Huerfano Butte

Huerfano Butte, or “Orphan Butte,” is a small rocky summit in southeastern Arizona and a prominent landmark within the Santa Rita Experimental Range. It is also an important prehistoric archaeological site linked to Hohokam use by about 1100 CE, supported by a nearby water source, numerous bedrock mortars and metates, and weathered red pictographs showing human, animal, and circular forms. In 1965, a hidden pottery jar found in the butte contained about 1,500 turquoise and glycimeris shell beads and pendants; the jar was dated to about 1100 CE and identified as Gila plainware from the Rincon phase. Its archaeological fragility has led to restricted access.

Arizona · United States