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Southwestern archaeology.
 Tucson Origins: The Archaeology of Rio Nuevo
Tucson Orgins: The history and archaeology of the Rio NUevo Project
  The Archaeology of Rio Nuevo: Archaeological excavations or "digs" conducted for the Rio Nuevo project were designed to provide the City of Tucson with detailed information about the community's past.
  Archaeologists were looking for information about places that could teach us more about the origins of early Tucson by studying sites that that were important to Tucson's cultural heritage.
  The results of this archaeological investigation were surprising: people have been living in and around the place we now call Tucson for almost 4000 years!

The Sites: Excavations were conducted on 3 areas in which construction on Rio Nuevo attractions are being planned. This part of the Tucson Origins website will let you read summaries of the excavation projects, look at photographs and maps of Rio Nuevo sites, and even take virtual tours of sites.

--Excavation of a 2000 year old pit house near Misson Lane


desert archaeology Archaeologists from Desert Archaeology Inc currenly excavating an area east of the San Agustin Mission. Major discoveries concerning the first Tucsonans have been made. More information will be posted soon.
Sites Excavated as part of the Rio Nuevo Project (click on the links to learn more!)
Spanish Colonial Mission,
built over the homes of the ancient
farmers of the Tucson Basin.
Spanish Colonial and Mexican
fortress, built above homes of the Hohokam culture.
Homes, irrigation canals,
and farms of the very first
Tucsonans, from 2000 BC to AD 0
Virtual Excavation #1
Site: San Agustín Mission

Description: 2 x 2 meter test pit,
located over suspected wall foundation.

Historical Maps and Photographs show that the mission site was enclosed by a wall. Adobe walls from the Spanish Colonial Period often have stone foundations.  The stones visible on the surface show that such a foundation might exist here.

You may excavate this test pit with your mouse!

desert archaeology
 Would you like to learn more? - Archaeological excavations are more than just digging to find ancient things. "Digs" are conducted as part of an organized program of study. One of the key parts of any archaeological research design is called the "Research Design." Research designs summarize what is known about a given place, and then define an excavation strategy that will be used in order to learn as much about a site as is possible. You can read the actual research design for the Rio Nuevo archaeology project by clicking here.