Bell Butte Cave and Petroglyph Recording

In response to possible damages to cultural resources incurred by a City utilities installation project, Logan Simpson completed a joint archaeological and ethnographic study of Bell Butte, which is considered a sacred landmark and confirmed Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) among the Akimel O’Odham (Pima) and Piipaash (Maricopa) communities of southern Arizona. Incorporation of both archaeological and traditional perspectives yielded significant and unprecedented insights into the material and memory culture of the butte. Logan Simpson is presently working with the City to develop land management practices intended to preserve and protect the sacred butte from further desecration, and also advance the repatriation of sacred objects recovered from a cave at the butte to the Akimel O’Odham.