Geoarchaeological evidence for ritual closure of a kiva at Fourmile Ruin, Arizona

► Ancestral Pueblo ceremonial structures (or kivas) in the US Southwest were often “closed” through ritual activities. ► Closure activities can leave subtle traces in the archaeological record. ► Overt signs of ritual “closure” were not evident in this fourteenth-century kiva at Fourmile Ruin. ► Geoarchaeological analyses were used to model the complex, orchestrated ritual closure of this kiva. ► These behavioral events aid in the modeling of abandonment processes in nearby areas of the ancient village.