MUSEUM OF NEW MEXICO ARCHAEOLOGY NOTES OFFICE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES EMERGENCY REMOVAL OF A BURIAL FROM PUEBLO BLANCO, LA 40

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1 MUSEUM OF NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES EMERGENCY REMOVAL OF A BURIAL FROM PUEBLO BLANCO, LA 40 Nancy J. Akins and Peter Y. Bullock Submitted by Timothy D. Maxwell Principal Investigator ARCHAEOLOGY NOTES SANTA FE 1993 NEW MEXICO

2 ADMINISTRATIVE SUMMARY At the request of the New Mexico State Land Office archaeologists from the Museum of new Mexico, Office of Archaeological Studies, excavated a burial eroding from the wall of an arroyo beneath Roomblock 15 at Pueblo Blanco (LA 40). The burial was located within a subfloor cist dug into the base of one of the rooms. Both the room and cist were completely excavated. The burial was not complete, but missing elements were later recovered. A small number of artifacts was coll ected during excavation. No further work is recommended. Annual Burial Permit No. (ABE-056) ii

3 CONTENTS BACKGROUND FIELD METHODS EXCAVATION RESULTS The Room The Cist The Burial SUMMARY REFERENCES APPENDIX NO. 1 Human Elements Collected After TABLES Tabl e 1. Artifact Counts by Provenience Tabl e 2.Buri a1 Elements. FIGURES Excavation Figure 1. Location of Room Containing Burial. 13 Figure 2. P1 an View of Burial. 14 iii

4 BACKGROUND On March 25, 1993, the Museum of New Mexico, Office of Archaeological Studies, was contacted by Dorothy Meeker of the State Land Office regarding a human buri a1 eroding out of an arroyo bank at Pueblo B1 anco, LA 40. The buri a1 was approximately 2.0 meters below the present ground surface beneath what appeared to be a room. The face, part of one arm, and knees were protruding from the bank. Collapse of the arroyo side had removed a portion of one femur and possibly some ribs. On the ground below the burial, on top of the collapsed buri a1 pit fi 11, were a portion of a humerus and a rib. The humerus appears to have been broken by visitors to the site as it was parallel to the bank in a position where the break was unlikely to have occurred from the collapsing bank. Other human bones were observed in the arroyo bank several meters east of the burial and on the arroyo bottom in this area. Some of those exposed in the bank were bel ow a gravel 1 ayer that undoubtedly predates the main occupation at Pueblo B1 anco. A higher gravel 1 ayer was bisected by the burial pit. While some of these exposed bones were not in situ (a rib that appears to have been stuck into the bank and a calcaneus that was set in a tunnel gouged in the bank), other bone fragments appeared to be in situ. Richard Bennett from the Office of the Medical Examiner visited the site the following week and confirmed that it was prehistoric. Unfortunately, in doing so, he removed the cranium from the bank, breaking it into a number of pieces. The cranium was left on the collapsed burial pit fill below the burial. This and the other parts had disappeared by the time we returned to excavate the buri a1, The burial was excavated on April 6 and April 7, Peter Y. Bullock of the Office of Archaeological Studies was assisted by Jim Duncan, Jim Duncan, 1

5 Jr., and Julie Myers. On May 6, 1993, Scott Geister, Christy Comer, and Jim Duncan monitored the arroyo re-channel 1 ing project at Pueblo B1 anco. The missing femur and bones from another individual were uncovered and coll ected (Appendix 1). On May 15, 1993, David Cushman o f the Historic Preservation Division visited the site and found the missing cranium and humerus. An additional rib and tibia shaft from another individual were also recovered from the arroyo at this time. Nancy 3. Akins analyzed the burial and miscell aneous human bones, Mensel identified the diagnostic ceramics, Macy and Timothy D. Maxwell served as principal investigator. Excavation notes and analysis forms for the burial are on file with the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division, Archeological Records Management System, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The artifacts will be turned over to Dr. Winifred Creamer of Northern Illinois University, is currently who conducting research at the site. The buri a1 was removed FIELD METHODS by excavating downward from the present ground surface. This was the best approach given the questionable stability of the arroyo bank. The modern ground surface was cleared of loose and unconsol rock idated wall fall, effectively removing the top 35 cm o f material from the area above the exposed burial. This revealed a previously unknown room (Figure 1) directly above the burial. Three of the rooms walls (eastern, southern, and western walls) were visible at this stage. The remaining area of the room measures 88 cm north-south by 140 cm east-west. Excavation was completed using hand tools. Room fi 11 was excavated in arbitrary 20 cm levels with a1 1 excavated soil screened through 1/4 inch mesh 2

6 hardware cloth. Artifacts were bagged, assigned a field specimen number, and taken back to the laboratory for analysis (Table 1). A recording form, describing the matrix encountered was completed for each level. No pollen, flotation, or C-14 samples were collected, due to the extensive rodent activity within the cist fill. EXCAVATION RESULTS The Room Room fill consisted of a single layer of eolian sand. Artifacts were present within this material but in low numbers. Wallfall was also present, principally in the upper two levels of fill. Corn cob fragments were recovered from the lower fill and floor levels. The 20 cm of fill directly above the floor was designated floor fill. This material was identical to the rest of the room fill. The upper wall s were constructed of shaped rock and clay masonry. Plaster was present on the rooms wall s, a1 though the number of 1 ayers could not be determined. The height of the remaining walls varied: the east wall was 46 cm high, the south wall 86 cm high, and the west wall had a height of 62 cm. area within the masonry walls had been dug out, effectively lowering the floor of the room to 20 cm below the base of the masonry. The Fill visible beneath the masonry consisted of 10 cm o f soil containing cultural material overlying 10 cm of culturally sterile soil. The floor was encountered at the base of level 4, 115 cm bel ow the modern ground surface. It was a prepared sandy clay surface. Inspection revealed the presence o f a sub-floor cist. Other features may have been present in the portion of the room that had collapsed into the arroyo. I Ci st

7 The bell -shaped cist was partially removed by the collapse of the northern portion of the room into the arroyo. The remaining segment of the cist measured 50 cm north-south by 134 cm east-west, with a depth of 98 cm below the floor of the room. Nothing present indicates thathe cist had been sealed. The room appears to have been abandoned after the ci st was purposely fill ed. Fil within the cist was removed in two units. Upper fill, to just above the burial, was removed as a single level. The remaining fill (20-25 cm in depth), was provenienced as floor fill and removed as the burial was excavated. Fil within the cist was a homogeneous sandy soil containing a small amount of gravel and lumps of clay. The cist was clay lined, some of which was intact along the lower walls. The presence of this 1 ining explains the lumps of clay present within the feature fill. The burial was placed on a 1 ayer of fill, 10 cm above the base of the cist. There was no discernable difference between this fill and that in the rest of the cist. This area of the burial had experienced massive rodent activity. The lower 20 cm of feature fill was a 1 arge rodent nest (50 percent grass, pinon nut hull s, and rodent fecal material and bodies -- primarily ground squirrels). Only the mandible, some of the cervical vertebrae, the right humerus, the pel vis, and leg elements were in pl ace. A1 1 of the other bones had been moved and incorporated into the rodent nest. No buri a1 goods were found. The individual was placed on her b ack with the legs semi-flexed on the right side. The spine was roughly east to west with the head to the east. Her head rested on the right side, facing north, and slightly upright from leaning against the cist wall. The right arm was extended along the right side, The left arm bones were missing or scattered as were parts of the spine, the ribs, left foot, and hands. 4

8 THE BURIAL The burial is a female between 40 and 50 years of age. No major pathologies or obvious cause of death are evident. Missing parts include eight thoracic vertebrae, one lumbar vertebra, parts o f ribs, the left radius, the right proximal femur, and several hand and foot bones, The bone is generally in good condition, Post-mortem breaks caused by settl ing and earth pressure were observed on several ribs and the right radius. Portions of the right temporal, mandible, scapulae, and right ilium are deteriorated. Probable rodent gnawing is present on the ribs and scapulae. Most of the mandibular dentition is present. Both third molars are probably congenitally absent as there is little space. The left second molar is missing, probably postmortem. No caries are present, however, moderate to severe alveolar resorption indicative of periodontal disease is present and most of teeth have heavy cal cul deposits, us Hypopl asi a 1 i nes or i rregul ar enamel are present on the basal halves of the left second premolar, both canines, and the second incisors. The incisors are shovel -shaped. Attrition is moderate to heavy. The maxilla is broken and both lateral incisors were missing. The third molars are congenitally absent and other molars were lost antemortem. The tooth sockets on the left side are largely remodeled and those on the right are only slightly remodeled. Small interproximal caries are present at the enamel root intersections o f the right premolars. Moderate a1 veol ar resorption is present throughout but no calculus deposits remain. Hypoplasia 1 ines or irregular enamel are present on the basal halves of the central incisors and canines. A1 1 maxillary dentition are heavily worn with dentine exposed throughout. 5

9 Two anomalies were noted. There is a sharp angle in the sternum at the junction of the manubrium and body with no indication of trauma. Both acetabulums have shallow pits or grooves in the superior surface. The left measures 9.7 mm by 2.6 mm and.3 mm deep and the right is 7.7 mm by 3.8 mm and -2 mm deep. Three small (4 mm diameter) osteomas are present, one each on the frontal, left and right parietals. Degenerative arthritis is relatively slight for an individual 40 to 50 years of age. Small degenerative lesions were noted on some vertebral bodies and articular surfaces and the mandibular condyle. A larger lesion (1.0 by.5 cm) is present on the posterior portion of the lateral condyle of the right distal femur. Thinning cortex is more common occurring on the proximal humerus, the glenoids, and knee elements. Osteophytic development is generally sl ight throughout. Three of the thoracic vertebrae (probably the sixth to the eighth) have osteophytic ridges on the anterior body. The uppermost of this series has a concave inferior base, especially pronounced on the anterior face. The anterior ridging may be related, however, similar ridging occurs on several burials from LA 3333, another site in the Galisteo Basin, but is absent or very uncommon in popul ations from the Four Corners area (Chaco and Canyon the La P1 ata highway area). There may be a genetic predisposition for this kind o f ridging or it could be activity related. Measurements are possible on a number of elements (Table 2). These are consistent with female measurements for LA 3333 and indicate a stature of f 2.99 cm when based on the femur length, cm when based on the tibia length, and f 3.52 cm when based on the fibula length (Ubelaker 1978:44 (Mexican formula)). 161 cm (n= 7). The range for LA 3333 females based on femur length 152 to 6

10 Characteristics of the innominates, as well as measurements of the various elements, indicate the individual was a female. Aging, based on the os pubis symphysial phase (Gilbert and McKern 1973, McKern and Stewart 1957, Todd 1920) suggest the individual was at 1 east 36 years of age and maybe as old as 59. Wear on the mandibular dentition suggests an age range of 35 to 45 years (White 1990). Most likely, she was between 40 and 50 years of age at death. The maximum vertical humerus head diameter (38.5 cm) is within the female range for LA 3333 (37 to 42, n=ll) (the male range is 41 to 50, n=5). The maximum head diameter of the femur (38.6 cm) is within the female range for LA 3333 (female range = 38 to 44, n = 12; male range = 42 to 46, n= 7). SUMMARY Remains of an adult female were recovered from a subfloor cist in a room in roomblock 15 at Pueblo Blanco. The room was abandoned with or soon after the interment. No burial goods remained with the burial, however, since the arroyo bank removed a portion of the cist and burial, it is possible that these, too, have disappeared. No obvious pathologies or cause of death were found. Espinosa G1 aze Polychrome (G1 aze I I I) ceramics (with 1 ati te hornbl end temper probably made at Tonque Pueblo) in the room and pit fill suggest that the burial dates to about A.D to

11 References Bass, William M Human Osteology: A Laboratory and Field Manual. Special Publication No.2 (Third edition), Missouri Archaeological Society, Columbia. Gi 1 bert, B. Miles and Thomas W. McKern 1973 A Method for Aging the Female Os Pubis. American Journa7 of Physical Anthropology, 38(1): McKern, T, W., and T. D. Stewart 1957 Skeleta7 Age Changes in Young American Males. Headquarters, Quartermaster Research and Development Command, Technical Report EP-45. Natick. Todd, T, W Age Changes in the Pubic Bone: I, The Male White Pubis. American Journal of Physical Anthropo7ogy, 3(3): ). Ubel aker, Doug1 as H Human Skeletal Remains: Excavation, Analysis, Interpretation. Aldine Manuals on Archaeology, Aldine, Chicago, 8

12 Table 1. Artifact Counts by Provenience Provenience Ground- Lithic st one Bone Artifacts NonHmn Bone Ceramics Hunan Other Unknown Room Level Room Room Level Room floor fill Level Corn Cist General fill Cist Floor fill Corn Corn 9

13 Table 2. Burial Measurements (cm). 10

14 measurement (generally Bass 1987) 1 eft/no side right 11

15 Appendix 1 Human Bones Collected After the Excavations (adult elements that are not part of the buri a1 ) Elements Collected on May 6, 1993 by Christy Comer, Jim Duncan, and Geister: Scott 1) right calcanuem; mostly complete with damage/missing cortex superior and posterior; weathered and eroded; 1 arge female or male; not part of the burial 2) left scapula; glenoid only; eroded and weathered; large individual -- probably a male; not part of the burial 3) right first metatarsal; distal end missing; eroded and weathered; slight lipping and surface deteoration on the proximal articular surface; probably not part of the burial 4) left first metatarsal; superior shaft fragment; eroded and weathered; probably not part of the burial 5) hand second phalanx; complete; possibly part of the burial 6) small rib shaft fragment; eroded and weathered; probably not part of the burial 7) left innominate; small piece of the posterior ilium; large individual - - probably male; not part of the burial Elements collected on May 15, 1993 by David Cushman: 1) right tibia; about half of the shaft; good condition with carnivore gnawing on shaft and ends, edges rounded; not part of the buri a1 2) right rib shaft fragment; fresh breaks at both ends; individual is larger than the burial and rib is better preserved than the right ribs from the buri a1 12

16 I \ i 4 Eyr Figure 1. Location of Room Containing Burial. 13

17 Figure 2. Plan View of Burial. 14