Drainage Installation Along the North Wall of Aztec Ruins, 1978

Drainage
Installation
Along the
North Wall of Aztec Ruins,
1978
Submitted by:
Larry V. Nordby
Supervisory Archeologist
Southwest Cultural
Resources Center
December, 1979
1
Introduction
In 1977, a request
funds was submitted
servation
while
service
for
viously
the N.P.S.
areas with
workers
with
of the National
for Fiscal
a needed pre-
for attendees.
is centrally
to maintain,
(2) it
area for
maintenance
responsibilities.
One such problem is the subject
drainage
systems had been developed
moisture
(Nordby 1978a, 1978b),
system was the objective
loca-
had pre-
and (3) it was a suitable
preservation
session
Aztec Ruins
some of the problems which plague regional
ruins
of 1978.
the traini~ng
because (1) it
ruins
hosted such sessions,
to provide
area hosting
experience
Monument was selected
approaching
Office
training
course was scheduled for April
on-the-job
ted among N.P.S.
maintenance
money became available
goal of the course was also
supplying
National
this
and the training
One intended
preservation
to the Southwest Regional
Subsequently,
Park Service.
Year i978,
for ruins
of this
report.
to facilitate
the control
and the installation
of a portion
Experimental
of one such
of the training
exercise.
One of the problem areas in the West Ruin which would benefit
moisture
control
consisted
of the north
191, 195, 199, 196; 201 and part
walls
are in part
of the entire
a ditch
was excavated
During
along the exteriors
this
two parts
preservation
drainage
into
These
the course of the preservation
corner
is divided
1).
the west end of the north wall
westward from the northwest
report
from
of Rooms 197, 198,
of Room 213 (Figure
synonymous with
pueblo.
walls
of
that
extending
of these walls,
of the ruin.
The remainder
(1) describe
work that was done during
work,
of
the
the training
session,
.
TRENCH
(F.S.1)
sump
box
\
F.S. 1
corner area of north wing showing trenches excavated in 1978.
Figure 1. Plan of northwestern
Key: @l, pipeline
cleanout;
@2, joining
of upper and
and 2 were collected
as shown on the plan.
lower pipelines.
3
and (2) provide
a description
graphy that were acquired
of archeological
as an adjunct
The Preservation
materials
and strati-
to the excavations.
Drainage
System
The Problem
With the exception
retain
tive
original
roofs,
program.
and are a primary
The visitation
are illuminated
vents,
of Room 213, the previously
either
roofs
light
canales which protrude
facade.
exteriors,
where capillary
struction
of all
The level
differential
This
fact
to prevent
moisture
walls
consists
a mud and rock rubble
through
of these soils
In spite
either
side,
these walls
of finished
core.
at various
than the
places
the
of the rooms' north walls
differential
are of substantial
in part by cross walls
The con-
is as much as 150 cm. (Figure
to deterioration
of the considerable
splash
away from the
loading
which tends to apply an inward pressure
wall.
wall
rain
the rooms is much less
The most minor of these is in lateral
exteriors,
buttressed
beyond the exterior
damage would be expected.
along the room exterior;
contributes
two ways.
their
of the trail
levels
of these via metal
as to carry
of these northern
of the soil
off
doorways,
ones for protective
canales are designed
as well
in north wall
them by proximal
is carried
moisture
veneer masonry enclosing
level
entering
these rooms, which
installed
up to 60 centimeters
These protruding
along the wall
wall,
lights
have been added atop the original
purposesI . and precipitation
of the interpre-
runs through
by electric
or by available
False
trail
highlight
enumerated rooms
heights
thickness
which divide
2).
in
against
on each
of soil
on
and are
the rooms in the series.
4
The presence
stability
of roofs
undoubtedly
and partially
adds some further
prevents
moisture
structural
accumulation
inside
of the
rooms.
More importantly,
not being directed
a sufficient
Differential
walls.
mit
however, moisture
this
north
levels
moisture
walls
As this
the ground water,
occurs,
soil
transported
poration
eventuates.
components,
i.e.
freeze-thaw
cycles
when it
Previous
mortar
destroyed
attempts
to preserve
to the
face when evathe wall
In addition,
winters,
by the expansion
with
the walls
various
kinds
and dressed stone matching
Mortar
indicates
several
veneer on the interior
during
mortar
of any retained
are not the ultimate
the drainage
reason,
moisture
to some degree,
is clear
solution
decay.
it
will
has
cement, soil
caused
coring
behind
that
repointing
to this
system was installed
although
of stone and mortar
masonry style
through apertures
in the rubble
It
Freshly
has included
Probing
voids
of masonry
of mortar.
material
of the walls.
For this
consist
the original
and unamended mud mortars.
and masonry repair
with
freezes.
and repointing
by erosion
the
the room
solution
deteriorate
of Southwestern
per-
back into
action
on that
chemically.
characteristic
north
back into
capillary
generally
is
side of the wall
are taken into
and deposited
and stone,
been used in such cases.
mission
salts
These salts
and stone are mechanically
cement,
on either
by lateral
face of these walls,
quarried
from the exterior
the ground, move laterally
interior
repairs
from the roofs
of the covered rooms, and evaporate
interiors.
moisture
distance
of soil
to enter
runoff
not result
the
problem.
to control
the
in total
re-
CJ,OQ
4
//-
false
roof
- 6
cona = rA
room
interior
water
vapor
bitumenadobe
membrane
7f
/
/
evaporation
, Oreo.
and
salt:
moisture
deterioration
’ zone
\
‘+
room
floor
Figure
2.
Schematic
cross-section
of north
wall
covered
rooms,
showing
ca?illaty
mois ture action
deterioration
area on room interiors.
Oti
and
Figure
3.
Schematic
cross-secrion
of drainage
fill;
2, stake;
components.
Key: 1, unexcavated
3, lower
pipeline;
4, gravel;
5, polyethylene
sheeting;
6, upper
pineline;
7, gravel;
8, refilled
soil.
6
c
.A
+F5
.y-Ty-
‘+ut,
. . . * ..-.
. .
*
:
.
4
1
.. -. -.
. -*
: -. .
. .*.
. .
_
. . .-
. :.. . .
-.
,
Figure
4.
Method
of joining
upper and
lower pipes.
Inset
shows parts
of pipes
and fitting
to be cut off,
glued,
and
Key:
wrapped
with duct tape.
1, lower pipeline;
2, polyethylene
sheeting;
3, upper pipeline;
4, joined
pipeline;
5, modified
wye fitting.
Figure
5.
Schematic
drawing
of cleanout
installed
in upper
end of pipeline.
Key: 1,
lover
pipeline;
2, polyethylene
sheeting,
5, 45 degree
elbow;
6, section
4, upper pipeline;
of belled
pipe;
7, slip--in
cleanout
adaytor;
8,
screw-in
cleanout
plug.
7
The Solution
A previous
wall
attempt
to prevent
moisture
penetration
had been made by some unknown preservationist.
of the application
the north wall
of a bitumen and mud mixture
of the pueblo.
ness of l-O-1.5
This material,
cm., was intended
which would reduce ground water entry
been initially
tion
vation
it
modification
of previously
This
thereby
Figure
session,
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
of
plaster
and may have
in moisture
accre-
however, and upon exca-
the attempt
designed
consisted
drainage
and a means of transporting
reducing
visual
it.
intrusion.
of the following
of a
systems (Nordby
system is composed of two parts:
3, the system consists
1.
2.
exterior
a sealant
increase
consisted
an average thick-
the wall,
permeated the barrier,
the training
ing moisture,
buried,
to the
the
had become dysfunctional.
During
1978b).
The gradual
successful.
had eventually
into
It
with
to provide
through
1978a,
a method of collectThe system is totally
Shown schematically
parts:
An excavated trench which contains the system.
Stakes driven into the ground to control the drainage
gradient of l/8 inch per foot.
A lower pipeline
consisting
of solid pvc sewer and
drain pipe sawn in half, lengthwise.
A gravel deposit designed to filter
soils with small
grain sizes from the water and prevent clogging of
the system.
A ten-mil polyethylene
moisture barrier
running
up
both sides of the trench as well as across the top of
the lower gravel deposit and lower pipeline.
An upper pipeline
consisting
of perforated pvc sewer
and drain pipe with the perforations
oriented down
(toward the polyethylene
sheeting).
An upper gravel deposit designed to filter
soils with
small grain sizes and prevent clogging of the upper
pipeline.
Soil refilled
to the ground surface, and sloped away
from the wall to facilitate
surface runoff in that
direction.
in
8
Cleanouts
and methods of joining
shown in Figures
Implementing
4 and 5.
to the arrival
would-contain
of session
the drainage
The area excavated
to the northwest
trail
attendees,
corner
of the pueblo,
was ca. 75 cm., and width
later
but did not cross
to the Hubbard Site.
The south wall
of the pueblo,
was formed by a bank of previously
excavated
the interof the
and the other
soil.
Trench depth
lines
delivering
in conduit
and reburied
During
power to the
of the covered rooms were unearthed.
resheathed
a backhoe.
was between 1.0 and 1.25 meters.
the electrical
inside
which
extended from the sump box north of Room 213,
leading
the excavation,
the ditch
components was excavated with
trench was formed by the north wall
lights
are
the Solution
Prior
pretive
upper and lower pipelines
These were
below the polyethylene
sheeting.
Installation
previously,
followed
steps followed
beginning
by staking
by refilling
with
with
hand-grading
of the line,
soil
the lower pipeline
essentially
a straight
so fittings
were not needed.
since pipe with
polyvinyl
with
level
chloride
gravel,
until
and surfacial
used to rip
task,
the order of components presented
route
completion
grading.
paralleling
Joining
as was the remaining
A circular
the wall
saw was
was
of the pueblo,
of pieces was a simple
was used.
cement was applied.
was accomplished
The pipeline
lengthwise.
bell-ends
as the edge of the pipe.
of the backhoe trench,
As pieces were coupled,
The lower pipe was filled
area of the trench,
The polyethylene
to the same
sheeting
was
Figure
6.
Construction
with
irrigation
detail
line.
of
confluence
between
drainage
ditch
10
installed
from
the
directionality
of
followed
the
as shown
in
both
point,
lines
pipes
to
the
was used
in
through
pipe.
The
hand,
because
to
the
of
potentially
the
water
of
the
logical
materials
and
however
both
of
limited
Grouped
materials
for
each
were
In
number.
neither
tions
screened:
Field
Specimen
These
the
the
which
north
to
previously
were
of
point
fitting
was
into
the
irrigation
was excavated
by
features.
Materials
produced
several
archeofeatures,
Two proveniences
given
the
this
by both
the
archeological
scope.
was
top
of
a field
material
were
specimen
recovered
excavated.
(F.S.)
from
excava-
1
materials
outside
Room 213,
case
dumps
west,
West
some new architectural
were
the
collected
directly
ditch
uncovered
5.
water
buried
drainage
Figure
to
"el"
confluence
steps
was installed
A 90 degree
the
correct
components.
downward
in
Archeological
Excavation
Other
slopes
into
the
the
a cleanout
shown
carry
drilled
west
of
line
as
ensure
system
Room 213,
6, and
a hole
trench
of
pipeline.
Figure
to
sections.
description
together
irrigation
line,
between
The drain
necked
as shown
the
opposite
5.
pipe
the
pipeline,
by
Figure
end of
overlap
sump box
solid
used
the
as implied
Near
with
bottom
were
wall
the
of
collected
the
northwest
listed
refilled
at
pueblo,
corner
rooms,
from
of
from
the
consisting
some unknown
the
the
along
north
of
It
north
of
already
This
running
sump box
pueblo.
of
time.
trench
is
excavated
is
attested
soils
to by
the
bitumen-adobe
relative
scarcity
historical
also
depth
as
Field
Specimen
of
materials,
cultural
the
of
in
reveals
These
trench
the
produced
dug
and
the
wall,
presence
The presence
although
the
of
not
to
of
electrical
as great
a
extends.
'h'cre
occupational
fill
homogeneous
from
a tan/brown
sandy
obtained
of
the
As far
as
could
and
which
for
pueblo,
the
floor
between
and
remain
trench
with
the
the
this
area
1 materials,
The matrix
the
of
excavated
it
to F.S.
still
of
trench
be ascertained,
situ.
interspersed
to
anarrow
contrast
which
to bottom
soil
depth
in
was --in
rooms
top
from
corner
earlier,
a deposit
An estimated
north
2
northwest
been
exterior
deposit.
finally
pipeline.
not
the
the
some disturbance,
materials
irrigation
had
to
artifacts
lines
west
application
it
was postburied.
Soil
was
and was comprised
rock
rooms
and
cultural
of
debris.
approximates
one
meter.
Architecture
The
only
which
are
Figure
1.
architectural
oriented
is
abutted
to. the
its
lack
at
Aztec,
the
to
pueblo.
permit
along
' Both
neither
are
as thick
of
features
a rough
masonry
as
walls
exterior
north
incorporation
passage
the
stones
of
the
of
wall
into
indicates-that
Several
north-south
veneer
the
encountered
the
room
were
pipeline.
were
axis,
as shown
walls
with
rubble
the
major
pueblo.
of
village
plan
of
was a somewhat
removed
from
core,
the
Later
each
in
but
One is
This
Room 197.
two walls
of
fact,
plus
West
Ruin
addition
the
to
two walls
12
Artifactual
Material
For descriptive
material
purposes,
categories.
Field
of unknown provenience,
soil
Ceramics.
aspects
as generally
Besides
characteristic
sherds were usually
series.
A major exception
et al.
considering
paint
grain
rule
for
a higher
assigned
to this
and
to the Cibola
rule
White Ware
is found with
it
Mancos Black-
paint;
frequency
The presence
from Cibola
sherds.
crushed rock and
Cibola
of sherd and mixed sand-and-
during
analysis.
An interesting
crushed rock tempered sherds is the high frequency
of sherds containing
is not discussed
for
and
wares were construed
temper was to separate
sherd tempers which was helpful
note concerning
(1955),
motifs,
tempered sherds as Mesa Verde White Wares.
White Wares reveal
condition
Abel
of Mesa Verde White Wares; mineral
rock temper was used to separate
The general
of
according
composition
Carbon painted
a Mesa Verde White Ware with mineral
of crushed
comprised
(1974),
design style,
analysis,
were conducted.
painted
on-white,
deposit
of material
were classified
in Breternitz,
common to ceramic
temper analysis
This
is a refilled
consists
into
source.
presented
and Windes (1977).
quartz
it
Sherds from both proveniences
to the criteria
other
Specimen 1 actually
since
f;om an unidentified
specimens have been divided
both crushed rock and large
by Breternitz
the Mesa Verde proper,
et al.
quartz
grains.
(1974) as a prevalent
and may well
be a local
pheno-
menon.
Other classification
considerations
wares to the Mesa Verde Gray Ware series.
involve
assignation
of gray
This was an arbitrary
13
Table
1.
excavations.
Ceramic
frequencies
from
AZRU-75
14
procedure
which should be viewed with
classified
according
to type,
of temporal
affinities
(Table
corrugated,
but not assigned
contained
large
sanidine
basalt
quartz
grains,
repeating.
l)..
collections
Stone.
to type.
Many gray ware sherds also
and a few (6) contain
traces
Mesa Verde affiliation
however the aforementioned
be Cibola
of
problems with
for both
F.S.
some of the Mancos Black-on-white
White Ware specimens.
are too small
Only a few lithic
described
Body sherds were generally
from the Chuska Mountains.
In addition,
may actually
Only rim sherds were
and these specimens show a wide range
Table 1 shows a predominantly
proveniences,
caution.
In any case,
1 bear
sherds
the
to be conclusive.
objects
were recovered.
These can be
as follows:
F.S. 1:
A mottled gray chert cobble hammerstone exhibits one broken
end, and .one lightly
battered end. Only very light use is
shown. Dimensions are:
length-11.8
cm.; width-7.1
cm.;
thickness-5.4
cm.
A core-chopper of black fossiliferous
siltstone
shows
battering
and bifacially
winged step fracture along a workAbout 30% of the
ing edge with an angle of ca. 50 degrees.
cortex remains.
Dimensions are: .length-8.9
cm.; width-7.2
cm.; thickness-3.5
cm.
Four amorphous, bulbless pieces of lithic
shatter represent
the by-products
of manufacture.
These were produced by
partly
(3) or wholly (1) decorticated
cobbles of gray
quartzite,
green chert, and gray siltstone.
Three unutilized
flakes were obtained.
Two are from gray
One
core.
siltstone
cores, and one from a green siltstone
of the gray specimens is a decortication
flake, and the
other lackscortex.
All three were produced by percussion
flaking.
15
One *venation
flake
from a gray siltstone
hammerstone
reveals
an.attempt
to modify
that
tool
into
a more efficient
implement.
After
detachment
the flake
was used for
a.crude
saw or knife
along
a single
edge.
The edge shows
dulling
and striations
parallel
to its
length.
F.S. 2:
4 tan hornstone
tcamahia
(Fig.
7) was found in the previously
undisturbed
unit.
It was chipped
into shape and
polishing
and grinding
or5 this
resistant
stone commenced,
but was never
completed.
Flake
scars
abound at the
margins,
and striations
cover
the surface.
The working
end shows some flake
scarring
which
was almost
removed
by
grinding/polishing
prior
to discard.
Cortex
is evident
along
part
of one face.
Dimensions
are:
length-19.9
cm.;
width-5.8
cm.; thickness-l.9
cm.
Bone.
Fauna1
was found
of
bone
in
the
butchering
preted
large
from
or
of
(Nordby,
A review
affiliation
the
F.S.
of
the
manufacture,
bone.
Appendix
and
1 unit,
only
specimens
and
Total
A.
but
all
piece
show evidence
have
counts
one
been
of
inter-
specimens
re-
The high
frequency
of
deer
deposit
contrasts
sharply
with
the
lagomorph
bones
from
the
excavations
in
1978a).
Intrasite
of
tool
disturbed
rodent
the
None
food
in
the
in
2 area.
provided
numbers
1977
common
as discarded
are
mandibles
F.S.
marks
here
covered
was
Comments
of
of
rooms
predominates,
occupation.
Morris'
those
are
contains
(Ibid.:
362),
work
rooms
demonstrating
shown
an admixture
and
(1928)
closest
characteristic
Room 193,
plans,
and Archeological
Conclusions
was undertaken
to
the
trench
of
Aztec,
in
use by
those
people
Room 201 was the
Verde
source
of
the
Most
Mesa Verde
during
and
determine
excavations,
that
as Room 213 on later
of Mesa
to
the
national
Chacoan
a Chaco
refuse
final
monument
ceramics
deposit
which
16
Figure
7.
Tcamahia
recovered
during
the
excavations
(F.S.
2).
17
had
been
re-excavated
(Ibid.:
412).
during
Many
were
cleaned
out
work
(Ibid.:
411-412).
Morris
pueblo
Aztec
buildings
shown
phy
to
the
area
theine
"tramped
The
in
much
a pure
in
Mesa Verde
interpretations
the
a later
Annex,
main
is
by Morris
way of
and
that
were
renovation
of
was built
likely
F.S.
Chaco
ceramics
the
from
both
Annex
newly
area.
ashlar
pueblo
cobbles.
which
main
of
con-
cobble
Stratigrabe applicable
of
such
this
as the.
however.
excavated
than
deposits
noting
that
which
was obtained.
is
the
The
collection
discovered
from
main
a mixed
which
the
of
construct.
No surface
other
1)
collection
west
some variation
was encountered,
of
by Morris'
plastered.
2.
conclusions,
created
Annex
built
that
197-201)
than
6) may or may not
(F.S.
the
the
individual
(Rooms
rather
Mesa Verde
nature
of
ruin
which
is
block
heavily
Fig.
disturbed
Mesa Verde
room
generally
producing
provenience
however,
were
it
a Mesa Verde
Service
frequently
area
the
the
a late
but
the
of
described
(Ibid.:
and
duced
of
Morris
scanty
both
this,
were
shown
duced
in
also
Annex
excavated,
disturbed
Morris'
has
the
level"
precludes
the
in
occurs
rooms
as principally
and walls
burying
National.Park
23)
composing
struction,
the
by the
(1924:
at
of
the
in
masonry.
perhaps
on the
This
2 pro-
light
One divergence
walls
pro-
F.S.
expectable
in
of
from
exterior
indicates
antedates
the
List
Abel,
of References
Cited
Leland J.
1955
Pottery types of the Southwest:
Wares 5A, lOA, lOB,
12A, San Juan Red Ware, Mesa Verde Gray Ware and White
Ware, San Juan White Ware. Museum of Northern Arizona
Ceramic'Series,
No. 3. Flagstaff.
Breternitz,
1974
David A., Elizabeth A. Morris, and Arthur H. Rohn
Prehistoric
ceramics of the Mesa Verde region.
Xuseum,
of Northern Arizona Ceramic Series, No. 5. Flagstaff.
Morris,
Earl H.
1924
The Aztec Ruin Annex. Anthropological
papers of the
American Museum of Natural History,
Vol. 26, Part 4.
New York.
1928
Notes on excavations
in the Aztec Ruin.
papers of the American Museum of Natural
26, Part 5. New York.
Anthropological
History,
Vol.
Nordby, Larry V.
1978a Drainage installation
in a portion of the South Wing of
the Aztec Ruins, 1977. Typescript
report on file at
the Southwest Cultural
Resources Center of the National
Park Service, Santa Fe.
1978b
Emergency preservation
work at the South Ruin, El Morro,
1978: Typescript
report on file at the Southwest
Cultural
Resources Center of the National Park Service,
Santa Fe.
Windes, Thomas C.
1977
Typology and technology of Anasazi ceramics.
In
Settlement and subsistence along the lower Chaco River,
edited by C. A. Reher, pp. 279-370. University
of
New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.
Appendix
A:
Fauna1 Bone Recovered
From 1978 Excavations
Idcnt:
spccics
Gc.nljs,
u
J=
Cd
.?I
CL
I
'1
Trench North of Wi _ Cynomus gunntsoni
I
Small mammal
II
I
Cynoknus gunnisoni
I
II
I
““.
I--
X
medium mammal
,I
t
.. . -.
.
Small mammal'
II
I-.
.X
-*
.““.B.
. . . .. . . “..”
“_.W.
large mammal .
we......" -.-._".." . . .."_. .....". .. . .
"" ... . ..
I
II
I
1
I
I
II
mammal
-
I,
I1
I
large
.
large
mammal
large
mammal
Odocoileus
hemionus
.-.
X
Imaxilla
I
11
-
I
i
11
incisor
I
I
1
IIXIII.
I I I l!liil
-
I.I_” “-“-“-a”:
I
-J--I--
I
7 “----i
(
4.
Provenfence
rrench north
wall
1
:
/ I
u
sj
Sloncnt
-
I,
Pl’
,,
1
11
II
II
II
1,
II
11
I
.
lower
I---(second
ipremolar
I
'6pc
removed
X
~PC
removed
-1
Inidentified
mammal
." - -- .... . -...-"..". . ..."." ."."
U
.
Meleagris
. . .. -
gallopavo I
X humerus
- I
long bone
.
-ossified
tendon
ossified
X
tendon
‘U
I
-L-
M
.II
U:
.I
.
nidentified
.
-”
--IL
Ja
f*
1
.-III’-ii.I‘
.:I11iI\I.iL.
I
-Remarks
2nd Nodific:tion
.
I. '
ti
wcl
hemionus .X
I
II
I
1
J LcIdocoileus
i
i
-I
YY
1
.l
of
SC,i
I Gcxw3, spccios
mamma
1
i--+-t
bone
.
X
'
,.. .. ..
..““I
..-
.A”
-
-.i’ --
-.--
“I
-w
J!t
I
I
.
..