Brief History of the Hohokam and Romero Ruin Site in Tucson, Arizona
(Catalina State Park Romero Interpretive Trail, image courtesy of Archaeology Southwest [2])
Who were the Hohokam?
The Hohokam people were a sedentary group who inhabited Southern Arizona. The name ‘Hohokam’ refers to the broad desert farming group in the region of the Phoenix and Tucson basins. This group has been identified through the archaeological record based on pottery, irrigation canals, settlement patterns, and agriculture found in the region [5]. Key identifiers of the Hohokam culture include red-on-buff pottery, red-on-brown pottery, ballcourts, platform and trash mounds, marine shell jewelry, cremation burial practices, major irrigation canals, settlements with pit houses, the collection of numerous wild plants, and the cultivation of crops such as maize, squash, beans, cotton, and agave [5]. The cultural region of Phoenix and Tucson has been inhabited by Hohokam agricultural economies as early as 1200 BCE, known as the Early Agricultural Period [6]. The history of the Hohokam people is further divided into periods that correspond with economic, architectural, and agricultural phases based on archaeological evidence. More substantial communities were seen after 500 CE, during the Pioneer period when large scale irrigation systems were beginning to develop [6]. These irrigation networks, essential to surviving the harsh desert climate, increased significantly in what is known as the Hohokam Colonial period from 700 CE to 950 CE [6]. The Colonial period is characterized by settlements along rivers such as the Salt, Gila, Santa Cruz, and San Pedro rivers. Following the Colonial period was the Sedentary period from 950 CE to 1150 CE, which is characterized by population growth and an intensified agricultural system [6]. The last Hohokam era is known as the Classical period from 1150 CE to 1450 CE which was when the population was restructured through community aggregation [6]. Unfortunately, the reason for the disappearance of the Hohokam from the archaeological record is unknown. Some scholars argue long term demographic effects are to blame while others believe catastrophic environmental events are responsible. However, the general scholarly consensus is that the Hohokam disappeared before European colonizers landed on the shores of the New World.
Newer research shows that Hohokam culture can be dated in the Tucson basin as early as the Early Agricultural period. More specifically, the Cienega phase of the Early Agricultural period which ran from approximately 800 BCE to 1 CE. Hohokam culture in the Pre-classic period in the Tucson basin is characterized by courtyard communities with communal ovens, trash mounds, and cemeteries [4]. Unlike settlements in the Phoenix basin, Tucson settlements were larger, more spread out, and farther from rivers [4]. Pre-classic ball courts are also seen in Hohokam settlements in the Tucson basin, fueling theories about Mesoamerican contact. Ballcourts and presence of Mesoamerican copper bells at Hohokam village sites are indicators that the Hohokam may have descended from or traded with Mesoamerican tribes. Agave cultivation along with beans, squash, and maize was common in this period. The Hohokam used special tools to cut agave leaves away from the heart of the plant and then separate the pulp [1]. The leaves of the agave plant were dried in the sun and used to create textiles as a form of the craft economy.
(Illustration of a ball court by Rob Ciaccio courtesy of Desert Archaeology, Inc. [3])
(Image of a Hohokam Agave Scraper ca. 1150-1275 C.E. courtesy of the Arizona State Museum [1])
The Classic period saw a shift in settlement patterns among the Hohokam in Tucson. This region became more populated as it was once believed to be more of a fringe settlement compared to the Phoenix basin. Additionally, the Hohokam began to build walled compounds and settle on terraced hillsides [4]. Pre-classic agriculture continued into the Classic period with an increase of agave cultivation in some areas [4]. In addition to this, jackrabbits became a staple of the Hohokam diet in the Tucson basin as hunting for smaller game was preferred. Craft economies in the Classic period heightened although they made similar items that were seen in earlier periods such as red-on-buff ceramics, marine shell ornaments, clay figurines, and obsidian projectile points [4].
The Romero Ruins Site
The Romero Ruin site is located in Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona, and it is one of the several Hohokam sites within Tucson (https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/product/asw21-3/ has more details). The ruins were excavated in the 1970s and 1980s, but more substantial archaeological testing occurred in the 1990s. Catalina State Park itself was established in 1983.
(Image of the Romero Ruin courtesy of Desert Archaeology, Inc. [3])
This site was likely inhabited from 500 CE to 1450 CE and it is positioned on a ridge in the Santa Catalina mountains [2]. The peak of the settlement was likely around 900 CE with approximately 150 people living in the compound (Archaeology Southwest). According to Catalina State Park, the Romero Ruin site consisted of pit houses and evolved into a walled courtyard structure. The pit houses cannot be seen today as they were made of perishable materials. This site got its name from Tucsonans Francisco and Victoriana Romero, who built a ranch on top of the Hohokam settlement [3]. The Romero's were born in the early 19th century in Tucson while it was a Mexican territory [3]. While Francisco Romero was in the Mexican army, his wife Victoriana built a house in what is now downtown Tucson; remnants of their downtown home were excavated by chance in 2012 by Desert Archaeology, and it was determined that the house was torn down sometime between 1905 and 1910 [3]. The Romero’s did not live on their ranch in the Catalina mountains for long as they were frequently raided by the Apache [3].
(Romero Ruin Plaque in Catalina State Park)
(Remnants of the Romero Ruin ball court in Catalina State Park)
(Stairs leading up to the Romero Ruin Interpretive Loop)
(Dwelling of the Romero Estate with fireplace in the far corner)
The Romero Ruin site contains remnants of the Hohokam village as well as the Romero estate. The hiking trail that surrounds the ruins is aptly called the “Romero Ruins Interpretive Trail” as it takes one’s imagination to envision the old settlements. The Hohokam settlement wall is partially visible as is rubble of the Romero estate walls. One of the most prominent structures of the Romero household along this trail is a small building with a corner fireplace. Hohokam structures that are easier to see include a trash mound and a ballcourt. The trail is just under a mile and is beginner friendly. When visiting this trailhead it is imperative to note that there are stairs as it is situated atop a ridge.
Catalina State Park
11570 N. Oracle Rd
Tucson, AZ 85737
More information on the Catalina State Park can be found here: https://azstateparks.com/catalina
More information on the Romero Ruin including a map of the trail can be found here: https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/explore/romero-ruin-catalina-state-park/
References
[1] “Agave Scraper.” Arizona State Museum statemuseum.arizona.edu/online-exhibit/curators-choice/agave-scraper.
[2] Archaeology Southwest. “Romero Ruin.” Archaeology Southwest, 12 Oct. 2017, www.archaeologysouthwest.org/explore/romero-ruin-catalina-state-park.
[3] “A Tale of Two Parks.” Desert Archaeology, Inc., 18 Sept. 2018, desert.com/two-parks/?search=romero%20ruin.
[4] Bayman, James M. “The Hohokam of Southwest North America.” Journal of World Prehistory, vol. 15, no. 3, Jan. 2001, pp. 257–311. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1013124421690.
[5] “Culture History of Southern Arizona: Hohokam.” Arizona State Museum, statemuseum.arizona.edu/online-exhibit/culture-history-southern-arizona/hohokam.
[6] Dean, Rebecca M. “Hunting Intensification and the Hohokam ‘Collapse.’” Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, vol. 26, no. 1, May 2006, pp. 109–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaa.2006.03.010.
