State report clears Jackass Hill for six-foot dig after finding 350 artifacts

The renovation of Jackass Hill Park in Littleton can now proceed with excavation up to six feet deep, following a preliminary state report released in October. The findings from the August archaeological dig conclude that the viewpoint is not historically significant, removing a major administrative barrier for South Suburban Parks and Recreation.

The investigation was triggered by a large volume of items collected by local residents. Ned Sterne, a Littleton resident, and Craig Banister, an advocate archaeologist, submitted 209 indigenous artifacts to the state before the excavation began. The report notes that 70 percent of these items were cultural objects, while the remaining 30 percent were unmodified rocks. This high number of finds prompted the state to evaluate whether a legitimate site existed at the location.

Dr. Holly Norton, the Colorado State Archaeologist and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, led a three-day investigation using hand excavation. Her team recovered more than 350 artifacts at the site, classifying the area as an indigenous open camp. Approximately 90 percent of the recovered items were undiagnostic bone fragments and lithic microflakes. The crew also uncovered a hearth and larger lithic flakes, including fragments of manos.

A specific piece of charcoal from the hearth was sent to ICA Labs Inc for radiocarbon analysis. The lab found an 82.2 percent probability that the charcoal has a calibrated age of 670 to 780 AD. Banister stated he believes more material lies underground, noting the rarity of such sites surviving in metro areas. However, Norton argued that the site is effectively gone because decades of visitors collecting artifacts and taking them home altered the original context.

Sterne expressed that he was not surprised by the conclusion, citing the shallow nature of the dig. He described the hilltop as hallowed ground to many in Littleton, pointing to existing data indicating use over 8,000 years. He proposed a formal scientific excavation to replace the planned construction, warning that the project should not become archaeology by backhoe.

The state recommended that an archaeologist monitor future construction in case additional materials are unearthed. South Suburban Parks and Recreation told Denver7 it is hiring an archaeologist before work begins. Norton stated that digging deeper than the initial hand excavation could slightly raise the chance of finding more material, which the on-site archaeologists would then help assess for significance.

The report’s classification of the viewpoint as a minor camp allows the park authority to move forward with the deep renovation. The process removes the state’s previous objection to the project’s scale, shifting the responsibility for monitoring to the construction phase.