Studies at Navajo Period Sites in the Navajo Reservoir District is James J. Hester's comprehensive archaeological investigation into Navajo habitation sites located within the Navajo Reservoir District of northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. Conducted as part of a major salvage archaeology program preceding reservoir construction, the study documents a critical period in Navajo history, providing detailed analyses of settlement patterns, architecture, material culture, and subsistence practices.
Hester synthesizes excavation data, artifact typologies, and environmental studies to reconstruct life in the Navajo Period, roughly spanning the late 16th to early 20th centuries. The work examines the relationship between Navajo communities and their surrounding landscapes, highlighting adaptive strategies in response to environmental constraints, trade opportunities, and interactions with neighboring cultural groups. Attention is also given to the transition from traditional pueblitos and hogans to more contemporary forms of dwelling, as well as shifts in pottery styles, lithic technology, and agricultural practices.
Rich with site maps, stratigraphic drawings, and artifact illustrations, this volume is both a scholarly resource and a lasting record of sites now submerged beneath the reservoir. Hester's meticulous approach preserves vital information for future research while deepening our understanding of Navajo history, resilience, and cultural continuity in the face of changing ecological and political landscapes.