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Nonstructure 6.1-N, midden
About this Nonstructure
General Location
East of main drainage on a steep talus slope; southwest of a tested kiva (Structure 5).
Specific Location
1-x-1-m 416N 524E (EU 13), 1-x-1-m 417N 529E (EU 14), 1-x-1-m 418N 522E (EU 15), 1-x-1-m 419N 522E (EU 16), Segment 2 (EU 47), Segment 3 (EU 48), Segment 4 (EU 49), and Segment 5 (EU 50).
Selection Criteria
Part of Nonstructure 6-N testing; see Nonstructure 6-N and associated EU's for description and explanation of testing strategy.
Use
Refuse that has been naturally redeposited; mixed with natural deposits; this redeposition is believed to have occurred after occupation; refuse could have originated from the many structures upslope of this study unit, including a tested kiva, Structure 5.
Abandonment
Not applicable.
Postabandonment Process
See Use.
Dating of Midden
Based on pottery data, this refuse was probably deposited in late Pueblo II and Pueblo III. The most predominant white ware type is McElmo Black-on-white, followed by Mancos Black-on-white and Mesa Verde Black-on-white. Because the trash has been redeposited, it may have come from multiple sources and may include materials that were deposited at different times.
Date Range
3 (A.D. 1000–1280)
Site-Wide Dating
Groups to Which This Study Unit was Assigned
See The Archaeology of Woods Canyon Pueblo (specifically the chapters on architecture, chronology, and artifacts) for more information on study unit groupings at Woods Canyon Pueblo.
| Type | ID | Description |
| area | 4 | Area of east talus slope |
| section | E | East side (east talus slope) |
| subperiod | 9 | Late Pueblo III (A.D. 1225-1280) |
Excavation Details for Excavation Units
In order by excavation unit number.
Excavation Unit
13
Location
1-x-1 meter grid unit 416N 524E.
East of main drainage on steep talus slope; approximately seven meters downslope or south of Structure 5, a kiva.
Southwest part of Nonstructure 6.
Selection Criteria
Random. First of four randomly-selected units for excavation in Nonstructure 6.
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Bedrock.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit
Excavation Unit
14
Location
1-x-1 meter grid unit 417N 529E.
East of main drainage on steep talus slope; south of Structure 5, a kiva.
South part of Nonstructure 6.
Selection Criteria
Random. Second of four randomly-selected units for excavation in Nonstructure 6.
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Bedrock.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit
Excavation Unit
15
Location
1-x-1 meter grid unit 418N 522E.
East of main drainage on steep talus slope; south of Structure 5, a kiva.
West edge of Nonstructure 6, immediately adjacent to and south of 1x1 m unit N419 E522.
Selection Criteria
Random. Third of four randomly-selected units for excavation in NST 6.
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Undisturbed native sediment.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit
Excavation Unit
16
Location
1-x-1 meter grid unit 419N 522E.
East of main drainage on steep talus slope; south of Structure 5.
West edge of Nonstructure 6, immediately adjacent to and north of 1x1 m unit N418 E522.
Selection Criteria
Random. Fourth of four randomly-selected units for excavation in NST 6.
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Fill continued. According to an agreement with BLM, excavations were halted in this unit when a human burial was encountered, however, excavations in adjacent unit (1 x 1 m 418N 522E) indicate that excavations in this unit ended at or just above sterile soil.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit
Excavation Unit
47
Location
Segment 2 N E.
(1-x-1-m)
East of main drainage on steep talus slope.
North part of Nonstructure 6, south of Structure 5, a kiva.
Selection Criteria
Judgmental. Selected to augment the sample of secondary refuse from Nonstructure 6.
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Undisturbed native sediment. Undisturbed native sediment exposed in entire unit; to confirm that this was a sterile deposit a test window was excavated in the northeast corner of unit, and then soil was augered.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit
Excavation Unit
48
Location
Segment 3 N E.
(1-x-1-m)
East of main drainage at base of a steep talus slope.
South of the originally-defined boundaries of Nonstructure 6; immediately north of a possible retaining wall and immediatley east of a side drainage of the main drainage.
Selection Criteria
Judgmental. Based on the argument that the extreme slope present in Nonstructure 6 prevented the accumulation of midden deposits, three units were selected at the base of talus slope in hopes of finding thicker secondary refuse deposits; this is one of the three judg
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Undisturbed native sediment. Undisturbed native sediment exposed in entire unit; to confirm this was a sterile deposit, a test window was excavated in the northeast corner of the unit.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit
Excavation Unit
49
Location
Segment 4 N E.
(1-x-1-m)
East of main drainage at base of a steep, talus slope.
South of the originally-defined boundaries of NST 6; directly north of a large bedrock outcrop on a relatively flat expanse.
Selection Criteria
Judgmental. Based on the argument that the extreme slope present in Nonstructure 6 prevented the accumulation of midden deposits, three units were selected at the base of talus slope in hopes of finding thicker secondary refuse deposits; this is one of the three judg
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Undisturbed native sediment.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit
Excavation Unit
50
Location
Segment 5 N E.
(1-x-1-m)
East of main drainage at the base of a steep talus slope.
South of the originally-defined boundaries of Nonstructure 6; situated between several bedrock outcrops.
Selection Criteria
Judgmental. Based on the argument that the extreme slope present in Nonstructure 6 prevented the accumulation of midden deposits, three units were selected at the base of talus slope in hopes of finding thicker secondary refuse deposits; this is one of the three judg
Excavation Strategy
Strata subdivided into arbitrary levels.
Unit Ends at
Undisturbed native sediment.
Study Unit(s) Identified in this Excavation Unit