The Duckfoot Site

Legacy Project

1983–1997

The Duckfoot site investigation was the first major research project to be undertaken by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. Field and laboratory studies were designed to increase our understanding of the prehistoric occupation of the area just to the west of Cortez, CO, during the mid- to late ninth century. The project was also where Crow Canyon’s educational goal of increasing public awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the archaeological research process was developed and refined. The Duckfoot site remains one of the most thoroughly-documented and interpreted Pueblo I sites in the Central Mesa Verde region, and the research was designed as a comparative study to the recently completed Dolores Archaeological Program. In contrast to later Crow Canyon excavations, the Duckfoot site was almost completely excavated as a “strong archaeological case” because of its thorough dating and rich floor assemblages.

Project Details