Back

Site-Wide Dating

Date Range 1 (A.D. 420–600)
There is trace evidence to suggest that the Dillard Site was visited if not occupied during early Basketmaker III between A.D. 420-575: corn from Structure 124, a small pit room north of the great kiva, produced an AMS date of A.D. 420-575 and Structure 102, the great kiva, truncated a previously filled structure or disturbance when it was constructed around A.D. 620.
Date Range 2 (A.D. 600–660)
This sixty year period represents the most intense occupation of the Dillard Site. Eight year round domestic pithouses, two seasonal occupation pit structures, four storage rooms, two stockades, and several extramural features and activity areas are dated to this component by absolute dating methods. Dating methods include dendrochronology, archaeomagnetic dating, and accelerated mass spectrometry C14 dating of annual plant remains.
Date Range 3 (A.D. 660–725)
Component 3 repesents a final Basketmaker III phase of communal gathering and ritual at the Dillard site. There is no permanent habitation at the site during this period. Only the Great Kiva (Structure 102), a seasonal pithouse (Structure 312), and midden deposits over the collapsed remains of Pit Room 232 date to this component based on dendrochronology, archaeomagnetic dating, and accelerated mass spectrometry C14 dating of annual plant remains.
Date Range 4 (A.D. 600–725)
Component 4 spans the middle and late Basketmaker III occupation of the Dillard Site; first during the aggregated habitation of Component 2 and later during the communal gathering and ritual use of the site in Component 3. The Great Kiva (Structure 102) was likely in use during most of this 125 year span based on its relationship to other structures, four remodeling events, and dendrochronological, archaeomagnetic, and accelerated mass spectrometry C14 dating. Most intact midden deposits at the site fall into this component because their ceramic assemblages cannot be confidently attributed to either Component 2 or 3.
Date Range 5 (A.D. 540–1100)
Component 5 represents compressed Ancestral Pueblo use of the Dillard site from early Basketmaker III through Pueblo II based on pottery. Post-Basketmaker III ceramics at the site are likely associated with nearby masonry unit pueblos just east of the Dillard Site boundary. Compressed and mixed deposits are generally found near the modern ground surface in areas deflated by wind erosion.
Date Range 6 (A.D. 800–1000)
Component 6 is isolated to cultural deposits (Nonstructure 125) and a possible shrine feature in the depression above the collapsed Great Kiva (Structure 102) during late Pueblo I and early Pueblo II periods. Many of the items are high input shaped ceramics or flaked tools suggesting that this deposit represents intentional visitation and interaction with the Great Kiva. The date range is based solely on pottery styles.
Date Range 7 (A.D. –)
not applicable