new acquisition WORKING TOGETHER

Working TogeTher

The acquisition of the Frazier site is another example of the Conservancy working with a developer.

The Frazier site is located southwest of the South Platte River in north-central Colorado. It was discovered in 1965 by geologist Frank Frazier, who told the late Marie Wormington, an archaeologist at the Denver Museum of Natural History, about it. In 1965-67, Wormington directed the Denver Museum of Natural History’s excavation of the site. The excavators found over 40 partial bison remains, projectile points, scrapers, bifacial knives, gravers, and debitage. They also discovered a number of Agate Basin points associated with the bones.

“The site was definitely not a kill site. Based on our excavation, it seems more like a camping area in which bison were cut up and eaten,” said archaeologist Ruthann Knudson, who worked with Wormington. This was clear from the bison remains, which primarily consisted of the edible portions. The kill and primary butchering areas haven’t been found, but are assumed to have been nearby.

Frazier is distinctive in that it may be the only Agate Basin site in the Western United States that has no older or younger components. Carbon dating of the organic material in the soil directly above the cultural remains dates the Frazier site to around 9000 b.c. “This is an important area for recovering Paleo-Indian materials, which are still today relatively rare—particularly a definable site, not just surface materials,” said Knudson.

Frazier is the only Agate Basin site that’s been excavated in Colorado. Overall, 1,161 lithic artifacts and 20,012 pieces of bone were collected. But Knudson believes the site still has significant research potential, saying that they “didn’t attempt to take out every possible bit of material from the site—we excavated what we thought was a central point of site occupation within Wormington’s budget and schedule limits.”

The company that owned the land, Journey Ventures, L.L.C., planned to develop an open-pit gravel mining and materials processing operation that would have affected part of the site. Journey Ventures’ mining permit application was reviewed by the Colorado Historical Society, which informed the company that the Frazier site was located along the southern boundary of the proposed mining area. The Conservancy was also informed of the situation. After considering their options, Journey Ventures agreed to sell the 1.6-acre area containing the site to the Conservancy for a price less than market value in a bargain sale to charity. The combined efforts of Journey Ventures, L.L.C., the Colorado Historical Society, and the Conservancy have resulted in the preservation of Frazier. This is another example of the preservation and development communities joining forces to protect an important site. —Iris Picat

Archaeologists conduct test excavations at the Frazier site earlier this year. The archaeologists were hired by Journey Ventures, L.L.C. to define the boundaries of the site.

Conservancy Plan of Action

Site: Frazier cultuRe AnD tiMe PeRiOD: Paleo-Indian–Agate Basin Complex, 9000 b.c. StAtuS: The site is located in a rapidly developing rural area adjacent to a new open-pit gravel mining and materials processing operation. AcquiSitiOn: The Conservancy has an option to purchase the site from the owners of the nearby mining operation in a bargain-sale-to-charity transaction. The purchase price and additional costs for developing management and public educational programs will be $52,600. HOw YOu cAn HelP: Please send contributions to The Archaeological Conservancy, Attn: Frazier Archaeological Site, 5301 Central Ave. NE, Suite 902, Albuquerque, NM 87108-1530

To receive more information and our brochure, mail information requests to: The Archaeological Conservancy Attn: Planned Giving 5301 Central Avenue NE, Suite 902 Albuquerque, NM 87108-1517

For more information call 505-266-1540 or email tacstaff@nm.net

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