Nonstructure 115, extramural surface

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Features

Wall: other (Feature 1) Top of page
General description
Feature 1 consists of approximately eight to ten shaped sandstone slabs, stacked on one another with no visible mortar holding them together. Feature 1 is south of a small drainage and other stones are visible in the drainage's bottom. A chaining pin was used to probe the area north of Feature 1, outside the excavation unit, and more stones are present. The upslope portion, the western side, appears to have a higher artifact density than downslope.
Use history
This feature was likely used as a check dam across a small drainage.
Associated features
This feature may be related to the Pueblo II occupation of Site 5MT10715 to the north of 5MT2032.
Excavation procedure
Feature 1 was located on the modern ground surface as a cluster of stones. A 2-x-2-m unit was placed over it and excavated by natural strata. Feature 1 was revealed as a stacked wall segment in the north portion of the unit. It was cleared and mapped and no further excavation was done.
Portion excavated
Approximately, the southern portion.
Horizontal location
Northern portion of unit.
Vertical location
Resting on, and just above, Surface-1.
Construction
Feature 1 was constructed on an extramural surface, by stacking shaped sandstone slabs/blocks on one another. It is unclear if this wall was wet-laid. No mortar was observed.. Feature 1 may have been constructed across the small drainage, since several stones are visible downslope, and others are still buried outside the excavation unit (located with a chaining pin).
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
No
Sooting
No
Sealed
No
Preservation
Poor
Degree of preservation
Slope erosion and water erosion from the small drainage contributed to the feature's poor preservation.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  other
Inferred:  other
Shape in cross section
Actual:  other
Inferred:  other
Shape comments
The feature is a stacked wall.
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
62
No
South portion.
Width
36
No
Height
12
No
Depth
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture