Current Excavation

Goodman Point Archaeological Project, Phase II:
Goodman Point Community Testing

In March 2010, the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center began the third and final year of Phase II of the Goodman Point Archaeological Project, a multidisciplinary study of an extensive Pueblo Indian community inhabited during the tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries A.D. in the central Mesa Verde region.

Phase I of the study, conducted from 2005 through 2008, involved test excavations at Goodman Point Pueblo (Site 5MT604), the large village that served as the focal point of a thriving community in the decades leading up to the migration of Pueblo Indians from the Mesa Verde region. Results from Phase I are currently reported in a series of annual and interim field reports, while the final report and database are prepared for publication.

Phase II, titled "Goodman Point Community Testing," involves test excavations at 15 smaller sites located around the large village, including habitation sites, ancient roadways, and possible agricultural fields. The Phase II excavations began in 2008 and are scheduled for completion in 2010.

All the sites being investigated by Crow Canyon are located in the Goodman Point Unit of Hovenweep National Monument, which is managed by the National Park Service. Crow Canyon’s excavations are being conducted in partnership with the park service and with the assistance of students and adults enrolled in the Center’s research programs.

Stay Informed

So what's happening in the field? For periodic excavation updates throughout the season, check out News From the Field. For a summary of Crow Canyon's research, by field season, read the online annual and interim reports.

Be a Part of Archaeology History

Enroll in a Crow Canyon research program and become a member of the team making history with its investigation of these exceptionally well preserved sites. Your participation will have a real and lasting impact on our collective understanding of the ancient Pueblo past.

Crow Canyon's Goodman Point Archaeological Project is is conducted in partnership with the Southeast Utah Group of the National Park Service.

Partial funding for this project is provided by the following: the Colorado Historical Society, Qwest, and the National Geographic Society.
In a recent video, Grant Coffey discusses the habitation sites in the Goodman Point Unit, how we are identifying ancient agricultural fields and roads, and more. Watch the video (5:31) More videos