The Plebisite, in the Hay Hollow Valley of east part central Arizona, was excavated in 1967 by Christopher White of San Diego State College as of the Undergraduate Research Participation Program of the National Science Foundation (Figure 1). Under the supervision of graduate student Mark Leone and Dr. Paul Martin, White sought to test the hypothesis that the Pleibisite was "a specialized activity locus" (Martin Archives Folder A-1132), either a hunting and gathering station or an agricultural camp. More generally, he sought to elucidate the "patterns of exploitation of resources in prehistoric times in a single ecological niche" (Martin Archives Folder A-1127b). White apparently wrote a paper entitled "Changing Patterns of Exploitation of an Ecological Niche: The Uses of Resources Through Time on a Mesa" (15pp.) that explained this research, though this document has not been found in the archives.

EXCAVATION STRATEGY

There are no excavation records on file at the Museum, nor are there accession or catalog records available. The subsite information present on the artifacts catalogued suggests that a grid of at least 54 squares was established over the site surface and at least 18 (33%) of those units were excavated in two levels; one feature was excavated to three levels. A peculiar aspect of the subsite information suggests that four "triangles" (west, south, north, and possibly east) were established and guided the excavation, though these may be relevant largely for the collection of sediment samples. There is also a terrace mentioned in the provenience designations, though it is likely that this is a geomorphologic feature rather than archaeological.

None of the artifacts in the Museum's possession were processed upon excavation. Martin Project staff cataloged 104 pieces of chipped stone, 15 sediment samples, and 112 sherds. None of these collections have been analyzed. One charcoal sample, labeled "1969 survey extra charcoal from pieces that have already been 14C dated. Gx 1219" (Gx refers to Groningen Laboratory) was collected some three years after the site was excavated.

PHOTOGRAPHS

There were no photograph albums of the Plebisite excavations housed in the Field Museums archives. However, through recent correspondence with Christopher White, several personal photos and a map of the Plebisite were sent to the Martin Project team in June of 1999 (Figures 2,3,and 4). These photographs have been recorded and added as a part of the newly archived materials.