Time Depth of 800 Years

Archaeology as spectator sport. Behind the soon-to-be-gone Sweeney Convention Center, the excavation has reached only to the Territorial Period and the Fort Marcy era. They've found mostly metal and glass, and the present pits are in a military parade ground dating to 1887. But they know from the exploratory trenches dug last winter that some parts of the site will take them back about 800 years. All this we overheard as one of the archaeologists stopped his digging in the hot sun to explain what's going on to two little boys. He had some dates for occupation, but we missed that part as we scrambled for a pencil to write down the entrancing phrase, 'time-depth of about 800 years.'
       There is information about the project, and Tesuque Pueblo's interest in it, in the City Council minutes from July 19. Scroll down just below halfway. You're looking for the section that begins, "Status Report on Archaeology..."