The Rowley Site
In 1998, the Mesa City Council passed a
resolution declaring “Rowley Site Day.” This
declaration marked the end of 15 years of excavation
work at the site. The land, owned by Ken Rowley,
contained a portion of a large Hohokam village site
and was scheduled for development. The Southwest
Archaeology Team (SWAT) at the Arizona Museum of
Natural History conducted excavations, trained
interested volunteers in archaeological techniques
and conducted educational programs for local schools
and scout groups. The dig on Horne Road introduced
thousands of people to archaeology.
The village dated to the Hohokam Classic Period
from AD 1100 to 1450. Archaeologists excavated three
classic period “compounds,” thick walled multi-room
pueblo-like structures. The information recovered
provided new insights on daily life during the
Classic Period.
In this type of living arrangement, a “compound
wall” enclosed a large rectangular area, which was
then divided by walls to create plazas and room
spaces. The large compound at the Rowley Site had
one plaza on the north and a second plaza on the
south, divided by a central block of rooms.
Two compounds at the Rowley Site, a smaller and
earlier compound to the left, the large compound to
the right.
Rowley Site excavations in the plaza area of
compound III.
Children participating in one of the many
educational programs at the Rowley Site.
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