Lithic Technological Organization, Mobility, and Landscape Use from Jakes Valley, Nevada
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University of Nevada, Reno Paleoindian Occupations in the Great Basin: A Comparative Study of Lithic Technological Organization, Mobility, and Landscape Use from Jakes Valley, Nevada A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology By Mark B. Estes Dr. Gary Haynes/Thesis Advisor May, 2009 Copyright by Mark B. Estes 2009 All Rights Reserved THE GRADUATE SCHOOL We recommend that the thesis prepared under our supervision by MARK B. ESTES entitled Paleoindian Occupations In The Great Basin: A Comparative Study Of Lithic Technological Organization, Mobility, And Landscape Use From Jakes Valley, Nevada be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Gary Haynes, Ph.D., Advisor Michael R. Bever, Ph.D., Committee Member Ted Goebel, Ph.D., Committee Member P. Kyle House, Ph.D., Graduate School Representative Marsha H. Read, Ph. D., Associate Dean, Graduate School May, 2009 i Abstract Previous research on Paleoindian occupations in the Great Basin has provided many more questions than answers. Central to understanding this early period is the relationship between its Western Fluted and Western Stemmed Tradition occupants. Little is known of the temporal, cultural, and technological behaviors of Western Fluted peoples, while the Western Stemmed Tradition inhabitants are only slightly better understood. This thesis presents the results of intensive technological studies that focused on determining raw material provisioning strategies, lithic conveyance zones, and landscape use to identify mobility and settlement patterns. Lithic assemblages from 19 Paleoindian era occupations, encompassing several environmental zones within Jakes Valley in eastern Nevada, provide data on the technological organization and movement patterns of early humans in the Great Basin, and reveal previously unknown behaviors that help differentiate the early hunter-gatherer groups who made Fluted and Stemmed projectile points. ii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents whose constant nagging, I mean cheerful support, helped motivate me through the toughest of times. Thanks and I love you guys. Funding for this project was provided by the Sundance Archaeological Research Fund at the University of Nevada, Reno. The UNR Graduate Student Association awarded a research grant to aid in its completion. The Amateur Archaeologists of Nevada graciously donated additional funding and are an amazing group of people. Ted Goebel suggested the idea for this project and allowed me to analyze previous collections from the area, and also provided helpful comments and suggestions when needed. Craig Skinner at Northwest Research Obsidian Studies Laboratory sourced all my volcanic samples and conducted hydration studies in a very efficient manner while providing a much-appreciated discount. Additional obsidian hydration analyses were conducted by Tim Carpenter of Archaeometrics, who kept a cool head while mine flew off—my apologies. George T. Jones at Hamilton College was kind enough to review the trace elements of unknown fine grained volcanic samples and identify their sources. Special thanks are due to my advisor Gary Haynes for many thoughtful discussions and reviewing previous drafts of this thesis, and to committee members Kyle House and Michael Bever whose interactions prompted me to think critically about my research. A gaggle of archaeologists at the Ely District Bureau of Land Management (including Mark Henderson, Nathan Thomas, and Lisa Gilbert) were kind enough to allow me access to their archives, answer numerous questions, and permit work in Jakes Valley. Thanks to the many field and lab minions who helped record sites iii in extremely unshady conditions, label artifacts, and enter data—you know who you are. Without sounding like a lush, I would like to thank beer for helping me relax when stress levels peaked, and always prompting me to check what I wrote the previous night. To the Great Basin Paleoindians, I couldn’t have done this without you. Lastly, I want to thank Messy Marie for being awesome. iv Table of Contents ABSTRACT….…………………………………………………………………………….i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………………….ii LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………viii LIST OF FIGURES ………………………………………………………………………xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………1 Models of Adaptation ……………………………………………………………..3 Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition or the Tethered Forager Model ……………………………………………….4 The Highly Mobile Forager Model ………………………………………..6 Lithic Technology …………………………………………………………………8 Mobility……………………………………………………………………8 Provisioning Strategies …………………………………………………..11 Landscape Use …………………………………………………………...13 Research Goals …………………………………………………………………..14 CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND …………………………………………………………15 Environmental Setting……………………………………………………………15 The Great Basin ………………………………………………………….15 Jakes Valley ……………………………………………………………...23 Cultural Setting …………………………………………………………………..27 Prehistoric Record ………………………………………………………..27 Ethnographic Record …………………………………………………….39 Historical Record ………………………………………………………...39 Previous Research ………………………………………………………………..40 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ……………………………………………………….46 Records Search …………………………………………………………………...46 Field Strategies …………………………………………………………………..47 Laboratory Analysis ……………………………………………………………...52 Lithic Raw Material ……………………………………………………...52 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………..53 Core Analysis …………………………………………………………….55 Chipped Stone Tool Analysis ……………………………………………57 Integrative Analysis ……………………………………………………………...70 Ratios and Indices ………………………………………………………..70 Additional Comparative Analyses ……………………………………………….73 CHAPTER 4: MATERIALS …………………………………………………………….79 v Jakes Valley Paleoindian Sites …………………………………………………..80 2002 Field Season ………………………………………………………..80 2003 Field Season ………………………………………………………..87 2006 Field Season ………………………………………………………..97 Other Known Paleoindian Finds in Jakes Valley ………………………108 Discussion ………………………………………………………………………113 Temporal Placement of Jakes Valley Assemblages ……………………114 Dating Techniques ……………………………………………………...115 Settlement Patterns ……………………………………………………..116 Landscape Use ………………………………………………………….117 Lithic Conveyance Zones ………………………………………………121 CHAPTER 5: THE JAKES VALLEY LITHIC ASSEMBLAGES ……………………122 CRNV-046-7721 (Jakes Depression) …………………………………………..122 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………123 Core Analysis …………………………………………………………...123 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...124 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………129 Site 26Wp1173 (Illipah Creek 1) ……………………………………………….132 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...132 Site 26Wp1177 (Doug 3) ……………………………………………………….133 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………133 Core Analysis …………………………………………………………...133 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...134 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………135 Site 26Wp7316 (Jakes Pond 3) …………………………………………………135 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………135 Core Analysis …………………………………………………………...136 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...136 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………137 Site 26Wp7317 (Megan 1) ……………………………………………………..138 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...138 Site 26Wp7318 (Travis 1) ………………………………………………………138 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...139 Site 26Wp7321 (Zandra 1) ……………………………………………………..139 Raw Materials …………………………………………………………..139 Core Analysis …………………………………………………………...140 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...140 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………141 Site 26Wp7323 (Zandra 3) ……………………………………………………..142 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...142 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………143 Site 26Wp7334 (Illipah Creek 7) ……………………………………………….144 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...144 Site 26Wp7335 (Illipah Creek 8) ……………………………………………….145 vi Raw Material ……………………………………………………………145 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...145 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………146 Site 26Wp7336 (Liz 1) …………………………………………………………147 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………147 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...147 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………148 Site 26Wp1174 (Illipah 6) ……………………………………………………...149 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...149 Site 26Wp1175 (Illipah 11) …………………………………………………….150 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...150 Site 26Wp7729 (Waldy Pond 9) ………………………………………………..150 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………151 Core Analysis …………………………………………………………...151 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...151 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………153 Site 26Wp7735 (Illipah 4) ……………………………………………………...154 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………154 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...154 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………155 Site 26Wp7738 (Illipah 8) ……………………………………………………...156 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………156 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...156 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………157 Site 26Wp7739 (Illipah 9) ……………………………………………………...158 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...158 Site 26Wp7746 (North Illipah Creek 1) ………………………………………..160 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………160 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...160 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………162 Site 26Wp7748 (North Illipah Creek 3) ………………………………………..162 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………163 Tool Analysis …………………………………………………………...163 Debitage Analysis ………………………………………………………164 Inter-Assemblage Comparisons ………………………………………………...165 Raw Material ……………………………………………………………169 Obsidian Use and Conveyance Zones ………………………………….171 Obsidian Hydration ……………………………………………………..173 Biface-to-Core Ratio ……………………………………………………175