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Table 1.2. Feature Type Definitions.
Feature Type Definition
Roomblock An associated or contiguous group of 3 or more masonry, jacal, or adobe rooms at a habitation site.
Unknown Structure One or two isolated masonry rooms of unknown function in a physical or cultural context where a field house function is unlikely.
Ramada/Lean-to One-room structure with brush or jacal walls to form a windbreak and shade. Includes structures with low masonry walls, but presumed brush superstructure.
Lithic Concentration A dense cluster of lithic materials discrete from surrounding features or artifact scatters.
Pot Drop A concentration of sherds from one or a few vessels, presumed to represented breakage location.
General Site Scatter A scatter of artifacts not clearly associated with one or a few features at a site, but with the site as a whole.
Slab/Fire-cracked Rock Scatter A scatter of unburned or burned slabs representing either the remains of a structure or feature, or the remains of a burned feature such as a hearth, baking pit, or oven.
Canal/Ditch An earthen or masonry-lined feature used to transport water from an intake point to a field.
Dam An earthen and/or masonry water collection or retention feature.
Check Dam An alignment of rock used to entrap or slow slope or drainage run-off.
Pit House A subterranean structure used as a permanent dwelling.
Rock Shelter A natural shelter largely formed by a cliff, ledge, or talus boulders, with only minor human improvements. Differs from a ledge room in that the latter combines natural shelter with substantial construction.
Unknown Feature Small rubble feature of unknown function.
Corral Large enclosure used to pen livestock, with construction including deadfall, timber, stone, posts and barbed wire, or cliff wall.
Cairn A rough pyramidal pile of unshaped stone often used to mark trails or points of topographic prominence.
Stone Circle An oval or circular enclosure formed by a low masonry wall and occurring on slickrock near a cliff or ledge face, usually in the vicinity of a Chacoan structure. Small basins in the slickrock and ground stone fragments are frequently found in the circles. Windes (1978) interprets stone circles as ceremonial in nature.
Ash Heap Formal refuse dumps for Navajo hogans or camp sites. Ash heaps or ash piles are generally found to the east of the structure and in addition to ash and charcoal, at least some contain bone, pottery, glass, metal, and other discarded material.