Surface Survey of Woodrow Ruin, Grant County, New Mexico

Woodrow Ruin is a large, multi-component Mimbres site located in the upper Gila valley. Although scholars have mentioned Woodrow Ruin for over 80 years, little professional research has been performed there. During the summer of 2011 researchers from the University of Colorado, Arizona State University, Museum of New Mexico, and Desert Archaeology conducted research at Woodrow Ruin. The research consisted of a surface ceramic survey and high-contour GPS mapping, and was the most extensive to date at the site. This article examines the history of research at Woodrow Ruin, describes current work at the site, and suggests that Woodrow Ruin can help elucidate some long-standing issues in Mimbres archaeology.