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Characterizing Muscupiabit (Ca-Sbr-425/H) and Its Place in the Greater Serrano Settlement System

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Characterizing Muscupiabit (Ca-Sbr-425/H) and Its Place in the Greater Serrano Settlement System California State University, San Bernardino CSUSB ScholarWorks Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations Office of aduateGr Studies 6-2017 CHARACTERIZING MUSCUPIABIT (CA-SBR-425/H) AND ITS PLACE IN THE GREATER SERRANO SETTLEMENT SYSTEM Robert D. Grenda California State University - San Bernardino Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation Grenda, Robert D., "CHARACTERIZING MUSCUPIABIT (CA-SBR-425/H) AND ITS PLACE IN THE GREATER SERRANO SETTLEMENT SYSTEM" (2017). Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. 568. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/568 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Office of aduateGr Studies at CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CHARACTERIZING MUSCUPIABIT (CA-SBR-425/H) AND ITS PLACE IN THE GREATER SERRANO SETTLEMENT SYSTEM A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Applied Archaeology by Robert Dalton Grenda June 2017 CHARACTERIZING MUSCUPIABIT (CA-SBR-425/H) AND ITS PLACE IN THE GREATER SERRANO SETTLEMENT SYSTEM A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino by Robert Dalton Grenda June 2017 Approved by: Amy Gusick, Committee Chair, Anthropology Pete Robertshaw, Committee Member © 2017 Robert Dalton Grenda ABSTRACT First excavated in 1938, the site of Muscupiabit (CA-SBR-425/H) has long been a subject of archaeological research in the San Bernardino Mountains. Previous excavations at the site have either been unpublished or limited in scope. A primary goal was to obtain a radiocarbon date for the site, giving a definitive age to the site. Other goals included determining the population size of Muscupiabit as well as the function of the site and its place in the Serrano settlement system. To obtain dateable material, an excavation was conducted in hopes of locating a thermal feature. An intact thermal feature was found and charcoal was recovered. In order to adequately address the proposed research questions, museum collections were used to gain a larger sample size. A large quantity of artifacts had been excavated in the 1980s but were never analyzed. Between those excavations and the 2017 excavations, 7 units were analyzed. Additionally, population records from the Spanish mission system were analyzed to address research questions about population size. Based on a radiocarbon date, shell bead types, and population records, it appears that Muscupiabit was occupied in the late 17th/early 18th century and was likely abandoned by 1815. Despite its location along a trade route, the site does not appear to have been controlling trade. Muscupiabit was intermarried with other villages but its level of political independence cannot be determined at this time. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ken Becker-Research design CSUSB Anthropology Department- Faunal analysis funding Pam Ford-Faunal analysis Donn R. Grenda Gracie Grenda Janet Grenda Ryan Grenda-Field work Amy Gusick Robby Heckman-Database assistance Angie Keller-Shell bead analysis review Scott Kremkau-Lithic analysis review Jim Lofaro-Database assistance Tatiana McAdams Steve Norris-GIS assistance Pacific Coast Archaeological Society- Radiocarbon date funding Zach Pendley- Field Work Pete Robertshaw Tamara Serrao-Leiva-Museum collections assistance Patrick Stanton-field work and osteology iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .....................................................................................iv LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ...............................................................................................ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 1 CHAPTER TWO: ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND Environmental Background ............................................................. 6 Regional Culture History ................................................................. 9 Recorded Serrano Villages ........................................................... 12 Previous Archaeological Excavations at Muscupiabit (CA-SBR- 425/H) ........................................................................................... 13 Serrano Ethnographic Settlement and Subsistence Patterns ....... 15 CHAPTER THREE: THEORY ............................................................................ 18 Archaeology as Anthropology: The Charge Begins....................... 19 A Behavioral Approach ................................................................. 24 Settlement and Subsistence Studies in the San Bernardino Mountains ..................................................................................... 28 Application of Theory to Muscupiabit ............................................ 30 CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH DESIGN Chronology .................................................................................... 34 Settlement and Subsistence ......................................................... 35 Site Structure and Organization .................................................... 36 Religion and Ideology .................................................................... 37 v Technology ................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER FIVE: FIELD METHODS AND RESULTS Project Area .................................................................................. 39 Test Pit Evaluation ........................................................................ 42 Site Stratigraphy ............................................................................ 47 AMS Dating Results ...................................................................... 48 CHAPTER SIX: LITHIC ANALYSIS Flaked Stone Analysis ................................................................... 50 Groundstone Analysis ................................................................... 54 Results .......................................................................................... 58 Flaked-Stone Analysis .................................................................. 61 Flake Size ..................................................................................... 62 Ground-Stone Analysis ................................................................. 67 Conclusions .................................................................................. 71 CHAPTER SEVEN: FAUNAL ANALYSIS Faunal Analysis ............................................................................. 72 Identified Taxa in the 2016 Sample ............................................... 74 Class Mammalia (Rodents) ........................................................... 75 Class Mammalia (Small Mammals) ............................................... 75 Class Mammalia (Medium-Sized Mammals) ................................. 76 Class Mammalia (Large-Sized Mammals) .................................... 77 The Blackburn 1983 Sample ......................................................... 78 Identified Taxa in the 1983 Sample ............................................... 79 Class Mammalia (Rodents) ........................................................... 79 vi Class Mammalia (Small Mammals) ............................................... 79 Sylvilagus sp ................................................................................. 79 Class Mammalia (Medium-Sized Mammals) ................................. 80 Class Mammalia (Large-Sized Mammals) .................................... 80 Conclusions .................................................................................. 81 CHAPTER EIGHT: SHELL ANALYSIS Unworked Shell ............................................................................. 82 Worked Shell ................................................................................. 82 CHAPTER NINE: CERAMIC AND NON-NATIVE ARTIFACT ANALYSIS Methods ........................................................................................ 84 Results .......................................................................................... 84 Conclusions .................................................................................. 86 CHAPTER TEN: SYNTHESIS/CONCLUSIONS Chronology .................................................................................... 88 Settlement and Subsistence ......................................................... 91 Site Structure and Organization .................................................... 93 Religion and Ideology .................................................................... 95 Technology ................................................................................... 96 Conclusion .................................................................................... 96 APPENDIX A: FAUNAL ANALYSIS REPORT.................................................... 99 APPENDIX B: SBCM-2 GROUNDSTONE REPORT ....................................... 117 APPENDIX C: DIRECTAMS RADIOCARBON DATE RESULTS ..................... 126 APPENDIX D: EARLY CALIFORNIA
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