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i • I~~ I~~I~~I~~II~I I~~ RECEIVEn November 4, 1997 Ms. Lavern Lemay Minerals Program Assistant of The State of Colorado Department of Natural Resources Division of Minerals and Geology 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Dear Ms. Lemay: Nnv O7 1991 Bivision et Minaials 8 c~NC~ln;y- M,~~ - O£SJr I am an azchaeologist who has worked professionally in Montezuma County, Colorado since 1969. I earned my Ph.D. from Cambridge University and served as Senior Reseazch Archaeologist for Crow Canyon Archaeological Center for many years. I have also served as the president of the Colorado Council of Professional Archaeologists. Yesterday, as a private citizen, I walked over the location of a proposed gravel mine known as the Stone Pit that is located at or neaz Sections 12 and 13, Tier 35 North, Range 17 West, New Mexico (10'") Principal Meridian. I walked over what I believe to be zones marked I, II, III, and I V on the Pre-mining Map. On these zones, especially on Zones II, III, and possibly IV, I witnessed significant indications of prehistoric inhabitation. A rather large site is indicated and from the pottery sherds found on the surface it would indicate inhabitation in the periods 1050-1140 AD. Some pottery samples also indicate a much eazlier occupation of the site. I also identified lithic scatter indicating tool-making activities on the site. Unfortunately, within the past six month or so, someone has driven a bulldozer over one part of this section and damaged the surface of [he original midden azea. The midden azea is where most artifacts are present and it is also the azea most commonly associated with burial of human remains. Test pit excavations were dug just a few yazds west of the site azea. This section deserves preservation, or studied excavation, before any surface mining activities can be allowed.