Exploring the Shivwits production zone

The Shivwits Plateau is situated on the Arizona Strip in the northwest corner of Arizona. It is a relatively unexplored area rich in archaeological resources. This study provides three areas of exploration of the prehistoric Virgin Anasazi Pueblo period. Three research questions are posed. Are there substantial Virgin Puebloan sites on the Shivwits Plateau? Through compiled site data and analysis of settlement models the information supports the conclusion that there was a substantial prehistoric use of the Shivwits Plateau; A specific question about pottery production guides the second part of the research. Was the sherd-tempered Shivwits Plain and Shivwits Corrugated pottery produced on the Shivwits Plateau? Samples collected from five sites on the Plateau are examined. Temporal analysis and characterization cannot support the hypothesis at this time; Integrating the settlement information and the ceramic analysis provides the third area of question. Were the sites on the Shivwits Plateau situated to take advantage of movement of people and goods, particularly the Shivwits Plain and Shivwits Corrugated pottery, between the upland Western Plateaus and the neighboring Lowland Muddy-Virgin Valley? Examining the information from the five sample sites there is not a strong indication these sites were involved in interaction with the lowland. It is important to note that the absence of affirming evidence does not rule out the possibility of pottery production or of sites situated to take advantage of trade or travel. There is simply not enough information available to reach absolute conclusions about the Shivwits Plateau; The primary goal of this research is to provide a base of information about the archaeological potential of the Shivwits Plateau