The Archaeology of the Red Cliffs Site

This volume reports the excavation of a Virgin Anasazi site located on a tributary to the Virgin River in Washington County, Utah. It marks the first major excavation report for a southwestern Utah desert riverine site since the work of the University of Utah in the mid-1960's.

A detailed analysis of the local environment provides perspective on the prehistoric occupation. It is found that the environment would have been constraining for primitive agriculturalists, but very favorable aspects are also demonstrated. Certain local resources are found to be rather abundant but site deposits yielded little evidence of use of the varied and diverse biotic resource.

Described for two excavation areas are 27 storage units - but only two habitations, outdoor firepits, midden areas, use surfaces, and other minor features. Artifacts were not abundant and ground stone was very scarce. A nice sample of restorable vessels was recovered, however, representing the later of the site occupations. The occupational history of the site is found to be complex and complicated, particularly as regards building sequences in the blocks of storage rooms where extensive rebuilding, reuse and other modifications are evident.

Site occupation, believed to be periodic, is shown to span several hundred years. Indicated are two distinct occupations, deemed to represent local Pueblo I and Pueblo II periods. While change over time is evident, there is
also seen marked continuity between the periods, particularly in the evolution of architectural form. A partial and tentative system of unnamed phases is presented to account for the site occupations; this is thought to have validity over a wider domain in the Virgin area but has not yet been formalized.

A brief account of site stabilization for display is provided, along with some notes on the history and conduct of the project, as well as an evaluation of the prospects for additional work on the site. A brief review of previous work in the area is provided that also includes a listing of work in progress.