(13CK402): a Mill Creek Culture Occupation in Northwest Iowa. Hilary Jayne Powell Iowa State University
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Digital Repository @ Iowa State University Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2010 A zooarchaeological analysis of the Skadeland site (13CK402): a Mill Creek culture occupation in northwest Iowa. Hilary Jayne Powell Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation Powell, Hilary Jayne, "A zooarchaeological analysis of the Skadeland site (13CK402): a Mill Creek culture occupation in northwest Iowa." (2010). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 11566. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/11566 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A zooarchaeological analysis of the Skadeland site (13CK402): a Mill Creek culture occupation in northwest Iowa by Hilary Jayne Powell A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Major: Anthropology Program of Study Committee: Kaila E. Folinsbee, Co-major Professor Margaret S. Mook, Co-major Professor Jill D. Pruetz Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2010 Copyright © Hilary Jayne Powell, 2010. All rights reserved. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................1 Research Problem & Goal ............................................................................................1 Current Mill Creek Zooarchaeology .............................................................................4 Theoretical Approach ...................................................................................................6 Mill Creek Culture ........................................................................................................9 Mill Creek Subsistence ........................................................................................11 Skadeland Site .....................................................................................................15 Organization of Research ...........................................................................................17 CHAPTER 2. RESEARCH BACKGROUND ..................................................................19 Mandan & Hidatsa Origins .........................................................................................20 Mythology, Bundles, & Ceremonies ..........................................................................22 Eagle-Trapping Ceremony ...................................................................................25 Ranking Animal Significance Using Mythology .......................................................29 Ethnographic Animal Exploitation .............................................................................33 European Trade Records ......................................................................................34 Foraging Behavior ...............................................................................................40 Animal Use Beyond Subsistence .........................................................................44 CHAPTER 3. METHODS OF FAUNAL ANALYSIS .....................................................48 Documentation ............................................................................................................49 Bone Modification ......................................................................................................50 Cutmark Frequency .............................................................................................51 Burning ................................................................................................................51 Breakage ..............................................................................................................52 Carnivore and Rodent Modification ....................................................................53 Quantification of Faunal Remains ..............................................................................54 Number of Identifiable Specimens ......................................................................55 Minimum Number of Elements ...........................................................................55 Minimum Number of Individuals ........................................................................56 Minimum Number of Animal Units ....................................................................56 Fragmentation .............................................................................................................57 Analysis ......................................................................................................................58 CHAPTER 4. RESULTS ...................................................................................................60 General Characteristic of the Assemblage ..................................................................60 Large Mammal Remains .............................................................................................62 Skeletal Element Frequencies ...............................................................................62 Minimum Number of Elements ...........................................................................62 iii Minimum Number of Individuals ........................................................................64 Minimum Number of Animal Units ....................................................................67 Taphonomic History ..............................................................................................68 Non-Cultural Modifications ................................................................................68 Carnivore Modification ....................................................................................68 Rodent Modifications.......................................................................................75 Cultural Modifications ........................................................................................75 Breakage ..........................................................................................................75 Fragmentation ..................................................................................................77 Cutmarks ..........................................................................................................78 Burning ............................................................................................................79 Carcass Exploitation ..............................................................................................80 Small Mammal Remains ............................................................................................84 Skeletal Element Frequencies ................................................................................84 Bone Modification .................................................................................................87 Avian Remains ...........................................................................................................88 Skeletal Element Frequencies ................................................................................88 Bone Modification .................................................................................................90 Aquatic Remains ........................................................................................................92 Mollusks .................................................................................................................93 Fish .........................................................................................................................95 CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION & INTERPRETATION ......................................................96 Large Mammals ..........................................................................................................99 Skadeland Assemblage ............................................................................................99 Non-cultural Modifications ...................................................................................100 Behavioral Interpretation .......................................................................................101 Carcass Transport ...............................................................................................101 Carcass Utility ....................................................................................................104 Small Mammals ........................................................................................................109 Avian .........................................................................................................................118