Dr. William Doelle
Jo Ann Waddell
At the first meeting of the year, a filled-to-capacity room of SaddleBrooke Nature Club members and guests heard archaeologist Dr. William Doelle present a program titled Exploring Communities of the Distant Past. Dr. Doelle, founder of Archaeology Southwest in Tucson, used Power Point screens to illustrate the millennial history of the people who inhabited the Greater Tucson Basin. This basin is a broad 1,000 square mile area in the upper Santa Cruz River drainage basin enclosed by the surrounding mountain ranges. Four thousand years ago, only 600 people (the population of SaddleBrooke Units 14, 17 and 21) lived in this very large area. Mud houses built at this time were discovered in the area near Congress Street west of 1-10. Excavation at this site continues.
As the many years passed, the population increased and became more dispersed. Additional archaeological sites reveal extensive waterworks, farming, ballcourts, pottery and jewelry. Ballcourts are one of the most visible features. People played in these courts with a ball the size of a basketball made of a material similar to rubber. The games between villages brought people together and engendered a sense of community through trade and ceremonies.
Close to us in areas surrounding Oro Valley and SaddleBrooke many of the features described above can be seen. One is Romero Ruin in Catalina State Park, a favorite of Dr. Doelle. There is an interpretative trail at the Ruin. The ancient settlements at Romero Ruin date from A.D 600 to A.D. 1400. Another area is Honey Bee Canyon near Rancho Vistoso. At this excavation, locations of over 300 houses and several ball courts have been identified. Work will continue here over the next few years with the goal of public access. Immediately available to see at Honey Bee Park is the Petroglyph panel. A sign will direct a hiker to its location. Car parking and access to the park is off of Rancho Vistoso Boulevard.
Our area has a rich history of the people who came before us. We are fortunate to have archaeologists such as Dr. Doelle and his teams dedicated to discovering and preserving this history.
SaddleBrooke Nature Club meets the second Monday at 4:00 p.m. in the Coyote Room downstairs at the HOA 1 Clubhouse. Check the website at www.SaddleBrookeNatureClub.com for information about the November 14 meeting. Our speaker will be talking about monsoons and wildfires.