The Archaeology of Cactus Ruin: A Paper Excavation

This is an aerial view of Roy's Ruin, the actual ruin on which Cactus House is modeled, photographed during Crow Canyon's excavations. Click here for animation showing where the ancient dwellings once stood.

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CACTUS RUIN:
A Paper Excavation

The Archaeology of Cactus Ruin: A Paper Excavation is a lesson designed to teach students how archaeologists use sampling strategies to learn about past cultures.

Cactus Ruin is modeled after the ancestral Puebloan site, Roy’s Ruin. The site was excavated in 1988 by Crow Canyon Archaeological Center as part of the Sand Canyon Archaeological Project Site Testing Program. The artifact data is derived from Roy’s Ruin and other tested sites. This lesson was designed for middle school through adult learners.

Lesson Plan
Figure 1: Surface Remains
Figure 2: Topographic Map with Surface Artifacts (two-page PDF file)
Figure 3: Final Map of Excavation (two-page PDF file)
Figure 4: Map Key (one-page PDF file)
Figure 5: Plant List (four-page PDF file)
Figure 6: Research Report Form (one-page PDF file)

Crow Canyon Archaeological Center Lesson Plan