Utah Statewide Archaeological Society Newsletter, Volume 7, Number 2, June 1961

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A Newsletter

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UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 603 EAST SOUTH TEMPLE

SALT LAKE Vol. 7, No.2

.c LIft UIAnl

June, 1961

Petroglyph from Hobo Cave (42In41)

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UTAH ARCHAEOLOGY is published quarterly by tho UTAH STATEWIDE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Subscription is included in membership. Membership in the 's ociety is available from the secretary-treasurer at $2.00 per year. Correspondence concerning ilie activities of the society should be directed to the president. All manuscripts and news items sh'ould be sent to the editor: Lloyd Pierson, Arches National Monument, Moab, Utah.

UTAH STATEWIDE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY PR~SIDENT: H. Merrill VICE PRESIDENT: John SECRETARY-TREASURER: ADVISOR: Dr. Jesse D.

EDITOR'S NOTES:

Peterson, 651 Canyon Road, Logan, Utah L. Cross, 860 South lOth East, Orem,Utah Veone Gale, 1432 Sunview Drive, Ogden, Utah Jennings, Univ. of Utah,Salt Lake City 12

TRANSITION

Those of you who attended the Second Annual Me'eting of the USAS at the University of Utah on May 20 know that the Society has lost two of its mainstays through the transfer of Lloyd Pierson to the Shenandoah Parkway in Virginia. Not only have we lost the editor of the Newsletter, but the Secretary-Treasurer as well. Botb Lloyd and Marian will be sorely missed by their many friends in the Society. We all cherish the hope that they will return to Utah in the near future.

Both of the posts left vacant by the departure of the Piersons have been filled. For the first, that of Secretary-Treasurer, we have found an excellent replacement for Marian Pierson in Mrs. Veone Gale, a member of the Ogden Chapter. Her address is given above. Mrs. Gale has been one of the more active of the Ogden Chapter members, and I am sure that her strong interest in the Society will be ref1~cted in her work as SecretaryTreasurer.

In replacing Lloyd, we have been markedly less fortunate.

Since no one else came immediately to mind when the choice of a new editor became necessary, the task devolved upon David M. Pendergast. I hasten to note that I consider the position temporary, and hope that someone will come forward and bravely volunteer to shoulder the burdens of editorship.

For two main reasons, the editorship should be in the hands of a USAS member, rather than a Department of Anthropology staff member. First, I shall, as of July 1, be taking over editorship of the Anthropological Papers series, and it seems to me that one editorship per persfun is sufficient. Second, and more important, is the strong desire on the part of both University staff and USAS officers that the Society be as independent of the University as possible. Since March, 1960, the Newsletter has been edited by a member of the SocieDY, making the entire Society operation essent1ally autonomous.

By returning the editorship to a Urdversity staff member, this autonomy has been lessened to a degree. -Vie look fOt"vTf\l:(}, therefore, to resumption of editing by a Society member.

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The Second Annual Meeting of the USAS 1,1aS held an' the University campus on May 20 •. Attendance was good p with some chapters well repre sen ted. However,. the Logan 9b.lapter had· just one repre sentati ve, Herrill Peterson, and thi3 st. Ge(.,rge.

Chapter went unrepresented. I hope that these two groups will be able to marshall better support for next year's meeting. qeveral of the papers given at this year's meeting will ultimately appear in the Newsletter; one of them,·a discussion of a site near Plain City, by Mr. and Mra. F.K. Hassel, is included in this issue. ~he

lead article in this issue of UTAH ARCHAEOLOGY, the- report On a site near Plairi City mentioned above, describeg·· a 'collection made from the surface and from disturbed areas of a site in the Willard Reservoir area. This site, like a number of others in the reservoir basin, is threatened by destruction ,-. :hrough bulldozing for dike s or through inundation. The dassels have undertaken a survey of the reservoir areas and ~'lave located some 37 sites, of which 42Bo79 is one.

The University and the Ogden Chapter of the US.A,S undertook exoava~ion of ,42Bo79 in May. 'rids work will be reported in a future ~ssue of UTAH ARCHAEOLOGY; for the moment; all that can be said is that surface indications of heavy yield and considerable depth of deposit were not borne out by excavation. ?wo of the remaining three articles in this issue deal with 9xcavation projects in Utah. I enter a disclaimer for the :irst article, whioh was accepted by Lloyd before he transterred the editorship to me. The article deals with a joint J'SAS-Department of Anthropology excavation at a site ne.ar 3ear River. The brief coverage which appears here is no more ':;han a preliminary statement. Analysis of the materials has Only recently begun, and a final excavation report will not appear for several monthso ~he

second article, by Marshall B•. McKusick, formerly of UCLA and now of the State University of Iowa, reports on work c8.rried Aut by UCLA summer field schools under his direction a~ Paragonah and Summit, Iron County"in 1959 and 1960.

A ~eport of earlier work by UCLA at Paragonah .can be found in No. 25 of the Unive rsity of Utah Anthropolog ical Papers. Work at the two sites is cont inuing , and will be in progress by the ~ime you read this.

'2he final arti cle, the se cond in thi sis sue by Mr. and Mr s ~ nassel, describes a small surface collection from southern :daho, which includes what appears to be an Agate Basin point.

The article demonstrates once ag ain the important contributions 'to knolt-rledge which even the srnaJ.le s et surl'aoe collection may make.

Field operations in Utah this summer include the UCLA summer field school, mentloned above, the Glen Canyon Project work,

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briefly desoribed in the last issue of the Newsletter."and a number of survey and salvage projects to be carried .oi.ltby the Utah Statewide Archeological Survey. The latter include. work. in the Mdab area, I'm the Ute Reservation, and on F'ish and Wildlife Service refuge lands.

Two ~oints of additional information on subj~cts raised in the last issue: House Bill 93, authorizing a State Museum of Natural History on the University of Utah campus, was not reported out of committee in the Senate. We hope that USAS members will continue to exert pressure on their legislators, through letters and personal contacts, for p~ssage ~f a bill of authorization, perhaps stronger than H.B. 93, in the next session ('If the legislature. . ..

Secondly, the museum mentioned as being in prospect for the Price area has now come into being. The official opening of the Carbon College Prehistoric Museum took place on June 3, and I understand that the museum is rapidly becoming one of the chief attractions in the Price area. The Sun-Advocate for June 1 carries three pages of articles about the museum.

For further information about 'how the museum wae Qrganized, developed, and financed, write to Quinn A. Whiting, M.D., Chairman, Carbon College Prehistoric MUseum Advisory Committee, 55 North Sixth East, Price, Utaho New publications in the University of Utah Anthropological Papers serie s: No. 41, Part II The Coombs Site, by Robert H. Lister (a di~­ cussion of the second season of excavatiQn at the site) No. 47 Archeology of ¡the Death Valley Sa1t Pan, California,

by Alice Hunt ( a comprehensive survey of archaeological materials from a forbidding and previously little-know area on the western edge of the Great Basin) No. 48 Ecological Studies of the Flora and ,Fauna of Flaming Gorge Reservoir Basin, Utah and Wyoming, by Seville Flowers at al. .

NO 04.9 1959 Excavations, Glen Canyon Area, by William D. Lipe, Floyd W. Sharrock, David S . Dibble, and Keith M. Anderson ( a full r eport of excavations carried out in 1959 by the Glen Canyon Project staff) This issue of UTAH ARCHAEOLOGY is late in coming off the press, due both to the changes noted above, the transfer of the editor from t he position of Museum Curator in the Department of Anthropology to that of Assistant Professor, and, pr1.marily, to the f'act that the interim editor is something less than a profe-ssioIJa1 t :y pist _ Future issue s will appear more punctually, but cannot apvear at all unless USAS membe't's submit manuscripts for pu h11 ~ a t,iQn_ Please do not hesitate t.{) send me reports of arly't .hing of arcllaeo] og:l ('~al .1 nt,E\l'e.st.

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(42Bo79)

AN OPEN SlTE NEAR PLAIN CITY, UTAH

by F.K. and Carol Hassel The site described in the body of this report is located on the southern edge of Willard Bay, an arm of Great Salt Lake, in southeastern Box Elder County. Plain City, the nearest town of any size, lies about four miles due south in Weber Bounty. A multitude of archeological sites is found in this general area; so, if quantity can be used as a reliable indicator, the region must have supported a fair-sized Indian population.

The little professional reseanch accomplished in the i~mediate vicinity has been more or less restricted to the Puebloid or SeVier-Fremont Complex (Judd, 1926; Steward, 1933; Enger and Blair, 1947). However, these people either left the area or reverted to the hunting-gathering type of economy, whichever theory you prefer, some time prior to 1300 A.D., according to published estimates (Jennings, 1959; Rudy, 1953).

The Indians occupying this specific area in the late prehistoric and historic eras are referred to as the "Weber Utes l1 in most early written accounts. SteWard, rummng others, states that this is a misnomer, and re-identifies them as Northern Shoshoni, a classification which would include the individual Shoshoni bands ranging what is now western Wyoming, eastern Idaho, and northeastern Utah (Steward, 1938).

The type of material recovered at 42Bo79 indicates that this is a Northern Shoshoni site, possibly occupied by so-called l1Weber Ute".

The site stretches along the bank of a intermittent stream channel for a distance of about 1200 yards. Cultural material was confined to within 100 yards of the stream bank, and was heavily concentrated near the ends of the long axis of the site.

It could very well be that what is spoken of here as one site is, in fact, two or more separate sites. Identical material is found at either end, so the question of whether this is a single or multiple site is not of earth-shaking importance.

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The site lies between contour intervals 4210 and 4215 on the topographic map of the area; ¡the actual elevation is estimated at 4213 feet. Just as an item of interest, Great Salt Lake reached a recorded level of 4216 feet in 1868, which means that this camp was covered by some 3 feet of salt water at that time.

Unfortunately, the site will again be submerged, this time permanently, when water storage is commenced in the Willard Reservoir of ,the Weber Basin Project, late in 1962 or early 1963, since it, along with about 20 other similar camps, is located inside the reservoir.

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This same unhappy circumstance is also responsible for the present condition of the site. About 80% of the surface area has been stripped to depths from 4 to 30 inches. The earth removed during this process fsnow buried somewhere in the reservoir dike.

Underlying strata can still be traced .in undisturbed strips of ground left standing in the site. A short stretch of the wall of one cut through the site was squared off and revealed t¡he following cross section from top to -bott6m: a. 4 inche.s of fine, buff colored, wind-blown sand. b. '9 to 12 inches of greyish, slightly compacted sand. c. 12 to 14 ihches o.f dark tan, heavy sand.

Although t hi s cut Ha s n ot cont inu ed down to t he ultimate ba Se, it 1s believed .to be t he same as observed in othe r areas of the site; that is,a heavy , compact ed sandy-cl ay wi t h s ome calc are ous tufa deposit. Cul tur al ma te rial i s found i n t he secon d or greyish stratum, which appears to be considerably thicker in certain parts of the site.

Before proceeding further, it should be stated that this entire report is based on surface observation and collection) exclusively. The Ogden Chapter of the U.S.A.S. hopes .to excavate the site before destruction is complete (seep. 3 - ed~); therefore, this paper should be considered in the nature of a preliminary survey rather than the final report~ No surface indication of anything resembling a dwelling or structure is visible, and nothing was found of a histori'cal nature other than debris attributed to the construction activity (beer cans, pop bottles, broken tail light lens, miscellaneuus loose nuts and bolts, ,e tc.).

Ceramic

Material

Over 21 pounds of sherds were collected; however, about 75% of this collection was turned over to the University of Utah for anal ysis and re fe rence purp oses . Of the approximately s ix poun ds whi ch were c ount ed and ex amin ed visually, 95.5% conf orms fair l y cl o se l y to Rudy ' s pr el iminary description of Shos honi ware (Rudy , 1953). Al t hough ce r tain ,characteristics deviate f r om t hose publis hed, the y can probably be discounted as local v ar i ation s.

The following data were obtained from the examined sherds: 1.

Total sherd count: a.

289

Normal Shoshoni type ¡(total) 276 (95.5%) (1) Plain body: 225 (2) Plain rim: 44 (3) Decorated rim: 7 6

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b.

Aberrant Shoshoni type (plain body): 1 (0.35%)

c.

Promontory (?) (calcite temper):

d.

Desert gray series (?) (sandy texture, minute temper and noticeable amounts of mica): 3 (1.04%).

9 (3.1%)

NOTE: The above sample is biased. Not all body sherds observed in the site were collected, but any fragment with a rim or with visible rework was invariably kept.

What I have called lINormal Shoshoni ll differs from Rudy1s description in the following manner:

1.

No evidence of "flower pot" or pointed bottom forms" and ohly one sherd which might be from a shallow bowl. The usual shape appears to be a deep, round-bottomed vessel with either straight sides or a very slight constriction between the body and rim.

2. ilJo II fingernail" inci sed ornamentation. The only tNPe of decorations found are a single , row of round punctations along the flattened edge of the lips, or multiple rows of small circular "whorl" marks on the lip.

(Only one minute sherd of the latter type was found). Duplicates of the first method of decoration are illustrated by Steward {1937, Fig. l7e,f,h).

NOTE: hO~d ~

These exclusive methods of decoration will probably not up under excavation, because fingernflil-incised sherds been found in several adjacent sites.

The single sherd listed as aberrant Shoshoni exhibits the characteristic coa-r¡ se granite tempering material, but contains a great quantity of mica in a dark gray paste.

Eleven of the Shoshoni sherds have been re~cr.~ed. The edges have been ground off smooth and are slightly rounded. Ten were possibly used as pot scrapers or ladles; the other is a fragment of a centrally perforated disc about 2 inches in diameter'.

Only one other drilled sherd was found, bored through from the exterior with a hole tapering from 023 11 to .1411.

Dne additional Shoshoni fragment may be part of a fired figurine; at least this seems to be the most reasonable explanation for its peculiar form, which is that of a cone with rounded end, phasing into a fJ.attened,sli.ghtly convex I.Iscooplt broken across the center. Length is 1 5/8 inche s. ,

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Chipped stone 1. Projectile points: A total of 125 points or recognizable sections was recovered. 73 were sufficiently complete to allow classification into 5 basic types. One type was redivided into 4 sub-types to separate the different base styles. Material is: obsidian (67.2%), chert (includes flint, agate, etc.) (26.4%), quartzite (6.4%). Pressure flaking is evident on all except the Type V point, which shows heavy, short, secondary flake scars.

Type I. Total: 53 specimens (all sub-types). Small, triangular, side-notched point. Length range: 9/16 - 1 5/16 inch~s, average length less than 1 inch.

Sub-type Sub':'type Sub-type Sub-type

Ia - 4Bspecimens - centrally notched straight base Ib 3 specimens - un-notched straight base Ic - 1 specimen - centrally notched concave ~ase Id - 1 specimen - un-notched concave base

Type II. 16 specimens - small, triangular point, devoid of notche's. Believed to be the "blankll or unfinished form of the Type I point. Average length iess than 1 inch.

Type III. 2 specimens - small, triangular points, notched. on one side only. One has a centrally notched, straight base, the other a slightly asymmetrical concave base. Length - less than 1 inch. This is pos s ibly the link between the Type II or "blank" and the Type I pOint.

Type IV. 1 specimen - small, corner-notched triangular point wi th prominent babbs, concave base and expanding stem narrower than blade. Length, if complete, about 1 inch.

Type V. I specimen - medium sized, fairly heavy triangular point with broad side notches and off-centered straight base.

Length 1 11/16 inches.

NOTE: A disparity exists in the high rate of occurrence of sub-type Ia when compared to other nearby sites. Ratio for the general area, as a whole, in our collection, is approximately 7:7:2:4, for sub-types la, Ib, Ic, and Id, respectively.

2. Knives: Bi-facial knives are represented by 3 complete exampl es an d 12 fragments. The most common f orm i s that of , an elongated ellipsoid wi th one acute tip~ One comple t e spec i men (KI) is of the ellipSOidal type, 3 1/16 x 27/32 x i in~h t hi ck.

Naterial is gray and orange-brown chert. Anot her (KIl) is of brown chert, 1 3/4 x 1 1/8 x 3/16 inches thick, and has one edge straight and at right angles to the straight base, which is narrower than the ma~imum blade widtho The third edge thus flares outward from the base and then curves sharply inward to the point. The general outline is that of a capi tal liD" , with

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one end pOinted. The third complete example is triangular in form, with slightly convex lateral edges and a straight base.

Dimensions are 1 ~ x 3/4 x 1/8 inoh; material is dark brown chert. This might also be olassified as a Type II projectile pointl but it is grouped with the knives by reason of the curved blade edges. Other materials: ohert (10), obsidian (1), quartzite (1).

3.

Stemmed knife or s pe a r: Ba sal half only; lateral edges of blade and s tem are par allel, bas e is slightly convex to uneven.

Overall length of f r agment: 2 ~ i nche s. Blade width: 1 3/16 inches ; s t em l eng th: 5/8 inch; s tem width: 1 inch. Maximum t hickness : ~ i nch. Mat erial: t ranslucent brown chert.

4.

Si de s cr ape rs : 14 total, no preferred form in the 5 complet e example s . Two are narrow, "keeled ll type, prismatio in cross-section, and are of chert. One is oval; material is quartzite. Another is almost circular, with a graving or perforating stub incorporated in one edge; material is chert.

The last is uneven, with a concave section along one side, and is also of chert. All remaining fragments are of chert.

5.

End scrapers: 9 total, again no preferred form. Complete specimens range from tear drop shape to irregular in outline.

Some show flaking entirely around the circumferenoe, while others were used only at end. All are of chert.

6. Crude obsidian forms: 7 total, usage unknown. All are roughly pointed, and mostly percussion flaked. All are fairly thin; length ranges from about 5/8 inch to 1 1/8 inches. May be the first stage of the projectile point manufacturing process (quarry blanks ?).

7.

Irregular flakes: 13 total, all showing obvious use but no deliberate chipping or shaping. Materials: obsidian (12), chert (1).

8.

Small problematical forms: Total 2; one is complete and one broken but similarly shaped, The complete example is flaked on one side only, and has the outline of a greatly elongated teardrop. Dimensions are 1 1/16 x 3/16 x 1/8 inch thick; material is obsidian. The broken specimen is of chert.

An exact duplicate of the complete form was found in an adjacent site, so it must have served some definite purpose, perhaps functioning as a "micro" end or side scraper.

9. Limestone kni fe or scraper : One thin limes t one rock, rough l y ovol<rln--sha pe , wi th what are apparently artificially created cutting edges. The material is foreign to the area, but whether or not it is an artifact is subject to question.

Dimensions: 4 3/8 x 1 7/16 x 7/16 inches.

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Ground or polished Stone 1. Shaft smoothers: Five total. Included under this heading because all are of steatite, or similar soft material, and are polished to some degree. Four are bluish-green ,in color, and one brownish-green. Two ar~ rectangular, one i s irregular, one is roughly ovoid (wider than long), and the other is long and narrow, with convex sides and squared-off ends. The last described is almost an exact duplicate. of one recovered by Steward from Black Rock Cave (Steward, 1937, Fig. 48d). One of the rectangular type has a shallow V groove on the reverse side fr0m the U-shaped channel. The largest groove size is ~ inch wide by 3/8 inch deep~ the smallest (excluding the V groove mentioned above) is i inch wide by 3/32 inch deep.

The largest smoother measures 2 21/3?- x 1 11/16 x 3/4 inches; ¡ the smallest, 1 7/16 x 7/8 x 9/16 inches.

2. Pendants: Two fragments. One is obviously a suspended ornament perforated at the narrow end, while the other is unperforated but highly polished. The drilled example is of slatey material, finely banded in red and cream; the other is brownish slate, or perhaps a forrn of steatite â&#x20AC;˘ Neither is sufficiently complete to allow determination of exact outline¡ or size. .

3. Tubular pipes: Four fragments, none larger than 1 3/4 inches in length. Materials: bluish~green steatite (?) - 3; brownish slate (?) - 1. Three fragments appear to be from completed pipes, 'smoothly finished on the interior and exterior.

The last may have broken befo~e completion. The exterior is fairly rough, and the interior still shows a pronounced misalignment caused by drilling toward the center from both ends~ 4. Ground knife fragment: One segment of a slate knife or scraper was found. Both lengthwise and transverse stril;l.tions are visible. One edge was worked to a much greater degree than the other, but is now chipped and uneven. Dimensions: 3 x 2 x 3/8 inch thick. .

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Polished miniature disc: Small flat disc 3/8 inch x 1/16 inch thick. Naterial is mottled green in color, and appears to be the same as the pipe fragments and shaft smooth~rs. Probably an undrilled bead.

Manos, Metates, Hammer and Pecking Stones

1. Manos : Five total ( estimated 50 incomplete specimens observed but not collected). Three of the five complete examples are . ovoid in outline; all are of quartzite and have two use surfaces. Dimensions range from 4 i inches to 5~ inches in length, 1 to l~ inches in thi ckness, and all are about 3~ inches wide. The remaining t wo are slightly more rectangular, and are 10

made of a dark granitic material rtjsembling diorite. The larger shows use on one face only; the smaller has one end squared off as well as one- side..." which is more rounded than usual. Average dimensions f.'a.R~ftis type are about 6~ by 3% by 2 inches thick. . ,' 2. Metates: Only one restorabl~ metate was found, although fragments of approximately 10 more were noted but not retrieved. The restored stone measures ' 15 by 7~ by 1 3/4 inches.

It is of light colored granite,-and was used on both faces.

One side is much more deeply worn, forming a shallow basin about ~ inch in depth, off-centered toward the thinner end of the slab. The incomplete fragments are mostly of the slab variety, but at least two of those noted were 4 to 5 inches thick.

3.

Hammer stones: Three total. All are unmodified quartz cobbles. One is of flat ovoid form, and displays batter marks on one broad face. Two are roughly cylindrical, and show use on the ends.

4.

Pecking stones: Six total. Separated from hammer stones on the basis of wear pattern. All are small quartzite stones, averaging about 3 inches in diameter. Each exhibits the same sharp ridge around the circumference, beveled back to both faces of the stone. This could only have been produced by holding the hand stone at an angle of about 45 0 to the work, and rotating it constantly while striking a tremendous series of blows. Similar objects can be found in almost every campsite in this area.

Miscellaneous Stone

This category consists of: 1. Three small metallic ore fragments. Two are micaceous hematite, and one is ilmenite. There are no known sources of these minerals within miles of the site. Since they are surface finds, definite association cannot be proved. However~ for what it is worth, a similar specimen of micaceous hematite was found by the aut'hors at another site containing Shoshoni pottery, some miles to the northwest of this area. (When ground up, micaceous hematite is an excellent source of red pigment).

2.

Four small bits of red paint (earthy hematite ?).

3.

Sandstone abrader with faint groove along one edge.

Organic Material

Only two artifacts of organic origin were found, although large and small mammal and bird bones in a fair state of preservation 11

at>'~ m<liderateI_y plent.fful...

The first is a polisheq. bone tube, probably fr6m a large bird, cut off square at one end but broken at th~ othe~. Dimensions are4~ inches in length and approximately 3/8 inch outside diameter. The second artifac,t is an extremely large animal canine tooth with a shallow suspension groove 378 inch ,from the root end. This was evidently exposed on' the surface for some time, since it is badly we athered. A section somewhere between 3/16 and 5/8 inch long is missing at the crown end,. but the remainder s,till measures 3 inches in length. A zoBlogist friend who examined the tooth stated that it bould only have come from a large b~ar, but he had never ' se'en one approaching this in size.-

Burial Evidence of one burial, in the form of scattered skull fragments, was fourid 'along the extreme southern :e dge. of thesi te ..

An attempt to determine the exact area of origin of the -mater~al was unsuccessful, as this section had been deeply stripped' by the earth-moving machinery.

Significant inferences to be drawn from this surface collection are - probably beyond the ability of the author. The 'amateur, however, enjc>ys an advantage over the professio'nal archeologist in this re spe'ct : since he has no professional reputation to maintain, he is free' to jump to erroneous conclusions without much,loss of face. With this in mind, I wonder if a reevaluation of the material from the Promontory Caves would not show that several of the elements now classified as Promontory are actually prod~cts of the Shoshoni. If not, it would certainly indicate a very close relationship between the Shoshoni occupation and the Promontory complex.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Enger, W. D., and vi. C. Bl air 1947 Crania from the Warren Mounds and their possible significance to Northern Per'i phery Archaeology.

American Antiquity, Vol. 13, no. 2, pp~ 142-6.

Menashao -Jennings, Jesse D. Prehistoric and Histbric Pe6ples of Utah. ~ Iildians 1959 of Utah: Past and Pre sent, pp. l-2~_ . University of Utah Extension Division, Salt Lake City.

Judd, Neil M. 1926 Archaeological Observations North of the Rio Colorado. B.A.E. Bulletin, No. 82. Washington, D.C.

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Rudy, Jack R. Archeological Survey of Western Utah. University 1953 of Utah Anthropological Papers, No. 12. Salt Lake ~C7i~t-y~.~-=----~~~~~~~---

-Steward, Julian H. 1933 Ear~y Inhabitants of Western Utah. Bulletin of the University of Utah, Vol. 23, no. 7. Salt Lake City.

1937

Ancient Caves of the Great Salt Lake Region.

Bulletin, No. 1160 Washington, D.C.

B.A.E.

Basin-Plateau Aboriginal Socio-Political Groups.

B.A.E. Bulletin, No. 120. Washington, D.C.

- 1938

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EXCAVATIONS AT THE BEAR RIVER SITE, BOX ELDER COUNTY, UTAH

by David

M~

Petidergast

In September and November, 1960, members of the Ogden and Logan chapters of the Utah Statewide Archeolagical Saciety participated in the excavatian af an extremely important archaeologica~ si te locate'd ne ar. Brigham City, .. Utah. . The operations were directed by David M. Pendergast, with the assistance, on the latter date, of Floyd Sharrock, Archeolagist for the Glen Canyon Project. The following people .were present at one or more of the se ssions: JYlr. and Mrs. F'rancis K. Hassel, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Hageman, Mr. and Mrs'. Robert T. Kelly, Mr. and Mrs. O.J. Tribe and family, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hufstetler, Mrs. D.G. Gale and Jimmy Gale, of Ogden; Bud Peterson, Al Larson, and Albert Zbinden, of Logan; Ira Hyer, af Lewiston, Utah; Darrell Peterson and Dalton Reid af Hyrum; Jean, l'1aureen,. and Cathy Maughan of Wellsville; Stephen Fenry, Lynn Forsberg, Stephen Jensen, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Farsberg, and Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Jensen, of Garland; and Lester Lowe, of Franklin, Idaho..

Althaugh excavatian was designed partly as a training operatian, the srte investigated praved to. be much mare interesting and valuable than many sites used for training purpases. The work carried out at the site has added materially to our knowledge af a little-knawn partian of Utah, and has revealed the existence af open sites representing what appears to be the Promontory complex, previously known only from the famed cave sites.

Thus, as in the Plainfield Reservoir investigations which will be reported in the next issue of the Newsletter, members of the Society have contributed in a very real way to the preservation of ar¡chaeological data in Utah.

The profit from such an undertaking has, I think, been shared by both the amateur and the professional archaeologists.

The Bear River Site was discovered and reported to the Statewide Archeological Survey by Mr. and Mrs. FranCis K. Hassel, of Ogden. The Survey grat¡efully acknowledges the Hassel's assistance, both in encouraging and aiding in the arrangement of the excavation, and in the actual digging.

The site, which lies on a small elevated portion of the eastern bank of Bear River about six miles west of Brigham City, consists of a cap of brownish-black midden overlying the sterile sand of the river bank. The midden deposit measures approximately 90 yards N-S by 120 yards E-W, and ranges in thickness from 1 to 4~ feet, indicating an occupation of considerable durationo Initial investigation of the site indicates that it represents an occupation in northern Utah, previously known only from Promontory Point caves, which probably spanned the' time period from about A.D. 1200 to 1450. The Promontory and Bear River materials are similar in some respects to the Dismal River Aspect of the northern Plains (Gunnerson, 1956;' i960:. 252)" 14

Gunnerson's comparisons were of necessity based solely on the Promontory materials, since open sites of the Promontory.occupation were not known prior to excavations at Bear River.

Since the Dismal River Aspect is known from open sites, data from Bear River should provide a basis for more meaningful comparisons to the east than were heretofore possible.

Because of similarities between Dismal River and Promontory, it has been suggested (Gunnerson, 1956) that the latter oomplex represents a western manifestation of Dismal River, despite the lack of recognizable Dismal River sites in eastern Utah and western Colorado. The discovery of several open habitation sites of apparent Promontory affiliation in the Bear River area will undoubtedly prompt a search for similar sites in the areas mentioned above.

While detailed analysis of the Bear River materials has not yet been initiated, it is possible to make some fairly definitiITe statements concerning the nature of the occupation, and the apparent relationship between the Bear River materials and those from farther east. I expect that later analysis will serve to reinforce the brief reconstruction presented here. 'rhe Bear River site is a medium-size campsite of a group of people whose economy seems to have centered about hunting, both of wildfowl, which are still present in large numbers at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and of buffalo, which are no longer found in the area. The bones of several species of fowl and the remains of a number of buffalo were recovered during excavations. . In addition, some remains of fish have been recovered, representing a small portion of the total flesh food supply. Other faunal remains are also present in small quantities~ While no evidence of the use of vegetal foods exists, it is reasonable to assume that the, primary food l;'esources were augmented with .a variety of wild plant foods.

This economic pattern differs from that a~ribed to Dismal River in two important respects: first, there is evidence for the practice of agriculture in Dismal River sites; second, fish seem not to have been utilized for food in the Dismal rtiver area. These differences may both be explainable in terms Qf environmental pressures exerted on the Bear River people, since the absence of usable agricultural land and the aridity of the climate may have dictated dependence on wild plant foods, and on other dietary supplements such as fish, rather than on agriculture" Ahalysis of the buffalo skelet¡a l material indicates that the animals were killed an(j !'oughly butchered somewhere away from the occupation area. The head, portions of the backbone, and some inedible parts of the carcasses were apparently left at the kill 8i te, and only sections of edible me at were transported to camp. Judging from the occurrence of some articulated

15

bones, particularly those of the limbs, in the site, the meat was cut into comparatively small, easily portable sections, probably to facilitate both transportation and cooking. Most of the larger bones were broken open, presumably to allow removal of the marrow. Surprisingly, little buffalm bone appears to have been utilized in the manufacture of implements.

Although we are able to reconstruct something of the pattern of use of buffalo for food, s~veral questions concerning killing or capture of game remain unanswered. For example, we find only small projectile points, predominantly those of the "Desert side-notched" type and other forms characteristic of Dismal River, in the midden. While a similar pattern of occurrence has been noted in buffalo kill sites in the southern Plains, indicating that ~ery small projectile points can be used to kill buffalo, the tiny points seem less than ideal for large-scale hunting of game as large as the buffalo. The question is raised, then, of whether some of the buffalo at the Bear River Site might have been killed by other methods.

The existence of several circular depressions, which appear to be buffalo wallows, on the peripheries of the site suggests that the area surrounding the camp may have been marshy, and therefore attractive to buffaloe Killing of buffalo in a marshy area of this sort might have been effected by miring the animals in mud and then stoning or clubhing them, or by driving them into the river, where they could be dispatched with clubs.

At any rate, we Can be sure tha't buffalo were one of the major sources of flesh food at the Bear River Site, whatever the method of their killing.

Another major question which remains unanswered at the moment is that of whether the camp was occupied on a year-round basise Historical records indicate that buffalo commonly spent the summer months in mountainous areas, m.igrating to the alkali flats only during the fall and winterÂŁ If this pattern existed in prehistoric times, we might postUlate that a group largely dependent upon buffalo as a , source of food would have led a similarly migratory existen,b e. When we consider the present climatic conditions in the Brigham City area and over all of the Salt Lake Basin, the likelihood of a migratory pattern for the buffalo-hunting occupants of the Bear River Site seems gre at ~ However, since' wildfowl could be hunted during periods when buffalo were not in the area, year-round occupation of the site'remains a possibility.

Here again, the faunal remains recovered at the site may provide a clue. If we find only remains of wildfowl which occupy the Bear River area in summer or fall, or on~y remains of winter and spring species, we can point with some degree of certainty to seasDnal occupation of the site. If, however} we find both summer and winter specie$ represented, year-round occupation will be indicated. Similarly, the presence of bones of juvenile buffalo would indicate spring and summer occupation

16

of the site, while absence of such remains would point to¡ occupation only during fall and winter months. The analysis may not prove to be as simple as this, but we will at least have, in the faunal remains, the bases for a tentative reconstruction.

What we know at present about the occupants of the Bear River 8i te can be itemized I'ather quickly. The group was dependent upon a hunting and gathering economy, possibly moving from one campsite to another, almost certainly returning to the Bear River Site over several years, if not living there yearround. Buffalo and game birds constituted the main sources of food, but fish, other animals, and vegetal foods probably also played an important role in the dieto Since buffalo hides were available, it is possible, and probable in the light of climatic conditions, that rather heav~ clothing was in use at some times of the year.

Much of the material culture at Bear River appears to have consisted of perishables, such as basketry and moccasins, both of which have been found in cave sites on Promontory Point.

As a result of the preponderance of perishable materials, we must draw on the Promontory data to fill out the picture of the material culture of the group. Fortunately, the Promontory Point materials are available for study, so that the final report on Bear River can contain much not directly derived from the excavations.

From the Bear River Site we have projectile points, almost always of obsidian, which probably came from sources in the mountains to the east, bone awls, generally of splinters of large bone and occasionally of bird bone, and a number of tools of unknown use, possibly hide scrapers, made of buffalo ribs, as well as a few other bone tools. To date, no examples of the metapodial fleshers characteristic of Dismal River (Gunnerson, 1960, 248), and also found among the Promontory ma teri al s (Gunner son, 1956, 70), have been note d in the Be ar River collection. Aside from a few other items, the only other major type of artifact recovered is pottery, which occurs in quantity in the site, and resembles, in most cases, the Promontory and Dismal River ceramics.

Among the several characteristics of the Dismal River Aspect not noted at Bear River is the house type recorded at Dismal River sites, which is characterized by a well-defined floor with a pattern of postmolds indicating structural suppor ts, and the presence of a fireplace (Gunnerson, 1960, ~ s s im ).

Although the depressions mentioned above were first thought to mark the locations of structural remains at Bear River, excavation indtcates that these are natural phenomena.\' probably the sites of buffalo wallows. Trenching along the E-W axis of the site has not yielded any evidence of structures, although one small, shallow pit was noted at a depth of 14 inches near the eastern edge of the site. It is hoped that further excavation

17

will yield data on the type of dwelling used by the occupants of the Bear River Site. The presence of several fragments of burned clay with stick and grass impressions in the collection from the site suggests that dwellings may have been of a temporary nature, perhaps constructed of poles and thatch, with clay fireproofing around a smokehole. This type of structure leaves little physical evidence.

Not yet noted in the collection from the Bear River Site are several types of bone tools found in Dismal River sites, including fleshers, picks, scapula digging tools, whistles, bracelets, and some forms of awls. Pottery pipe fragments have also not been! found. More intensive examination of the collection, and further excavation at the site, may result in the addition of some or all of the above-mentioned forms to the artifact inventory.

Another major gap in our knowledge of the Bear River occupat i on derives from failure of the trenching to reveal the existence of a cemetery, or of scattered burials in the site.; This gap may remain unfilled, since Gunnerson (1960, 251) suggests that fear of the dead may have led to burial away from villag e sites.

With this in mind, further investigations at Be ar River may be directed to the peripheries of the site, and to areas of high ground separated from the occupation zone.

More could be said regarding the Bear River Site, but at present many of the statements would remain pure supposition, or would be based on analogies with Promontory or Dismal River materials.

However, with no more than has been said here it is possible to recognize the tremendous importance of the Bear River Site excavations to our understanding of late occupations in northern Utah, and of the relationships between such occupations and similar manifestations farther to the east. Again, I congratulate the USAS for its contribution to our knowledge of Utah prehistory.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Gunnerson, James H. 1956 ¡ Plains-Promontory Relationships. American Ant i quity, Vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 69-72. Salt Lake City .

1960

An Int ~ oduction to Plains Ap ache Archeology - The Dismal River Aspect. B~ A .â&#x20AC;˘ ~~ _Bul l ~.~_in, No. 173, pp.

131-260 (Anthro po lngi oa.l Pape rs ~o .. >8) Wa shington, D. C.

18

,:

PUEBLOID CULTURES IN IRON COUNTY:

PROGRESS REPORT

by Marshall McKusick U.C.L.A. Summer Field School During the summers of 1959 and 1960, I directed excavations at two Puebloid sites in Iron County, Utah, near Cedar City, in the southwestern part of the state. The excavations were part of a larger research program initiated by Clement W. Meighan in 1954 when he established the field schooi in order to train students in archaeology. The field school is sponsored by the University of California at Los Angeles. The College of Southern Utah serves as host institution, and supports the field school by furnishing dormitory and laboratory space, in addition to other facilities.

During the summer of 1959, Mr. Jack Smith was teaching assistant, and 13 students enrolled for the six week session. A series of seven occupation structures was excavated at the Paragonah site. The field school was greatly expanded for the summer of 1960, with 34 students attending. Most of the students came from U.C.L.A., but other institutions repres ented include d the University of California (Santa Barbara and Berkeley c ampuses), Harvard University, Brandeis University, University of Chic ago, University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, Santa Monica City College, Chaffey College and San Francisco State College.

Mr. Fred Reinman and Mr. Robert Crabtree served as teaching assistants. Keith Johnson set up the field laboratory, and George Kritzman and Basil Katem served as volunte er crew chiefs. During the 1960 six week sessi on , ten occupation structures were excavated at the Paragonah site and five at the nearby Summit site. A detailed report of t he work is in progress for eventual publication. Specimens, photographs, maps and rield notes are filed at the Department of Anthro polog y and Sociology, U.C.L.A. Detailed field reports describing each structure were written in the field by students under staff supervision as part of the training program. These reports were duplicated and bound, and copies are filed at the College of Southern Utah, the University of Utah, the Library Archives of U.C.L.A., and the State University of Iowag Excavations at Paragonah

(42 I~

The Paragonah site is of Puebloid oultural affiliations, and is characterized by mounds with rectangular adobe block granaries. Semi-subterranean pit houses are clustered around each of the mounds. Timewise, the site appears to have been occupied between 700 and 1100 A.D. The Puebloid development in southwest Utah seems to represent an extension of the Anasazi culture in the southeastern part of the state. However, there is a time lag, so that the pit houses, typical of the Developmental or Basketmaker Anasazi, are found in Puebloid

19

sites at a time when the Anasazi were using surface dwellings.

The pottery at Paragonah is in the Snake Valley Series. One of the diagnostic traits is the early absence and then the gradual increase in the corrugated form of decoration. A second major change which occurred during the occupation of . the site was the introduction of square pit houses, which replaced the 'e arlier, round form. The site is described in d~­ tail by Meighan et ale (1956), and a relative sequence of " occupations during the existenoe of the site has also been published (Meighan, 1959).

TABLE 1:

PARAGONAH STRUCTURE CHRONOLOGY (PROVISIONAL SEQUENCE)

Excavation Number 23 14 15 1

':l8

-"

2

35 16 32 14

10

4 40 ::4 31 I

o

11 20 9

~

§2 3 7

" ;'9

8 )7

:n

25 ~9

26

19 17 13 28

2J,

24

27

30

36

12

Shape

square square square granary square granary square square square square square square granary occupation square granary granary square square square round granary square granary square square occupation square granary occupation round round square square round round round round round round

Percent Corrug'a tion

Trade Sherds

"Associated Dates

72

t~

40 40""

.,,,,~,"

39

3 7~c~C 36 1\ J\

34~'··"· " '\

32

present

1050-l130A.D.

present

1050-ll30A.D.

30 30 '30~!-";~ 29~c~', , .. n

27":"":(

23 23

22

20 20 19

*= excavated 1959;

18

~H~=

18

18~~~;~

17

l5"<'~<' '\ 14·'c~'" n ,~

14-::lO~~ 8~}

7 7

.5

5" "1\

3

2

2~~

2";~ l~:~-;~-

0

20

excavated 1960)

(~

The cultural sequence at Paragonah .is summarized in the foregoing table, in which the older structures are listed at the bottom, and the younger at the top. There are four lines of evidence which establish the sequence: a. b. c. d.

Ceramic stratigraphy Trade sherds Superposition of structures Architectural differences

Ceramic stratigraphy clearly indicates the presence of change toward an increasing importance of corrugated decoration. One of the clearer examples can be seen in the various levels of house fill from the square pit house 28 (Table 2, below).

TABLE

2:

CERAMIC CHANGE IN PIT HOUSE

Pottery Type

.\

Level lLe~ei l(surf) 2

28,

PARAGONAH

. Le~el ¡ Lev~13

3

Y:

Level

5

Level 6 (floor)

6.4%

Snake Valley Corrugated

37.4% 30.0% 11.7% 5.3%

Other types

62.6% 70.0% 88.3% 94.7% 9.5.5% 93.6%

305%

In a large number 0f cases, the stratigraphy appears to be reversed. Thus, when a rather late period house was adandoned, it left a large hole which filled with washed-in refuse. The late refuse, lying on top of the ground, washed in first.

This had the effect of exposing older refuse, which was then redeposited on top of the more recent fill.

Because of this sort of complication introduced by reversed stratigraphy, other lines of evidence have also been used. Trade sherds, of a type known as Middleton Black-on-red, identified by David M. Pendergast of the University of Utah, have been used as corrobor-ating evidence for the sequential placement of structures (Table 1).

In addition, a number of structures excavated in earlier seasons were found to be partly superimposed (Meighan, 19.5 9). Finally, seriation of the ceramics shows a clear trend toward the use of square struotures in preference to the earlier round house so The Paragonah sequence is relative, rather than absolute.

It has not been c~ear whether the increase in the trait of corrug ati on represents an arithmetic or geometric progression over time. For example , does an increase of 10% to 20% in cor ru~ation equal t he same time span as an increa se from 60% to 70%? Seriat ion o f house fill :from 30 structures excavated

21

during the previous 5 seasons indicates that the progression is geometric. This is confirmed by the late s tructures excavated in 1960. Provisionally, it appears t ha t the sequence fr.om 0% to 26% lasted from about 700 to 1050 A.D., and the corruga~ tion sequence from 27% to 72% lasted appr oximately from 1050 to 1130 A.D. A rough guess places the dominance of square houses at Paragonah around 900 to 1000 A.D. A number of details were added to our knowledge of Paragonah architecture in the 1959 and 1960 excavations o Ventilator shafts showed a surprising variation when studied in detail.

House 32 had two ventilator shafts, one having served as an entrance passage. There was clear evidence that one of the ". velitilators had fallen into disuse, and had been plastered over. Associated platforms were found with both of these ventilators. The ventilator in pit house 37 had apparently been too drafty, and was p~rtially blocked by an internal wall.

The ventilator wall of pit house 35 was supported by a wall of posts, and also had a post lying flat on top of the wall, apparently to support an internal ventilator roof. Other mirior features ¡of construct~on include the fact that the house pit itself was probably plastered with mud. This plaster could be clearly seen in both burned pit houses (numbers 31 and" 35).

Presumably this plaster left no trace except when it was ac~ cidentally burned hard.

Excavations at Summit (42In44) Because of t he preliminary nature of excavations at the Summit site, it is e a sy to be led astray by premature conclusions.

The major occupation is ¡ concentrated .at a very large mound of refuse accumulation. It is a complicated deposit, very rich in structural features. There is a series of small mounds lying to the north and east of the large mound~

A seri es of exc av ation s in 1 960 , combined with some tests made i n 1959 ~ h ave delinea ted t he maj or sequence of cultural occupation . The larg e moun d measure s approximately 10 feet high am 310 fee t long (north- s out h) by 120 feet (east-west).

An air pho t ograph i ndi cates t hat three separate occupations are represented, or perhaps more accurately, that the deposit represents the coale scence of three separate mounds Mound C ¡(Fig. 2) has very little corrugated pottery, ~hile Mound B has somewhat more and Mound Athe moste Thu s th.e building stages of the three mounds represent a chronological development from north to south. Granary 2 (Mound A ) was apparently reused as a habitation, and r emnants of a crude central fiI'ehe arth weI'e clearly exposed. The clay floor and fill contained a rich deposit of utilitarian household artifacts. The floor is built upon a cobblestone foundation o structure 4 (Mound B) was only partially cleared, but revealed a series of bin-like structures lining the outside "tI Talls.

0

22

In contrast with the major occupation, Mounds F and G l~y at a considerable distance, and represent a distinct settlement area. Corrugated pottery is very common, and, based upon trade sherds, this section or the site appears to date rrom about 1050 to 1130 A.D. The structures do not directly compare with those known rrom the more extensive excavations at Paragonah, although the two sites lie only about 10 miles apart. No adobe-lined, circular cists have been round at Faragonah to compara wi th the one rrorn Granary 1, Mound G. Structure 5, a large, apparently openf,sided structure supported by central posts, is also divergent rrom the known range or structure types at Paragonah.

Whether rurther work will reveal houses like those at Paragonah is not entirely certain. It can be remarked that the gvound at Summit is low-lying, and perhaps the major settlement was on the mound o Further work in coming summers by the U.C.L.A. rield school will do much to expand our inrormation about the interesting Puebloid culture which established itselr in southwestern Utah, and then, ror reasons still unclear, deserted its villages.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Meighan, C. W. 1959

A New Method ror the Seriation of Archaeological Collections. American Antiquity, Vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 203-11. Salt Lake City.

Meighan, C.W., et ale 1956

Archeological Investigations in Iron County, Utah.

University or Utah Anthropological Papers~ No. 25.

Sal t Lake City.

23

Paragonah Site, Utah --- " . (42In43) ( ." J l' 36

t ,._J

_.......

(~31 /._--. ...132

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/

.

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.

.

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50

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feet

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Fig. 1 (McKusick) Paragonah Site, showing structures excavated during 1960.

..-----.~ o

°0

Surnrni t Site, Utah (42In~.4 )

- --- - ---_____

str~a~d

F

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Fig. 2 (McKusick) Summit Site, redrawn from an air photograph, showing the mound groups and former streams.

,

.

AN UNUSUAL POINT 'I'YPE FRO}'.'j SOUTHERN IDAHO

by Francis K. and Carol A. Hassel The objects described in this report were collected from the surface of an extensive encampment near a deeply eroded stream channel in Oneida County, Idaho. Evidence of occupation, in the form of chips and artifacts, has been found along the stream for a distance of some three miles'.- The area lies just within the northern limits of the Bonneville Basin at an elevation of approximately 5000 feet. .

The specific sub-area from which the following items were obtained occupies a slight elevation about 50 yards from the stream, in an open rolling field now planted to pasturage. The present scrubby growth of alfalfa supplants an original cover of sagebrush, as indicated by nearby uncultivated fields.

Please forgive us if the location details are left somewhat vague. We have no desire to incur the wrath of some professional archeologist who might be interested by directing attention to what is now a relatively undisturbed site.

The major item of interest is a lanceolate point or blade of translucent obsidian, 3 27/32 inches long, 29/32 inch wide, and 13/32 inch thick. (Metric equivalents - 9.76 x 2.30 x 1.03 em.) (Fig. la). Lateral edges are slightly convex, and taper toward both ends from a point 1 11/16 inches from the base. The narrow base is straight, and phases into the lateral edge through a small radius rather t han an abrupt angle. The cutting edges have been ground off fo r a distance of 1 5/8 inches from the base on one side and 1 7/16 inches on the other.

The extreme base shows no evidence of grinding, and it is not thinned to the same degree as the lateral edges. Cross section is lenticular.

One blade face is slightly concave over a portion of the length and exhibits a small unflaked flat at the center, an indication that this is a flake type implement rather than a core type.

Pressure flaking was employed to shape the primary flake into the finished specimen. Fewer than half of the secondary flake scars are horizontal; the remainder run from upper left to lower right at angles of from 4 to 12 degrees. Many scars join at the center, thereby creating the general impression of an irregular transversely flaked point. Delicate retouching was used to produce the uniformly even cutting edge.

Other material collected on the same knoll includes: a. One complete projectile point of opaque black obsidian, 1 1/8 inches long, with barely perc eptible s hou lders -and broad rounded stem ( Fi g~ Ib). A near comp arison i s t he type W-13 point from Danger Cave (Jennings, 1 957, 112).

b. The basal half of a corner-notched translucent obsidian point (Fig. lc), similar to Danger Cave Type W-22 (Jennings, 1957, 118). c. A problematical fragment of a translucent obsidian artifact which could be either the basal portion ¡of a slender curved projectile point or part of a suspended ornament(Fig.ld). d. One core t ype, percussion flaked, ovoid "chopper" or .' crude knife, 2 3/8 inches x 1 9/16 inches x 13/16 inches thick, of ,white chalcedony. ' , e. ' One elliptical scraper or knife, 2 5/8 x 1 7/8 x 9/16 inches thick, ' fashioned from a heavy 'flake of buff..,.colored chert. '" " f. One ovoid mano of tightly cemented, but porous, pink sandstone, showing use on two sides" 5 'x 4 1/8 x 1 7/16 in,ches.

A description of this mater'ia,l was forwarded to" Dr. Marie ',,' Wormington, of the Denver' Museum of NaturalHistory~ an often ci ted authority on Early Man and his cultural remnants. She agreed with our observation that the. large point has the earmarks of the. II Agate Basin" type" but stated it i'las definitely out of context with the objects ,found in association. , She suggests that either the site contains multiple components or the point was introduced from outside the region (Wormington, personal communication, November, 1960)., , We feel the following three factors tend 'to support the ide~ tha t thi s point was a ctually made in the imme diate are a J and no t importe d:

a. It is fabricated from a material common in the region. b. Two other obsidian point fragments found near, but not in, the specific sub-site, have had cutting edges removed by grin~ing. ' c. The profusion of both early and ,late proj~ctile point types,found in the three mile stretch of encampments, implies a long and varied occupation, and seems to confirm the multiple component theory advanced by Dr. Wormington.

At any rate, if thisisa true "Agate Basin" point, as it appears to be, it places an index elemen t of this lithic complex some 430 airline miles we'st of the type site, near Lusk , Wyoming.

On the other hand, if the assumption is false and it is not Agate Basin, then it must fall somewhere in the sequence of Great Basin cultures -- Desert or later -- and it still presents an interesting development which, to our knowledge, has not been previously reported from this area.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Jennings, Jesse D. 1957 Danger Cave. University of Utah Anthropological Papers, No. 27:--8alt Lake City.

26

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Figure 1

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