REVIEWS

Archaeological Researches in the Northern production, including individual bibliographies. : Fort Rock Archaeology Since Though creating a good deal of text redundancy, Cressman. Edited by C. Melvin Aikens and this approach greafly aids usage of this hefty Dennis L. Jenkins. University of volume. This publication is the result of the Anthropological Papers No. 50, 1994, ix -I- cooperative efforts of many individuals and or­ 628 pp., 90 tables, 172 figs, (including 44 ganizations associated with the ongoing work of maps and 22 graphs), bibliographies, 4 ap­ the University of Oregon's archaeological field pendices, $25.00 (paper). school from 1989 to the present under the guid­ ance of the two editors throughout that span of Reviewed by: time. The primary partnership of the University RICHARD C. HANES of Oregon (UO) and the U. S. Bureau of Land Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 10226, Eugene, OR 97440. Management (BLM) has been invaluably aided by the people of Lake County, including the The northern Great Basin and upper Klamath school board, residents, and industry, as well as River region of southeastern Oregon in general, a host of volunteers. and the Fort Rock Basin specifically, has been a Though the report is formally structured into focal point for archaeological research by the five sections (Regional Context, Lowland Occu­ University of Oregon for six decades (Cressman pations, Upland Occupations, Biotic Studies, and 1936, 1956; Bedwell 1973). This commitment Proposed Model), the collection of papers may to the region is reflected in the first volume of be viewed in a different light given that the the series, published almost a quarter century 1989-1994 UO/BLM field school project is die ago (Aikens 1971). The contrast between the driving force for this publication. Included are early volume and the present one reveals papers reporting results of previous archaeologi­ changes in the growing interdisciplinary nature cal work in the region, those stricfly addressing of archaeology. In the larger intermontane the biophysical realm of the Basin, those that re­ region arena, the project also exemplifies the port findings of the archaeological record by the wefland adaptations focus expressed by Great field school since 1989, and the two syntheses of Basin archaeologists through the early 1990s the current state of knowledge for the region. (Janetski and Madsen 1990). Similar to a num­ This review wUl follow that order. ber of other wetlands studies, this report reflects Seven papers address previous archaeological major new findings after several years of inten­ work in south- spanning almost sive, dedicated field work and, most important­ 30 years. The purpose of these articles is two­ ly, serves to alter our fundamental perceptions fold: to report archaeological field work results of past lifeways in the region. heretofore not readily available to the public, The volume exploring Fort Rock Basin pre­ and to aid in further elaborating a regional con­ history offers 25 articles by 20 authors, and is text within which to interpret results of the UO/ organized into five sections designed to explore BLM field school project. a variety of topics related to the archaeological Of particular interest in this subset of papers record of the region. The core group of authors are two articles describing archaeological discov­ is composed of well-seasoned researchers in the eries made in the 1980s that served to alter fun­ region. The articles are "stand alone" in damental perceptions of the archaeological rec- 132 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY ord on the dry valley floors of this northern time in the region. Implications posed to ar­ Great Basin region. Mehringer and Cannon dis­ chaeologists working in the region in this and cuss research of Fort Rock Valley dune land- the Mehringer and Cannon article are signifi­ forms performed in the early 1980s (pp. 283- cant. Not only do buried cultural deposits with 327). Like the 1979 regional surface survey integrity occur in this dry, silty environment, but described by Toepel and Minor (pp. 125-154), said deposits are datable and contain intact fra­ this work represented another innovative ap­ gile features. proach at that time to investigating archaeologi­ The other five reports in this group address cal sites and settings by employing backhoe a diverse range of topics. Marchesini (pp. 171- trenches where little systematic attention had 212) reports on a 1967 UO archaeological exca­ been previously focused. The wholly new ap­ vation led by Stephen Bedwell at Seven MUe preciation of dune structure and open site in­ Ridge Cave, where over a hundred perishable tegrity was revealed at five localities within the specimens of basketry, sandals, and cordage Fort Rock Basin, building in part the foundation were recovered from late prehistoric occupa­ for the later UO/BLM field school project. In tions. Connolly (pp. 63-83) provides an infor­ the authors' words, "These exploratory studies mative review of basketry material taken from establish the dunes as cultural repositories at the Fort Rock region by collectors and archae­ least as important as the famous Fort Rock Val­ ologists since the 1930s. These materials, ex­ ley caves" (p. 322). Though limited and explor­ cavated from the region prior to the UO/BLM atory in nature, this field work provided a sub­ field school project, are now curated at the Ore­ stantially new perspective on site integrity, envi­ gon State Museum of Anthropology. As with ronmental history, and human use of this region. Marchesini's article, Connolly's findings con­ In the second article of the Lowland Occu­ form to regional and temporal expectations con­ pations section, Oetting reports on results of cerning basketry manufacture and decorative field work involving both survey and excavation techniques reflecting the Northern Great Basin on a 2,6(X)-acre project in Christmas Lake Val­ Center basketry model postulated by Andrews et ley between 1986 and 1988. Most impressive al. (1984). These studies provide convincing ar­ are the early radiocarbon dates extracted from chaeological data supporting long-term Klamath/ shallow buried deposits at four open sites in die Modoc use of the region until late prehistoric most arid area of the Fort Rock Basin. All 12 times. radiocarbon dates fall within the range between In 1979, the University of Oregon, under 8,000 and 10,020 radiocarbon years ago. Two contract with the BLM, surveyed 66 quarter sec­ of these dates were taken from cultural features tions in Christmas Lake Valley to accumulate interpreted as being related to rabbit drives, thus data on the general character of the archaeo­ projecting an ethnographically defined activity logical record from a regional perspective. Toe- back to the Early Holocene. Like other reports pel and Minor document a highly transitory use in this group, the underlying result of the pro­ of the areas inspected throughout the Holocene, ject's findings is the documentation of lifeways an area with no record of use in the ethnograph­ in this, the driest of the three subbasins (Silver ic literature. In his article, Oetting (pp. 41-62) Lake Valley, Fort Rock Valley, Christmas Lake attempts the difficult task of using data derived Valley) in the Fort Rock region, remaining rela­ largely from surface survey field work directed tively unchanged over the past 10,0(X) years. by himself and Richard Pettigrew along the The more substantial changes occurred primarily shores of Lake Abert and the Chewaucan River due to development of new landforms through between 1977 and 1986 in order to establish a REVIEWS 133 chronological yardstick to assess UO/BLM pro­ dian peoples living in the region, both in the ject discoveries. A key contribution of the arti­ past as well as today. Major points worthy of cle is a reasoned rebuttal of the contention by highlighting from this too brief paper include: Flenniken and Wilke (1989) that rejuvenation (1) the dynamic nature of some vegetative com­ negates the utility of projectile points as time munities in response to not-so-drastic, short-term markers. As Oetting ably demonstrates, rejuve­ climatic changes, particularly in marsh and playa nation behavior actually introduces only minor settings; (2) the impressive long-term adaptive- noise into the archaeological record and the va­ ness and resiliency of some drier site communi­ lidity of such time markers is maintained. Add­ ties to moisture variations; and (3) the traditional ing a dimension not often included in archaeo­ cautionary note that more water is not necessar­ logical volumes of this nature is an assessment ily tied to greater productivity of a given local­ of rock art in the region by Ricks (pp. 85-98). ity, especially when considering marsh settings. Her extensive work, as well as the work of Housley (p. 569) notes. others, strives to gain a higher visibility of the rock art component in the professional archaeo­ The plant communities of the Fort Rock Basin are mosaics composed of many different plant logical literature. species that respond differently to fluctuating The majority of articles in this volume re­ weather and climatic changes. Individual plant ports results of the UO/BLM project itself. species are not dependable or predictable; how­ ever, the very diversity of the plant communities Three articles address primarily the biophysical can always be counted on to provide some form characteristics of the region. Freidel (pp. 21- of food resources. 40), adding to data reported in the Mehringer and Cannon and Oetting articles, describes the Most of the articles report archaeological basic landscape characteristics concerning geo­ findings of the UO/BLM field school in Fort logic influences, climatic factors, and hydrologic Rock Basin from 1989 dirough 1994, with die system. Of note are the discontinuous character primary focus being the exploration and compar­ of the ancient shoreline features around the ba­ ison of upland and lowland occupation sites. sin's perimeter, the sparseness in absolute dates Excavations were conducted at the three lowland associated with the features, and the apparent sites of Big M, Carlon Village, and Zane hydrologic stabUity of the region over the past Church from 1989 to 1992. As widi the 1980s 9,000 years. Benjamin (pp. 275-281) reports on field work discussed above, archaeologists who geomorphic fieldwork conducted in 1990 at Pau­ work in similar lowland settings can easily find lina Marsh, summarizing basic marsh dynamics: the results reported here disquieting. For ex­ variations in sediment sequences about the ample, the Big M Site in Fort Rock Valley is the marsh; how to find old surfaces; occurrence of proverbial large lithic surface scatter so com­ ongoing deflation; and specific marsh fluctuation monly found in the soft, silty soils and sparse behavior. saltbush vegetation settings of the Great Basin, In a different vein, Housley (pp. 559-561) repeatedly subjected to sheet wash, deflation, reports on plant surveys conducted in conjunc­ bioturbation, and human disturbance. Yet, the tion with the field school in 1991, as well as excavations reported by Jenkins (pp. 213-258) long-term observations in the area. In one of revealed not only integrity of artifactual pattern­ the more enlightening articles in the volume, ing and stratigraphy, but also die fragile remains Housley explores implications of climatic varia­ of house floors thousands of years old left in tion for productivity of plant communities, an depressed surface pockets. In addition, a range issue that would be of paramount interest to In­ of likely nonutilitarian items were present as 134 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY well, including ceramic artifacts reported sepa­ Archaeological evidence from excavations at rately by Mack (pp. 99-106). Of particular note the Boulder Village area is the focus of two at Big M is the living floor of perhaps a shal- articles, one by Jenkins and Brashear (pp. 431- lowly excavated wickiup. A hearth feature dated 484), anodier by Prouty (pp. 573-598). Jenkins to almost 5,OCX) years ago is associated primarily and Brashear report on the 1990 to 1992 excava­ with Northern Side-notched projectile points and tions at four sites in the uplands, with Boulder Olivella shell beads. Found on the living surface Village being the largest. Boulder Village con­ were clay pipe fragments, fish gorges, an elk tains 122 boulder-ringed structures and a mini­ anfler wedge, and a wide variety of bone tools. mum of 48 cache pits established in talus slopes. An assessment of faunal remains from one house Due to the size range of rock rings, it is as­ feature is provided by Dean (pp. 505-529). sumed (based on a Modoc ethnographic model) The Big M Site is the best example of low­ that these rings represent habitation features as land village life in Fort Rock Basin at a time well as smaller utility structures. Excavations when lakes and marshes of Fort Rock Valley are reported for 17 of the Boulder Village struc­ filled with water, creating an extensive dune and tures and at five other structures elsewhere. Pe­ slough landscape, and being very productive for riods of occupation between 1,500 B.P. and the both plants and fish. Another lowland site, the mid-1850s were identified through absolute dat­ Carlon Village Site located in Silver Lake Val­ ing procedures. Interestingly, the later period ley, consists of large boulder house ring occupa­ was established through use of dendrochronolog- tional structures. Used later in time than Big M, ical dating using stumps of juniper trees original­ this site represents a possible shift in focus of ly incorporated into the wall construction of the human habitation in the Fort Rock Basin from later period houses. The occurrence of glass the relatively wet Mid-Holocene times to "asso­ trade beads helped to confirm the dates. Addi­ ciation with modern water sources—marshes, tionally, 24 radiocarbon dates were obtained. lakes, rivers, and springs" (p. 247). Identified trends included general reduction in Four articles are dedicated solely to the in­ structure size and depth through time. vestigation of the Boulder Village Uplands area. In contrast to the early, lowland Big M Site Byram (pp. 369-384) reports on a 1990 field assemblage, the artifact assemblages of Boulder survey, setting the stage for excavations that fol­ Village are strictly utilitarian in nature, lacking lowed. The high density of sites, with most the items of personal ornamentation and worked containing structural features, clearly is contrary bone tools. Groundstone artifacts were numer­ to previous perceptions of upland sites in the ous, including metates, hopper mortar bases, northern Great Basin. This site patterning owes manos, and pesdes. The economic context of its existence to the presence of small playa ba­ the upland sites is considered to center on root sins and an abundance of traditional food plants. plants growing in the surrounding rocky soils. Time-sensitive artifacts observed during die sur­ A more thorough assessment of these resources vey suggest a marked increase in upland use is being pursued by Prouty, including plant sur­ during the past several thousand years, indi­ veys conducted in 1993 and 1994 and investiga­ cating potentially larger populations and more tion of the paleoethnobotanical record. intense use of the area, "an upland village life- Three papers of note rely on data from both way in an apparenfly xeric upland environment" the lowland and upland site investigations dis­ (p. 381). Brashear (pp. 385-430) adds more cussed above. Greenspan (pp. 485-504) makes survey information gathered from the 1991 field another important contribution to the understand­ season. ing of the role of fishing in the economies of the REVIEWS 135

Great Basin. Fish remains recovered from 17 ponents of a setflement/subsistence system with­ sites in Fort Rock Basin aid Greenspan in de­ out changing the harvesting and processing ac­ scribing the ebb and flow of fish habitats in the tivities themselves. Such has been the theme of Basin through time. She constructs the argu­ other northern Great Basin studies as well (cf. ment that fishing was more than a minor supple­ Hanes 1988). Also addressed is the open cul­ ment to the Great Basin diet, but rather at times tural-environment system operating in the Fort a key factor in supporting semisedentary lowland Rock Basin in which human populations could village life. An equally important contribution depart during times of greatest environmental is provided by Stenholm (pp. 531-559), who re­ stress, and correspondly immigrate into the area ports on paleoethnobotanical analyses of materi­ as food sources and social situations allowed. als recovered from five of the excavated sites. Jenkins closes the volume with a new look at She also provides a useful overview of ethno­ the dynamic character of traditional lifeways in graphic information concerning prospective re­ the region over the past 5,000 years. Also pro­ source uses in the area. Inclusion of information vided is a summary table listing the 41 radiocar­ contributed direcfly by American Indian tradi­ bon dates contributed by the project thus far, tionalists who today perpetuate ancient land uses and another 20 dates provided by others. A crit­ would have been a welcomed addition to this ical contribution of this volume is a greater un­ usefiil article (cf DeWalt 1994). The diird con­ derstanding of a dual village settlement/subsis­ tribution of this excellent subset of papers, by tence system lifeway in the northern Great Ba­ Jenkins and Wimmers (pp. 107-123), describes sin, ethnographically associated with the Kla­ over 150 shell, bone, and glass beads found in math/Modoc. The Boulder Village Upland sites various excavations by the project, as well as in­ are attributed to spring/summer habitation, the terpreting their meaning in the archaeological lowland sites (Big M and Carlon Village) consti­ record. Interesting questions are posed concern­ tuting winter villages located around Silver Lake ing temporal changes in bead types and the role and other water bodies. In addition, a prehistoric beads played in society. shift in emphasis to plant resources previously Three papers present archaeological data ob­ suggested for the region tained from other localities in the project area: (Ames and Marshall 1980) is now considered to Far View Butte by Paul-Mann (pp. 329-348); be mirrored at a somewhat later date in parts of Paulina Marsh by Jenkins and Aikens (pp. 259- the Great Basin. 274); and the Duncan Creek area by Jenkins As noted by Greenspan and numerous others, (pp. 349-367). Other facets of the regional ar­ much is left to be done with materials gathered chaeological record are presented, including the to date. A number of analyses is left wanting occurrence of numerous rock cairns observed at given the low funding provided to the project. Far View Butte, nuances of present-day marsh However, it is admirable for the University of associated sites, and the nature of an isolated Oregon to proceed with publication of current house structure. interpretations and data now, rather than waiting The above set of 23 papers are sandwiched for some indefinite point in time to share this between two articles that synthesize project re­ wealth of new information pertaining to an area sults thus far and general anthropological knowl­ well known to archaeologists working in the edge of the region. Aikens and Jenkins (pp. 1- Great Basin and Pacific Northwest. The work 19) provide a culture history summary emphasiz­ reported in this volume has furthered a recog­ ing the flexibUity of Great Basin lifestyles, i.e., nized similarity to the later period archaeological simply changing the emphasis of individual com­ records of other northern Great Basin wetlands 136 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY sites at Lake Abert (Pettigrew 1985), Malheur DeWalt, BUlie R. Lake (Oetting 1992), and Warner Valley (Can­ 1994 Using Indigenous Knowledge to Improve Agriculture and Natural Resource Man­ non et al. 1990). In addition, the earlier Archa­ agement. Human Organizadon 53(2): 123- ic record also draws increased parallels to other 131. regions, such as the dense but relatively homog­ Flenniken, J. Jeffrey, and Philip J. Wilke eneous lithic scatters dominated by Northern 1989 Typology, Technology, and Chronology of Side-notched projectUe points found immediately Great Basin Dart Points. American An­ thropologist 91(1): 149-158. along ancient river courses (cf. Hanes and McGuckian 1986). A much broader spectrum of Hanes, Richard C. 1988 Lithic Assemblages of Dirty Shame Rock­ the archeological record in the Fort Rock Basin shelter: Changing Traditions in the North­ may now be appreciated than that previously em Intermontane. University of Oregon suggested by the pioneering early cave site Anthropological Papers No. 4o. excavations of Cressman and Bedwell. Hanes, Richard C, and Peggy McGuckian 1986 Archaeological Survey Along the Quinn REFERENCES River, Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Nev­ ada Archaeologist 6(1): 1-9. Aikens, C. Melvin (ed.) Janetski, Joel C, and David B. Madsen (eds.) 1971 Great Basin Anthropological Conference 1990 Wetland Adaptations in the Great Basin. 1970: Selected Papers. University of Brigham Young University, Museum of Oregon Anthropological Papers No. 1. Peoples and Cultures Occasional Papers Ames, Kenneth M., and Alan G. Marshall No. 1. 1980 Villages, Demography, and Subsistence Oetting, Albert C. Intensification on the Southem Columbia 1992 Lake and Marsh-Edge Settlements on Mal­ Plateau. North American Archaeologist heur Lake, Hamey County, Oregon. Jour­ 2(l):25-52. nal of Califomia and Great Basin Anthro­ Andrews, R. L., J. M. Adovasio, and R. C. Carlisle pology 14(1): 110-129. 1984 Perishable Industries from Dirty Shame Pettigrew, Richard M. Rockshelter, Malheur County, Oregon. 1985 Archaeological Investigations on the East University of Oregon Anthropological Shore of Lake Abert, Lake County, Ore­ Papers No. 34. gon. University of Oregon Anthropologi­ Bedwell, Stephen F. cal Papers No. 32. 1973 Fort Rock Basin: Prehistory and Environ­ ment. Eugene: University of Oregon Books. Cannon, William J., C. Cliff Creger, Don D. Fow­ ler, Eugene M. Hattori, and Mary F. Ricks 1990 A Wetlands and Uplands SetUement-Sub- sistence Model for Wamer Valley, Ore­ gon. In: Wetland Adaptations in the Great Basin, Joel C. Janetski and David B. Madsen, eds., pp. 173-182. Brigham Young University, Museum of Peoples and Cultures Occasional Papers No. 1. Cressman, Luther S. 1936 Archaeological Survey of the Guano Val­ ley Region in South-Eastem Oregon. Uni­ versity of Oregon Monographs, Studies in Anthropology No. 1. 1956 Klamath Prehistory. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 46(4).