Dolores Archaeological Program Technical Reports, DAP-085: Excavations in Area 3, Grass Mesa Village (Site 5MT23), 1979 and 1980, a Pueblo I habitation

Excavations conducted in Area 3 of Grass Mesa Village (Site 5MT23) included a probability sample and intensive excavations of roomblock and pithouse subareas. Excavated roomblock and pithouses span the Periman and Grass Mesa Subphases of the McPhee Phase. Historic looting and rodent disturbance had da maged much of the roomblock subarea, preventing detailed description and interpretation. However, at least two major construction episodes are represent ed by small, probably jacal, rooms overlain by later rooms with masonry-footed walls. Neither of these construction episodes can be dated. Other building episodes may have occurred through this time period, but disturbance has been too great to define specific rooms or stratigraphic relationships.

Portions of four pithouses were excavated, three in the center and one at the southern edge of the area. Pithouse 3 is a large subrectangular structure that was extensively remodeled. A tree-ring date of A.D. 856r from a burned timber in the ventilator may mark the construction date of Pithouse 3. Ceramic types associated with the latest floor in Pithouse 3 suggest abandonment after A.D. 875. Two smaller rectangular pithouses (Pithouses 1 and 5) were dug partially into the fill of Pithouse 3. They appear to have been occupied simultaneously and may have been functionally complementary; both were abandoned before A.D. 910. Pithouse 8, located at the southern edge of the area, was partially excavated and associated ceramics indicate that it was abandoned sometime between A.D. 860 and 910.