Saturday Feb. 12

Howdy ho everyone. This was from our ride yesterday. 

This is Deb, Harold, Ray.  They are our great neighbors here in the campground.  Ray guided us up to the Petroglyphs yesterday.

More than 1,500 years ago, a small Hohokam village was established on a ridge above Sutherland Wash, now within Catalina State Park. Now called Romero Ruin, it is one of several large Hohokam villages in the Tucson Basin. It was occupied for about 1,000 years before being abandoned about 1500AD.

This village covers 15 acres, spans the entire width of the ridge and extends about 1/4 miles to the base of the Catalina Mountains. This was an extensive prehistoric occupation as indicated by the presence of numerous trash mounds, two ballcourts and the remains of stone structures still visible on the surface.

A large prehistoric agricultural field system extends for 1/2 mile south of the village site and contains two cobblestone field houses and numerous rock piles and rock terrace borders. These features were used to trap moisture and prevent erosion for the growing of crops which fed the village.

During 3 archeological field seasons at Romero Ruin during the past 10 years, many potsherds, chipping waste and projectile points dating between 700 and 1100 AD were excavated. Manos, metates, marine shell, animal bones and bracelet fragments were also discovered.
Thirty-three other archeological sites have been discovered within what is now the park boundaries. In 1940, a hiker stumbled upon a cavity about 3 miles from Romero Ruins that contained a treasure of Hohokam artifacts.

The cache held an olla (ceramic jar) containing about 100,000 stone and shell beads, as well as 30 copper balls. Twenty years later, midway between the village and the olla cache, a canyon containing petroglyphs was discovered. It was located near "tinjas," natural water catchment basins that were of practical and spiritual importance to the Hohokam.

This place was really neat and since I just googled it and discovered how old these etchings really are, now I want to go back again and hike around some more.  AMAZING!!!  We had a great ride yesterday and The Tramp did great.  I will send video of it.  If anyone wants to see video of riding here just email me and  I will add you to the list.  raincoatlady@gmail.com