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ASM Occasional Electronic Papers No. 1: Homol'ovi IV Chapter Seven:
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Homol'ovi Plaza Surfaces
Excavations in the plaza were conducted at Homol'ovi IV, as they have been at the other three Homol'ovi villages. Just like Homol'ovi I, II, and III, Homol'ovi IV had multiple and complex plaza surfaces and fill sequences. This section of the report synthesizes excavation from 30 sq. m of plaza, some of which were located beneath existing structures, including structures 201, 301, 101, 202, 4, 5, and 10 (Figure 7.30).
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Seven surfaces were documented at various points at Homol'ovi IV. They were designated as: 1, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 4, and 5 starting at the bottom. Therefore, the number corresponds to the age of the surface with 1 being earliest and 5 being latest. Surfaces 1 and 2B are natural surfaces and not associated with cultural activity. Surface 5 was located in only one small section of the plaza area and may be a natural surface, although structures 4 and 5 may be associated with it. Surfaces 2, 2A, 3, 4, and possibly 5 appear to be true plaza surfaces created and used by the inhabitants of Homol'ovi IV. All of these surfaces have features or structures associated with them. As a result, only these surfaces will be treated in detail for this report. A generic description of each plaza surface is provided below indicating its known extent, associated features and structures, and description of the surface. All surfaces belong to the Tuwiuca Phase and could not be distinguished from one another using ceramics or any other chronological indicator. Their relative age is a product of their physical association with one another.
Surface 1
Elevation and Surface Characteristics: The surface ranges in elevation from 100.59 to 100.49, and was traced only in the E68-70 trench from N 103-112. Munsell surface reading results was 5YR 4/4 -- reddish brown. Surface 1 is the earliest surface at Homol'ovi IV and represents the original surface encountered by the first inhabitants of the village (Figure 7.31). This is a natural surface that was recognized by a level of mud cracks indicating that the surface had been exposed to the elements for some time.
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Features and Artifacts: Because this is a natural surface, there were no associated features. Artifacts associated with the surface are generally not flat and are attributed to slope wash, which can be severe at Homol'ovi IV.
Fill: The fill between Plaza Surface 1 and Plaza Surface 2 seemed to be natural deposits, generally slope wash, rather then intentional trash fill. Plaza surface 2 was then constructed on top of these natural deposits.
Discussion: This is a natural surface including rocks and natural red and gray clay deposits.
Surface 2
Elevation and Surface Characteristics: Plaza surface 2 appears to be a prepared surface and is from the original occupation of the site. It is either built directly over bedrock or on slope wash covering surface 1, the natural surface of the hill. It is highest in the northeast and lowers to the south and west, with elevation between 100.86-100.22, between N103-112 and E68-70. Munsell of the surface ranged from 5YR 3/4 -- dark reddish brown, to 5YR 4/4 -- reddish brown. The surface was identifiable as being harder than the fill with a denser concentration of caliche flecks. It occurs in every area where plaza excavation took place.
Features and Artifacts: In the area of N106-109 and E66-69 was Feature 4, which consisted of some linear grooves in the plaza surface in the shape of a "T" (Figure 7.32). This feature showed up just above plaza surface 2. It had cultural fill in it--soil with charcoal and artifacts. The grooves were small channels dug into plaza surface 2 approximately 10 cm wide and 10 cm deep with the short arm of the T being 2 m long and the long arm measuring approximately 2.5 m long. The feature might have had upright slabs in it to be used as a barrier of sorts. Some of the artifacts found included lithics, bones, sherds, groundstone, a bead, burned corn cobs, a hammerstone, minerals and an antler.
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Feature 5 is a firepit in the vicinity of structure 2. It is 20 cm in diameter and 8 cm deep. Its small size suggests it was used by a family unit or may be associated with a surface structure. Structure 2, a ritual structure, was constructed in association with Plaza surface 4, which postdates surface 2.
Two other features are probably associated with Plaza surface 2, but were found exposed on the present surface of the site, 5-6 m from other plaza excavations, with no existing fill or plaza surface visible. Both features rest just above bedrock suggesting their probable association with surface 2 (Figure 7.33).
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Feature 1, a roasting pit/fire pit, had six irregularly shaped sandstone slabs laying in an irregularly shaped circle. The slabs are flat on the ground leaning inward slightly, with one slab directly on the bottom. Fire cracked rock and charcoal were found in the feature. This feature may be associated with plaza surface 2, the feature is in the historic road.
Feature 2, also a roasting pit/fire pit, is built on bedrock which slopes down and is contained with a block of three upright sandstone slabs and two sloping slabs. The feature is filled with fire cracked rock and charcoal and might be associated with plaza surface 2. This feature is also in the road.
Numerous artifacts were found on this surface, but none indicated activity areas. Most to all the artifacts are probably the result of slope wash or secondary trash.
Fill: The fill above this plaza surface is fairly soft with small chunks of red clay in it, caliche flecks scattered through out, and small chunks of charcoal. There seems to be an ashy component to the soil matrix but it is mixed in and not in pockets as in other fill strats. In N110-112 E68-70 the fill between plaza surface 2 and 2A was a silty sandier stratum that felt like a series of plaza surfaces.
Discussion: This is the first or lowest plaza surface identified that was actually formed and leveled by the Homol'ovi IV inhabitants. The surface was prepared by placing an adobe mixture over the natural deposits, filling in small depressions and covering this over with rocks. Thus in places the plaza surface is several cm thick--as much as 5 cm thick--and in other places it is very thin. There were several applications of adobe over the surface which gave it several layers. In some areas the surface may have been patched. This created some confusion during excavation because different layers were followed creating a plaza surface of differing elevations. It is probably accurate to think of plaza surface 2 as a complex of surfaces.
Surface 2A
Elevation and Surface Characteristics: Plaza Surface 2A follows almost the same slope pattern as Plaza surface 2 and is almost as widespread. It is higher in the north than the south from 101.05 to 100.44, as far as it can be confidently identified. It is 5-10 cm above Plaza surface 2 and between these two distinct surfaces are a series of thin surfaces that my represent successive resurfacing of the plaza.
Features and Artifacts: Feature 4, the T-shaped grooves, may have been the foundation of a thin walled structure associated with plaza surface 2A, although it is more likely associated with surface 2. Because the grooves are still visible in surface 2A, the feature/structure was still present during the use of surface 2A. Numerous artifacts were found on this surface, but none indicated activity areas. Most to all the artifacts are probably the result of slope wash or secondary trash.
Fill: Between Plaza surface 2 and 2A there is ashy fill that may have been intentionally brought in to level out the surface. The fill above 2A is a reddish-brownish soil matrix with ash mixed in. There are caliche flecks and charcoal throughout in denser concentrations than below 2A. There were places in the fill that felt like trash deposits with lots of artifacts and others that felt like slope wash with slightly different sediments but not in an arrangement suggesting stratigraphic relationships.
Discussion: Between plaza surfaces 2A and 2 there are a series a laminated surfaces similar to those found elsewhere at the site. Plaza surface 2A is visible as a thin layer of ash covered by a layer of small rocks, many burned, topped off by a layer of heavy charcoal. The ash, charcoal and rocks may have been dumped up-slope and the rocks stayed in their original spot while the ash ad charcoal were washed down-slope.
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