I have recovered numerous tree-ring samples from burned kivas, pithouses and rooms. All of the samples were submitted for dating from Kiva G and the rooms, however, because of the expense and date redundancy, only 20% of the samples from Kiva K and Pithouses 1 and 2 were submitted. I believe that these dates are sufficient for an accurate interpretation of when the structures were built, and under what conditions. Unfortunately, none of the 19 samples recovered from Late Pueblo I rooms yielded any dates. Since I have found no pithouses associated with the Late Pueblo I occupation, I can only guess a construction date based on associated artifacts. I believe the Pueblo I construction occurred in the 850s to 870s.

Here is a color-coded map and a stem-and-leaf diagram of the excavated portion of the site showing the construction episodes during the Pueblo II period.

The first construction was Pithouse 2 in AD 947 (table) . This was followed shortly after by construction of Kiva K in AD 953 (table). The date range of beams indicates that they were being stockpiled for several years before actual construction. It looks to me like the pithouse was constructed to accommodate a family while preparations were being made to construct the kiva.

The same pattern is seen with Pithouse 1 and Kiva I. The pithouse was built in AD 970 (table) with a possible renovation after 975, with the kiva built in AD 974 (table) . It also looks like old wood was being used in the kiva roof, possibly salvaged from the roof of Kiva K. If so, the salvaging operation was not evident in the fallen burned roof of Kiva K.

There were no tree-ring samples recovered from Kiva H (the large central rectangular structure). However, I am putting Kiva H construction in the mid 900s because of its central location in relation to the roomblock , an the clear association of Cortez B/w pottery on the floor and its dominance in the trash fill of the structure.

The large number of tree-ring dates from Kiva G (table) shows a mid-1050s construction. It is also evident that old wood, going as far back as the 990s, was incorporated in the structure. It is unclear if wood from the late 1030s and throughout the 1040s represents scavanged or stockpiled wood, or perhaps both. If thee bems were scavanged, it probably indicates that there was a 1040s construction in a nearby roomblock. This may also be represented in the 1043 date from the roof of Room 8, which for other reasons has been interpreted as associated with the Kiva G occupation.

Room dates are in some cases consistant with expectations of a mid-900s construction (table) . This is especially true for Rooms 30 and 33, with Room 40 having a single date that puts it in the 970s. Only Room 2 seems to fall in a time period not represented elsewhere in the excavated area. Although few in number, all but one are cutting dates from the 960s, which may presage the 970s constructions of Pithouse 1 and Kiva I. The only problem is the non-cutting date of 998. What this may represent is unclear to me.

I think evidence from Stix and Leaves Pueblo clearly shows that there was a significant occupation in the Montezuma Valley in the mid- to late 900s. Since the latest dates in the Dolores River Valley are around AD 925, this leaves only a thirty year gap in the known sequence from SW Colorado. Further work in other roomblocks at Stix and Leaves Pueblo could easily fill in this time period as well.