Dating Snaketown

Abstract

The development of a refined chronology and ceramic sequence for the heartland of the Hohokam Culture in southern and central Arizona is discussed. The refined sequence is applied to ceramic sherd lots and restorable vessels from the extant collections from excavations at Snaketown to produce new and more refined dating of the contexts at the site. Structures, mortuary contexts, caches, mounds, middens, pits, and other features are dated with the results compared to prior chronological assignments allowing for a discussion of how the new chronology compares to previous approaches. In the process, key events in the history of the settlement that affect conclusions about Hohokam prehistory are considered such as the age of mound capping events, the construction of the ball courts and Mound 16 platform mound, and the origin and terminus of occupation at the village.