ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE INFORMATION
Feature 136
Feature 136 was located in the south-central portion of the property. This
structure was identified in judgmentally selected Trench 20, which had been
dug at a 45· angle to the southeast of the entryway of Feature 21.
Feature 136 was evident in both sides of the trench as a compacted surface
overlying the red silt stratum. The backhoe stripped the area above the
feature to approximately 0.10 m above the floor.
This overburden contained large amounts of artifacts and this general area
of heavy trash was later given a feature designation (Feature 141). The
northern portion of this pithouse was destroyed by the post-occupational
trash deposit.
Feature 136 was a subrectangular house-in-pit and measured 5.32 x 2.15 m;
the total floor area was 11.438 square meters, with a long axis orientation
of 0·. Since the northern portion of the floor was destroyed by a
trash deposit, the length of the house was estimated by measuring from the
center of the hearth (Feature 142) to the southern edge and multiplying
by two. Haury(1976) has classified similar houses as type C-3.
The entryway for this feature was mostly destroyed by the backhoe trench,
however, enough of the structure remained to obtain a placement and orientation.
The entrance faced west and was probably parallel sided and centered on
the house: the length of the entry was 0.55 m, but the width was indeterminate.
No step or associated entryway postholes were discernible. The floor surface
was a mixture of clayey silts and caliche. This surface was relatively flat
and was not burned; it appeared as a light tan-colored, hard-packed surface.
The portion of the floor that was not destroyed by Feature 141 was in good
condition. The only other disturbance to the floor occurred at the eastern
end where at least one post from a later floor (Feature 139) had intruded
the floor of Feature 136.
The fill above the floor was mixed with the post-occupational trash deposit.
The trash (Feature 141) was in a gray silty matrix. Evidence of roof or
wall fall was minimal.The hearth was centered on the entrance and was situated
0.41 m from the entry floor juncture. It was basin shaped and plaster lined,
with a few minor cracks and evidence of at least one replastering at the
southern edge. The hearth was 0.28 m in diameter and 0.06 m deep and did
not have a well defined collar.
The posthole configuration was not easy to determine due to disturbance
by Feature 141 and the backhoe trench. It seemed plausible that four main
corner supports were present. The single corner that remained intact had
two large postholes at least one of which was most likely associated with
Feature 139. No other large postholes were found, although one posthole
was 0.34 m deep and might also have been a possible main support. The average
diameter of these three postholes was 0.18 m, and the average depth was
0.25 m. The postholes were irregularly shaped and were characterized by
fill that was similar to the fill above the floor.
Eleven secondary postholes were also observed. These postholes had an average
diameter of 0 10 m and an average depth of 0.11 m. These irregularly shaped
postholes also contained a fill similar to that above the floor. No construction
trench or exterior postholes were found. The presence of only a few floor
contact artifacts and a paucity of burning suggested that this house probably
was abandoned intentionally.
Feature 136 was situated approximately 9.0 m southeast of the entry of Feature
21, with its floor 0.05 m deeper. This structure might have been part of
a courtyard group with Feature 21.Feature 139, a partial floor, was directly
above (0.20 m) the southwestern corner of Feature 136. Feature 141 was a
trash deposit that destroyed the northern half of the Feature 136's floor
and intruded the area around and above it.