Having grown up amongst ditch irrigation in the Rio Grande valley, they do look similar to diversion boxes for ditch irrigation, but much wider than any I've ever seen.  The concrete shoulders illustrate the depth the boxes were set at when concreted.  Whatever they may be, it appears they were moved to the location where found.

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cody Davis
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2015 9:00 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Identification Help

I am trying to help Dr. Skinner with the identification of a some historic remains he found near Carlsbad, NM last week. Attached is a link to the dropbox for the photos. Below is the description he sent out to some other list serves last week.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5cgtvyfrnawv8t7/AAA1LB0Z7K45cbXb9agWWQaJa?dl=0

Post on behalf of Dr. Skinner.
"This series of photographs was taken last week during a pipeline route survey. I need to know just how the structures shown were used. There are a series of a thirteen separate structures that have been placed parallel  to each other and they form a row that extends for more than 20 feet. The structures consist of an open faced heavy metal box that measures 45" on the long,upper and lower sides, and the box frame is set into concrete on the ends and under the opening in the box. The box is riveted together and a vertical piece of wood is bolted into the box flange on the inside of the box on either end. A wooden panel made of boards held together with wire nails appears to have been used to close off the opening in the metal box.
There is no obvious way that the panel slid in to plug the space. The photos include one which shows several metal boxes and box parts without any wood or concrete attached. It appears to me that the contraption was installed in a subterranean manner and that maybe water flowed over the lower concrete that joined the two pillars that are on either end of the structures. I want to believe that somehow they functioned in an irrigation system but I don't know how that could be."



Cody S. Davis, MA, RPA
Principal Investigator
AR Consultants, Inc.
805 Business Parkway
Richardson, TX 75081
214.368.0478 (office)
214.221.1519 (fax)
www.arc-digs.com

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