Plateau to hunt game or gather seasonal wild plants, their homes were easily built. The bands of people generally inhabited rock alcoves or lived out in the open in brush shelters and lean-tos. The dwellings were made by digging a shallow basin and building a frame of wooden logs in the shape of a cone, dome or tent. The frames were covered with brush and earthen daub that acted as a sealant for protection against the elements. Rocks may have been placed around the base of the shelter or lean-to and fire pits were sometimes used inside the homes. The shallow-basined lodgings are considered a precursor to the Basketmaker pit-houses. In the summer, campsites were made at high elevations: on the top of mesas or ridges. They also had temporary campsites in the mountains, low mesas and ponds formed by spring runoff. Structures, built in the later part of this period, were built at lower elevations. Material goods Items found at the Archaic-Early Basketmaker sites include: Stone scrapers, lithic scatters (tool-making debris), projectile points, knives, milling tools and debris. Crude manos and metates to grind wild nuts and seeds Spears, atlatls and darts Snares Baskets Rope and sandals Clothing made of hides Animal (bighorn sheep, elk, deer) figurines made of twigs Bone and wooden artifacts. Archaic-Early Basketmaker sites Chaco Canyon More than 70 campsites are located within the Chaco Canyon of New Mexico that span the period from 7000 to 1500 BCE. One site is Atlatl Cave. Chinle Valley Lukachukai and Salina Springs in the Chinle Valley of northeastern Arizona are late Archaic-Early Basketmaker sites. Cove–Red valley area in New Mexico. LaPlata valley of northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. For Colorado sites, see Colorado LaPlata sites. Mesa Verde region A domed Archaic shelter was found near Mesa Verde, Colorado. Navajo Mountain area Dust Devil cave, dated about 6000 BCE, is located on Navajo Mountain in Arizona. Pecos area There were five Archaic-Early Basketmaker sites found in the Pecos River valley that were likely for hunting deer and gathering wild plants. Eight additional hunting sites are located in the nearby mountains, devoid of wild plant gathering evidence. Three pit-houses were found from the latter years of the period. Sporadic sightings of projectile points and other artifacts were also found. Tohatchi Flats in New Mexico. Ute Mountain Ute Mountain sites are classified by Hurley as late Archaic/Early Basketmaker, but the time