for all members to get involved and to learn. Previous experience is not required. Experienced members are available to train newcomers to the project. Any member who is interested in joining this effort should contact Linda Dorsey or the specialist for the specific area of interest.

The initial 2001 research design is pending rewrite by Walter "Dutch" Duering. Temper typologies, lithics studies, shell trade and production, faunal studies coordinated with lithics and Don Dove's previous agricultural work, and architectural affinities with upper Agua Fria sites will play a role in response to informal questions already realized from the literature review and inferred from the materials during processing.