Tree-Ring Studies of the Pueblo de Acoma: A Preliminary Report Supplement No. 1

INTRODUCTIONA second collection trip was made to the Pueblo de Acoma the week of October 12, 1987. The crew consisted of the author and Jeffrey S. Dean, both from the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research.The purpose of the trip was to complete those units in Area H that had been bypassed in April 1987. However, since the expected HUD funding had not yet been received, the Restoration Project was not active and the Area H units were still unavailable. As a consequence, only a single unit was cored in Area H with the remainder of the work done in Area F and Area C.In addition, we had the opportunity to survey Cebolleta Mesa and adjacent areas for living trees, particularly pinyon (Pinus edulis), that might be old enough to overlap with the beams cut in the mid 1600s. This of course would mean trees of an age class of 350 – 400 years; not impossible for pinyon, but relatively rare. We located two sites, one near Indian Lake on Cebolleta Mesa and one at Mesa Negra Spring at the western edge of the reservation. Both sites should be tested for tree age to determine if full coring is warranted.For both these activities, coring at Sky City and reconnaissance, we were accompanied by Marvin C. Garcia and Dwight Lucario. Our accomplishments are due in large part to their helpfulness and good humor.