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Stephen E. Nash 10 June 1999 |
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Excavated in 1951, Negrito Cliff Dwelling (Figure 1), consists of at least two masonry rooms. |
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Figure 1: Map showing the location of Negrito Cliff Dwelling |
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| EXCAVATION STRATEGY Rinaldo (n.d.:1) notes that Negrito Cliff Dwelling, as well as other sites in west-central New Mexico, were excavated "with aims toward contributing to the solution of various problems that arose in relation to our major excavations." Unfortunately, no additional rationale is offered. Excavation Records Folder "Cordova Cave 1951 (Negrito Cave and Cliff Dwelling, Kiehne Pueblo)" in the Field Museum Anthropological Archives, Southwest Expedition Box SW 5, contains archaeological record sheets and sherd tabulations for Negrito Cliff Dwelling Room B. Similar documents are not available for Room A or the other excavated proveniences (e.g. test trenches) at Negrito Cliff Dwelling. Accession Files File 2471 "Expedition Paul Martin SW Archaeology: Cordova Cave (1951)" contains references to Negrito Cliff Dwelling in the following form: |
| Catalog numbers used -- Summer 1951: 262395 - 262397 -- Negrito Cliff Dwelling Negrito Cave: 1 Mano 1 Knife |
| These data are incomplete both in terms of the actual number of catalog numbers assigned in the field (five-- 262385, 262386, 262395, 262396, 262397) and the number of artifacts catalogued (five-- chipped stone tool, mano, awl, projectile point, stone with paint, respectively). Catalog Files As noted above, five catalog numbers were assigned prior to the Martin Project; Martin Project staff assigned 14 catalog numbers to adobe pieces, faunal remains, sherds, botanical remains, and charcoal, all of which presumably had not been deemed important enough for cataloging. Photograph Files |
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| Volume 35P: Expedition to the Southwest 1951 Cordova Cave contains 10 photographs of Negrito Cliff Dwelling and associated burial and pictographs (Figure 2). |
| Neg. No. 93533: View from east looking down into room. Neg. No. 93534: Detail of masonry in east wall interior. Neg. No. 93535: Detail of masonry in east wall interior Neg. No. 93536: Burial in wall partially excavated. Neg. No. 93537: Burial in wall partially excavated. Neg. No. 93538: Burial in wall partially excavated. Neg. No. 93541: Elaine Bluhm cleaning burial in wall Neg. No. 93542: Rear (south) wall showing pictographs on cliff face |
| NATURE AND INTEGRITY OF THE COLLECTIONS The Field Museum curates 283 artifacts from Negrito Cliff Dwelling, including 3 pieces of adobe, one awl, ca. 100 botanical remains, 6 pieces of charcoal, 1 chipped stone tool, 39 faunal remains, one mano, one projectile point, and 145 sherds. A plainware ceramic type that is not Mogollon and was deemed "Apache" dominates the sherd assemblage (67 sherds). The second most frequent type (23 sherds) is Reserve Smudged, there are 11 sherds of Reserve Indented Corrugated, 2 Tularosa Fillet Rim sherds, one Alma Plain and one San Francisco Red sherd. According to Rinaldo (n.d.), this assemblage, as well as the two different styles of pictographs at the site, indicates a Tularosa Phase occupation prior to the Apache occupation of the cave. Unfortunately, there is no stratigraphic evidence to support this contention. Rinaldo (n.d.) lists 13 manos as having been recovered from the ruin; only one is currently on the shelves; He lists three rubbing stones and we have none. It is likely that these specimens were not deemed important enough to return to the Museum. DISCUSSION The entire artifact collection from Negrito Cliff Dwelling is currently on loan to Mr. Alan Ferg of the Arizona State Museum. The Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research is analyzing the charcoal specimens. The results of both of these analyses are eagerly anticipated. REFERENCES Rinaldo, John B. n.d. Notes on Minor Excavations in the Reserve Area, West Central New Mexico." Unpublished manuscript on file in the Department of Anthropology, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. |
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