Nevadans for Cultural Preservation

"The Mesa House Ruin and its role in defining Virgin Anasazi archaeology in Southern Nevada"

Presentation by archaeologist, Justin DeMaio

The Mesa House ruin is a pueblo site dating to the late Pueblo II – early Pueblo III period (AD. 1150-1300) and is associated with the Virgin Anasazi archaeological cultural sequence. It is located on a ridge overlooking the Muddy River in Overton, NV and is one of the earliest sites investigated by archaeologists in the region, specifically Irwin Hayden who was under a permit from another well known archaeologist at that time, Mark Raymond Harrington. Mesa House is significant for the role the site has played in the history of the development of archaeological research within the State of Nevada and is the type site for this phase of the Virgin Anasazi. The Bureau of Reclamation currently manages this property and this talk will discuss the history of research there, the collection of artifacts recovered, and what future plans the bureau has for the management of the site, including a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.