Archeological Investigation of Rooms 15 and 16 at the Upper Cliff Dwelling (AZ U:8:48 [ASM]), Tonto National Monument

Fox, Gregory L., Western Archeological and Conservation Center, 1415 North Sixth Avenue. Tucson, AZ 85705. ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF ROOMS 15 AND 16 AT THE UPPER CLIFF DWELLING (AZ U:8:48 [ASM]), TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT

The Upper Cliff Dwelling (AZ U:8:48 lASM)) at Tonto National Monument is a Gila phase site (ca. A.D. 1350-1450) that is a contributing property to
the Tonto National Monument National Register District. Continuing water and rodent disturbances to archeological deposits in Rooms 15 and 16 in
the Upper Cliff Dwelling have adversely impacted cultural matcrials and standing walls. Salvage excavations of archeological materials were initiated after a multiyear study on methods to prevent further damage. The data-recovery effort was conductcd under the auspices of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Initial test excavations
were conducted in December 1997, with full-scale excavation conducted in April and May 1998.
All cultural deposits were excavated from Rooms 15 and 16. Analyses of deposit fill and cultural materials indicate that the integrity of the deposits
has been severely impacted, primarily as a result of long-term faunalturbation. Both rooms had been abandoned during the prehistoric occupation of the cliff dwelling and subsequently were used as garbage dumps by the site's inhabitants, which resulted in the formation of large midden deposits. Regardless. even though the context of cultural materials was disturbed, the results of the analyses may shed new light on the settlement and procurement patterns of prehistoric inhabitants
of the Tonto Basin during the Gila phase.