BLM Arizona Archaeology
Burro Creek/Archaeological Field School
Since 2003 the BLM Kingman Field Office partnered with Pima Community College’s Center for Archaeological Field Training to provide a field-based archaeological training opportunity for students through the Burro Creek/Pine Creek Archaeological Field School. The field school is located in an extremely remote and rugged section of the BLM land. The focus of the field school has been on archaeological survey and documentation. Field school participants were able to survey an additional 200 acres of BLM land, and fully document an additional six archaeological sites. This brings the total number of BLM acres inventoried since the project’s inception to roughly 7,500 acres, and the total number of sites recorded to 110.
In addition to survey and documentation, samples of surface artifacts from select sites have been collected and are currently undergoing further analysis. During the course of the project, a variety of site types have been documented; including, habitation/campsites, lithic procurement sites, and “hilltop fort” sites. Many of the sites appear to date to the Prescott Period (AD 900-1300); however, several sites also exhibit an earlier archaic component. The collective data provided by this field school has given the BLM a powerful tool to help manage this unique area. The school has provided numerous students with the necessary practical skillset to successfully carry out archaeological survey and documentation.