Welcome to our site, here you will find our objectives,plans and activities. If by chance you are not a member, you might consider joining our chapter. We promise you a well rounded program that will exceed your highest expectations.

1.  Foster interest and research in the archaeology of Arizona.
 
2.  Encourage better public understanding and concern for archaeological resources.
 
3.  Protect antiquities by discouraging exploitation of archaeological resources.
 
4.  Aid in the conservation and preservation of scientific archaeological data and associated sites.
 
5.  Serve as a bond between the professional and the avocational nonprofessional.
 
6.  Increase knowledge and improve the skills of the members in the disciplines of archaeology.
 
7.  Participate in investigations in the field of archaeology, and put the information so obtained into publishable form.

8.  Publish a journal and such monographs as the Publications Committee deems appropriate.

The Rim Country Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society (RCC-AAS) has ongoing interest in two local prehistoric sites: Goat Camp and Risser Ranch Ruins. Goat Camp dates to between 850 and 1150 AD, Risser is contemporaneous but probably was inhabited well into the 1200's. The Northern Gila County Historic Society owns a ¾ acre lot of Risser Ruin, and has an agreement with Rim Country AAS to utilize it for educational purposes. RCC-AAS has cleared brush, removed old back dirt, placed a pathway through the site, and stabilized walls at Risser. At one time Risser Ranch Ruin had over 100 rooms, the ¾ acre lot available to us contains less than 20, most of the rest of this site has been destroyed by modern housing construction. Goat Camp lies on the northern edge of the town of Payson and consisted of at least 25 rooms (probably more). The town of Payson owns all of this ruin (except for the northern edge of the artifact scatter, which thankfully lies on Tonto National Forest land), and efforts are underway to develop the site as an archaeological park, with interpretive signs and pathways through the ruin. 

 The prehistoric people who occupied both Goat Camp and Risser Ruin were farmers and hunters. They were closely related to the Mogollon peoples to the east and the Salado of the Tonto Creek arm of the Tonto Basin. The Hopi and other Puebloan peoples of the modern SW are likely also closely related to these prehistoric Payson people.