Honey Bee Village is one of the largest Hohokam villages in the northern Tucson Basin . Lying near the base of Pusch Ridge in the Rancho Vistoso development, it was occupied from about A.D. 750 to A.D. 1300. This prehistoric village covers about 75 acres. The core area, consisting of approximately 12 acres, contains a ball court for social gatherings, a large walled compound, and a series of trash mounds containing artifacts that represent nearly 500 years of occupation .
Honey Bee Village Excavation
An estimated 150 – 200 pit house structures may exist at the village . The nearby Sleeping Snake Village, obliterated through modern development also contained a ball court and a large number of pithouses.
Archaeological excavations were conducted at the site in 1988 and additional excavations are planned prior to further development of the area.
Preservation of the core area of one of these Hohokam villages is essential to gaining a better understanding of the thousands of years of history in Oro Valley.
Experience experimental Archaeology and Hands-On Archaeology of Hohokam Pithouses at Steam Pump Ranch presented by Archaeology Southwest and its advisory team