Steward's Southern Great Basin Research Validated Through Obsidian Artifact Sources
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UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2002 Steward's southern Great Basin research validated through obsidian artifact sources Lynn Ellen Haarklau University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Haarklau, Lynn Ellen, "Steward's southern Great Basin research validated through obsidian artifact sources" (2002). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1424. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/7jxp-7e1e This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. 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STEWARD’S SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN RESEARCH VALIDATED THROUGH OBSIDIAN ARTIFACT SOURCES by Lynn Haarklau Bachelor of Arts University of Nevada, Las Vegas 1997 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Anthropology College of Liberal Arts Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 2002 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 1413477 UMI* UMI Microform 1413477 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition Is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Inforrnatlon and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas ■ November—15.. ■.20j02_ The Thesis prepared by ____________Lynn Haarklau Entitled Steward's Southern Great Basin Research Validated Through Obsidian Artifact Sources. is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology ___________________ Examination Committee Chair fan of the Graduate College xannnahon Committee Member Graduate( ^ ^ g e Faculty Representative 1017-53 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Steward’s Southern Great Basin Research Validated Through Obsidian Artifact Sources by Lynn Haarklau Dr. Alan Simmons, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Anthropology University of Nevada, Las Vegas Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis of obsidian artifacts collected from ethnohistoric sites in southern Nevada revealed patterns consistent with Julian Steward’s documentation of Western Shoshone socioeconomics. Specific obsidian sources were predicted to be present in artifact samples collected from six sites in the study area. Predictions were based on Steward’s documentation of Lida Vicinity, Kawich Mountains, and Beatty/Belted Mountains Shoshone subsistence travels and inter district festival relationships. Using Steward’s data, criteria were established for field identification of Shoshone winter camps. Data review and field reconnaissance resulted in identifying six camps. Samples of obsidian tool manufacturing/maintenance debris collected from the sites were submitted for geochemical analysis. Results indicate that Shoshone people of the study area mostly procured obsidians during subsistence travels, but some were acquired during inter-district subsistence activities and fall festival events. Ill Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT................................................................................................................ iii LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1 ETHNOHISTORIC WESTERN SHOSHONE SOCIOECONOMICS: A PREDICTIVE MODEL.................................................. 1 Sociopolitical Organization of the Western Shoshone of Southern Nevada..................................................................................................................... 3 Subsistence Travels of the Western Shoshone of the Study Area ...................... 6 Fall Festival Inter-district Relationships of the Western Shoshone of the Study Area ......................................................................................................... 16 Expectations for Sources of Obsidian Artifacts in the Study A rea .................... 21 Summary................................................................................................................. 25 CHAPTER 2 QUALIFICATIONS OF GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF OBSIDIAN ARTIFACTS FOR THIS STUDY...................................................... 27 Why Obsidian? ....................................................................................................... 28 Obsidian Artifact Sourcing: Data Collection Process .......................................... 28 Applying Geochemical Analysis of Obsidians to Archaeological Research .... 35 Defining Obsidian Production Systems: Case Studies in California .................. 38 Obsidian Producing Volcanism of the Study Area ............................................. 45 Obsidian Analyses and the Obsidian Resource Base in the Study Area 50 Summary................................................................................................................. 52 CHAPTER 3 DEFINING ETHNOHISTORIC WESTERN SHOSHONE WINTER CAM PS....................................................................................................... 54 Archaeological Indicators of Ethnohistoric Period Sites in Central Nevada .... 55 Indicators of Ethnohistoric Winter Camps in the Study Area ............................ 59 Summary.................................................................................................................. 67 IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. 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CHAPTER 4 FIELD RESULTS: LIDA VICINITY, KAWICH MOUNTAINS, AND BEATTY/BELTED MOUNTIANS SHOSHONE CAMPS........................... 69 Lida Vicinity Shoshone Camps .............................................................................. 72 Kawich Mountains Shoshone Camps ..................................................................... 87 Beatty/Belted Mountains Shoshone Camps ......................................................... 101 Summary of Field Research Results ..................................................................... 118 CHAPTER 5 OBSIDIAN ARTIFACTS AS INDICATORS OF WESTERN SHOSHONE SOCIOECONOMICS.......................................................................... 121 Lida Vicinity District Obsidian Sources ............................................................... 122 Kawich Mountains District Obsidian Sources ..................................................... 125 Beatty/Belted Moimtains District Obsidian Sources ............................................ 127 Discussion: The Efficacy of Obsidian Artifact Sources as Indicators of Ethnohistoric Western Shoshone Socioeconomics in the Study Area ................ 129 REFERENCES CITED................................................................................................ 138 APPENDIX I EDXRF DATA................................................................................. 144 VITA ............................................................................................................................. 167 Reproduced witti permission of ttie copyrigtit owner. 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