DOCSLIB.ORG

Archaeological and Cultural Landscapes of the Sutter Buttes, Also Referred to in This Study As the Buttes

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Archaeological and Cultural Landscapes of the Sutter Buttes, Also Referred to in This Study As the Buttes MULTIPLE WAYS OF SEEING ONE PLACE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE SUTTER BUTTES, CALIFORNIA ____________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Chico ____________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Anthropology ____________ by Melinda Button Fall 2009 MULTIPLE WAYS OF SEEING ONE PLACE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE SUTTER BUTTES, CALIFORNIA A Thesis by Melinda Button Fall 2009 APPROVED BY THE INTERIM DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE, INTERNATIONAL, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES: _________________________________ Mark J. Morlock, Ph.D. APPROVED BY THE GRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: _________________________________ Antoinette M. Martinez, Ph.D., Chair _________________________________ Georgia L. Fox, Ph.D. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My thesis is multidisciplinary and required input from several different fields of interest. As such, this project would not have been possible without the help of many people. First and foremost, I would like to thank John Geno Lucich, Beverly Ogle, and Patsy Seek, for sharing their knowledge with me. The interviews greatly added to the study and provided insights that would not have been visible otherwise. I would like to thank Leslie Stedil with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) for all her help organizing information, introducing me to people, and inviting me to Peace Valley with DPR staff. I would like to thank Mike Hubbartt, a Sutter Butte resident, a Middle Mountain Foundation volunteer, and a DPR employee, for all his support and guidance, as well as providing me an opportunity to experience the Sutter Buttes first hand. I would also like to thank Dionne Gruver and Kathy Lindahl, also with DPR, for allowing me access to the survey report and site records from the 2005 survey of Peace Valley and for sharing their ideas and interpretations of the archaeological remains in the Sutter Buttes. Thanks to Eileen Conway for all her support and interest in the project. Thanks to Ira Heinrich for sharing his knowledge that stems from years of experience both studying and hiking through the Sutter Butts. Thank you to Amy Huberland of the Northeast Information Center at CSU Chico for the initial suggestion of the project and for all the help getting me started. And thank you to Daniel Barth from the iii Yuba County Historical Society for allowing me to explore the Sutter Buttes and sharing some references with me. And last, but certainly not least, thank you to my thesis committee members Dr. A. Martinez and Dr. G. Fox for all the guidance, encouragement, and support. Again, this project would not have been possible without the help of the abovementioned individuals who illuminated the true diversity of the Sutter Buttes. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... iii List of Tables.............................................................................................................. vii List of Figures............................................................................................................. viii Abstract....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER I. Introduction.............................................................................................. 1 II. Landscape Studies .................................................................................... 7 The Landscape Perspective as a Theoretical Framework............. 8 A Regional Approach to Archaeological Landscapes.................. 10 Cultural Landscapes ..................................................................... 14 Chapter Summary......................................................................... 28 III. Methodology............................................................................................. 30 Limitations of the Study ............................................................... 30 Archaeological Landscape Data ................................................... 33 Cultural Landscape Data .............................................................. 34 Interviews ..................................................................................... 35 Field Visits.................................................................................... 37 Chapter Summary......................................................................... 39 IV. The Physical Landscape ........................................................................... 40 The Study Area............................................................................. 41 The Sacramento Valley ................................................................ 41 Geological Overview of the Sutter Buttes.................................... 45 v CHAPTER PAGE Environmental Overview.............................................................. 48 Chapter Summary......................................................................... 53 V. The Cultural Landscape............................................................................ 54 Archaeological Overview............................................................. 55 Cultural Chronology..................................................................... 56 Settlement..................................................................................... 60 Resources and Resource Distribution........................................... 63 Patwin (Southern Wintu).............................................................. 67 Maidu............................................................................................ 73 Contact.......................................................................................... 79 Chapter Summary......................................................................... 83 VI. Archaeological Data................................................................................. 84 Archaeological Surveys................................................................ 84 Archaeological Excavation........................................................... 91 Archaeological Site Descriptions ................................................. 93 Chapter Summary......................................................................... 120 VII. Cultural Data............................................................................................ 121 Archival Research and Ethnographic Sources ............................. 122 Interviews ..................................................................................... 135 Chapter Summary......................................................................... 148 VIII. Discussion................................................................................................. 149 The Archaeological Landscape .................................................... 150 The Cultural Landscape................................................................ 182 Bring it Together: The Physical and the Intangible...................... 209 Chapter Summary......................................................................... 209 IX. Conclusion................................................................................................ 210 References Cited......................................................................................................... 213 Appendices A. Human Subject Clearance Letter and Post Data Collection Form ........... 227 B. Description of Archaeological Sites in the Sutter Buttes ......................... 230 vi LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Central Valley Cultural Chronology As Outlined By Rosenthal et al. (2007)..................................................................... 57 2. Complete List of Survey Reports Reviewed............................................. 85 3. Archaeological Sites By Type .................................................................. 94 4. Summary of Artifacts Recovered From Excavation of CA-SUT-44........ 108 5. Prehistoric Resources Recorded in the Sutter Buttes as of March 2009 ...................................................................................... 152 6. Summary of Sites With Associated Midden Deposits.............................. 154 7. Ground and Battered Stone Tools Recorded in the Sutter Buttes............. 168 8. Sites Possibly Associated With Hunting Activities.................................. 169 9. Debitage and Stone Tools Recorded in the Sutter Buttes......................... 174 10. Themes Found in Stories, Oral Histories and Interviews About the Sutter Buttes.................................................................... 184 11. Native Names For the Sutter Buttes and Their Translations .................... 200 vii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Location Map of the Sutter Buttes............................................................ 2 2. Map of Survey Coverage from Previous Archaeological Investigations................................................................................... 32 3. Geological and Topographic Map of the Central Valley.......................... 42 4. Satellite Image of the Sutter Buttes .......................................................... 46 5. Seasonal Drainage in Peace Valley, February 2009................................. 48 6. Peace Valley with Cat Rock in the Background, February 2009 ............. 49 7. Large Oak Tree, October 2008 ................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pinus Sabiniana) in Oregon Frank Callahan PO Box 5531, Central Point, OR 97502
    Discovering Gray Pine (Pinus sabiniana) in Oregon Frank Callahan PO Box 5531, Central Point, OR 97502 “Th e tree is remarkable for its airy, widespread tropical appearance, which suggest a region of palms rather than cool pine woods. Th e sunbeams sift through even the leafi est trees with scarcely any interruption, and the weary, heated traveler fi nds little protection in their shade.” –John Muir (1894) ntil fairly recently, gray pine was believed to be restricted to UCalifornia, where John Muir encountered it. But the fi rst report of it in Oregon dates back to 1831, when David Douglas wrote to the Linnaean Society of his rediscovery of Pinus sabiniana in California. In his letter from San Juan Bautista, Douglas claimed to have collected this pine in 1826 in Oregon while looking for sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) between the Columbia and Umpqua rivers (Griffin 1962). Unfortunately, Douglas lost most of his fi eld notes and specimens when his canoe overturned in the Santiam River (Harvey 1947). Lacking notes and specimens, he was reluctant to report his original discovery of the new pine in Oregon until he found it again in California (Griffin 1962). Despite the delay in reporting it, Douglas clearly indicated that he had seen this pine before he found it in California, and the Umpqua region has suitable habitat for gray pine. John Strong Newberry1 (1857), naturalist on the 1855 Pacifi c Railroad Survey, described an Oregon distribution for Pinus sabiniana: “It was found by our party in the valleys of the coast ranges as far north as Fort Lane in Oregon.” Fort Lane was on the eastern fl ank of Blackwell Hill (between Central Point and Gold Hill in Jackson County), so his description may also include the Th e lone gray pine at Tolo, near the old Fort Lane site, displays the characteristic architecture of multiple Applegate Valley.
    [Show full text]
  • TYPICAL VALLEY INDIAN HOMES Vol. 2 No. 11 YUBA CITY, CALIFORNIA
    Vol. 2 No. 11 YUBA CITY, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 17 1961 TYPICAL VALLEY INDIAN HOMES SUTTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY FALL MEETING OCTOBER 17, 1961 TUESDAY EVENING — 8 P.M. PLACE: Board of Supervisors Chambers County Office Building, 2nd Street PRESIDENT: Mrs. Florence Arritt PROGRAM CHAIRMAN: Randolph Schnabel PROGRAM SPEAKER: Waddell F. Smith President, National Pony Express Centennial Association TOPIC: The History of the Pony Express and Its Centennial BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES October 5, 1961 The Board of Directors of Sutter County Historical Society met in regular session October 5, 1961 at 7:30 P.M. in the office of the County Superintendent. The meeting was called to order by Vice President, Mrs. Ida Littlejohn in the absence of the president, Mrs. Florence Arritt. Mrs. Arritt is on her vacation traveling in the southwest and visiting many spots of historic interest such as Tombstone, Arizona. The minutes of the July Board meeting and regular meeting were read and approved. The treasurer reported cash in the bank $737.33. Film Fund $447.00 and general fund $290.33. Mr. Ramey reported a membership of 111. Fifteen new members were secured at the county fair booth. The following bills were approved for payment: Valley Print Shop — Membership Cards, Stationery $41.70. County of Sutter — Bulletin pictures $6.20. Earl Ramey — Postage $3.50. Program Chairman, Randolph Schnabel reported the program had already been arranged for the annual dinner meeting in January. Mrs. Gibson presented an invitation to the Sutter County Historical Society to en- tertain the Symposium of Historical Societies of Northern California and Southern Oregon in the fall of 1962.
    [Show full text]
  • Iii I 11 1111111111111111111
    A 13.2: K ~ -- Nry K 67x Cultural Resource Overview Klamath National Forest, California James A. McDonald USDA-Forest Service Klamath National Forest 6-02Ma . ., Doca-I..S. A 13.2:K 67x McDonald, James A. Cultural resource overview Klamath Natl I ~111111111IIIII J3 5138 11 000657291111111111111111111 3 Management Summary This report synthesizes information on the Klamath National Forest area environment and culture history, discusses the significance of the Forest's cultural resources, and makes recommendations for managing those resources. This report is one of a series of reports which will also provide descriptive summaries of Forest cultural resources, predict their distribution, and evaluate the effects of Forest activities on the resources. The Klamath National Forest environment is varied and complex. It includes the Klamath Mountains and Cascades/Modoc Plateau geomorphic provinces. The ruggedness of the Klamath Mountains province and water supply problems in the Cascades/Modoc Plateau province create challenges for those who occupy and use them. Variations in elevation, soil, moisture, aspect and vegetation create numerous local environments within each province. Little is known about the early prehistory of the Forest, although it is likely that the area was occupied by at least 4000 B.C. By the time European-Americans arrived in the area, it was occupied by people belonging to three cultures: the Karok, Shasta, and Modoc. Differences between these cultures may have originated partly from adaptation to differing local environments. The first European-Americans to enter the Forest area were members of Hudson's Bay Company trapping and exploring expeditions. They appeared in the late 1820's.
    [Show full text]
  • GRAY PINE Gray Squirrels
    GRAY PINE gray squirrels. Mule and white-tailed deer browse Pinus sabiniana Dougl. ex the foliage and twigs. Dougl. Status plant symbol = PISA2 Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s Contributed By: USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data current status, such as, state noxious status, and Center wetland indicator values. Alternative Names Description General: Pine Family (Pinaceae). This native tree reaches 38 m in height with a trunk less than 2 m wide. The gray-green foliage is sparse and it has three needles per bundle. Each needle reaches 9-38 cm in length. The trunk often grows in a crooked fashion and is deeply grooved when mature. The seed cone of gray pine is pendent, 10-28 cm, and opens slowly during the second season, dispersing winged seeds. Distribution Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences It ranges in parts of the California Floristic Province, @CalPhotos the western Great Basin and western deserts. For foothill pine, bull pine, digger pine, California current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile foothill pine page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. Uses Establishment Ethnobotanic: The seeds of gray pine were eaten by Adaptation: This tree is found in the foothill many California Indian tribes and are still served in woodland, northern oak woodland, chaparral, mixed Native American homes today. They can be eaten conifer forests and hardwood forests from 150- fresh and whole in the raw state, roasted, or pounded 1500m. into flour and mixed with other types of seeds. The seeds were eaten by the Pomo, Sierra Miwok, Extract seeds from the cones and gently rub the Western Mono, Wappo, Salinan, Southern Maidu, wings off, and soak them in water for 48 hours, drain Lassik, Costanoan, and Kato, among others.
    [Show full text]
  • Federally Recognized Tribes in California by the Department of Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs October 1, 2010
    Federally Recognized Tribes in California by the Department of Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs October 1, 2010 Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation Alturas Indian Rancheria Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians (formerly the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians of the Augustine Reservation) Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California Big Lagoon Rancheria Big Pine Band of Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Indians of the Big Pine Reservation Big Sandy Rancheria of Mono Indians of California Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria Blue Lake Rancheria Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California Cabazon Band of Mission Indians Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community of the Colusa Rancheria Cahto Indian Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians of the Cahuilla Reservation California Valley Miwok Tribe Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation Cedarville Rancheria Chemehuevi Indian Tribe of the Chemehuevi Reservation Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California Cold Springs Rancheria of Mono Indians of California Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, Arizona and
    [Show full text]
  • Castle Crags State Park Brochure
    Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is Castle Crags to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping he lofty spires and to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological T State Park diversity, protecting its most valued natural and granite dome of Castle Crags cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. rise to more than 6,500 feet. The grandeur of the crags has been revered as California State Parks supports equal access. an extraordinary place Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park for millennia. at (530) 235-2684. This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact [email protected] or call (916) 654-2249. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Discover the many states of California.™ Castle Crags State Park 20022 Castle Creek Road Castella, CA 96017 (530) 235-2684 © 2014 California State Parks M ajestic Castle Crags have inspired The Okwanuchu Shasta territory covered A malaria epidemic brought by European fur enduring myths and legends since about 700 square miles of forested mountains trappers wiped out much of the Okwanuchu prehistoric times. More than 170 million from the headwaters of the Sacramento River Shasta populace by 1833. years old, these granite formations in to the McCloud River and from Mount Shasta With the 1848 gold discoveries at the the Castle Crags Wilderness border the to Pollard Flat.
    [Show full text]
  • C. Natural Resources Management Plan
    C. NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN FINAL BIDWELL PARK MASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... C.1-1 1.1 Relationship to the Master Management Plan.....................................................................................C.1-1 1.2 Purpose and Organization of the Plan.................................................................................................C.1-1 1.3 Natural Resource Goals and Objectives Summary .............................................................................C.1-1 1.4 Sensitive Resources.............................................................................................................................C.1-2 1.5 Adaptive Management Framework.....................................................................................................C.1-3 1.6 Public Education and Involvement .....................................................................................................C.1-3 2 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.......................... C.2-1 3 VEGETATION MANAGEMENT........................................................................................................... C.3-1 3.1 Oak Woodlands...................................................................................................................................C.3-1 3.1.1 Overview of Bidwell Park Oak Woodlands .................................................................................C.3-1
    [Show full text]
  • Geologic Gems of California's State Parks
    STATE OF CALIFORNIA – EDMUND G. BROWN JR., GOVERNOR NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY – JOHN LAIRD, SECRETARY CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION – LISA MANGAT, DIRECTOR JOHN D. PARRISH, Ph.D., STATE GEOLOGIST DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION – DAVID BUNN, DIRECTOR PLATE 1 The rugged cliffs of Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park are composed of some of California’s Bio-regions the most tortured, twisted, and mobile rocks of the North American continent. The California’s Geomorphic Provinces rocks are mostly buried beneath soils and covered by vigorous redwood forests, which thrive in a climate famous for summer fog and powerful winter storms. The rocks only reveal themselves in steep stream banks, along road and trail cut banks, along the precipitous coastal cliffs and offshore in the form of towering rock monuments or sea stacks. (Photograph by CalTrans staff.) Few of California’s State parks display impressive monoliths adorned like a Patrick’s Point State Park displays a snapshot of geologic processes that have castle with towering spires and few permit rock climbing. Castle Crags State shaped the face of western North America, and that continue today. The rocks Park is an exception. The scenic beauty is best enjoyed from a distant exposed in the seacliffs and offshore represent dynamic interplay between the vantage point where one can see the range of surrounding landforms. The The Klamath Mountains consist of several rugged ranges and deep canyons. Klamath/North Coast Bioregion San Joaquin Valley Colorado Desert subducting oceanic tectonic plate (Gorda Plate) and the continental North American monolith and its surroundings are a microcosm of the Klamath Mountains The mountains reach elevations of 6,000 to 8,000 feet.
    [Show full text]
  • Yosemite Guide @Yosemitenps
    Yosemite Guide @YosemiteNPS Yosemite's rockclimbing community go to great lengths to clean hard-to-reach areas during a Yosemite Facelift event. Photo by Kaya Lindsey Experience Your America Yosemite National Park August 28, 2019 - October 1, 2019 Volume 44, Issue 7 Yosemite, CA 95389 Yosemite, 577 PO Box Service Park National US DepartmentInterior of the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System Year-round Route: Valley Yosemite Valley Shuttle Valley Visitor Center Summer-only Route: Upper Hetch Yosemite Shuttle System El Capitan Hetchy Shuttle Fall Yosemite Tuolumne Village Campground Meadows Lower Yosemite Parking The Ansel Fall Adams Yosemite l Medical Church Bowl i Gallery ra Clinic Picnic Area Picnic Area Valley l T Area in inset: al F e E1 t 5 Restroom Yosemite Valley i 4 m 9 The Ahwahnee Shuttle System se Yo Mirror Upper 10 3 Walk-In 6 2 Lake Campground seasonal 11 1 Wawona Yosemite North Camp 4 8 Half Dome Valley Housekeeping Pines E2 Lower 8836 ft 7 Chapel Camp Yosemite Falls Parking Lodge Pines 2693 m Yosemite 18 19 Conservation 12 17 Heritage 20 14 Swinging Center (YCHC) Recreation Campground Bridge Rentals 13 15 Reservations Yosemite Village Parking Curry Upper Sentinel Village Pines Beach il Trailhead E6 a Curry Village Parking r r T te Parking e n il i w M in r u d 16 o e Nature Center El Capitan F s lo c at Happy Isles Picnic Area Glacier Point E3 no shuttle service closed in winter Vernal 72I4 ft Fall 2I99 m l Mist Trai Cathedral ail Tr op h Beach Lo or M E4 ey ses erce all only d Ri V ver E5 Nevada Fall To & Bridalveil Fall d oa R B a r n id wo a a lv W e i The Yosemite Valley Shuttle operates from 7am to 10pm and serves stops in numerical order.
    [Show full text]
  • THE VOWEL SYSTEMS of CALIFORNIA HOKAN1 Jeff Good University of California, Berkeley
    THE VOWEL SYSTEMS OF CALIFORNIA HOKAN1 Jeff Good University of California, Berkeley Unlike the consonants, the vowels of Hokan are remarkably conservative. —Haas (1963:44) The evidence as I view it points to a 3-vowel proto-system consisting of the apex vowels *i, *a, *u. —Silver (1976:197) I am not willing, however, to concede that this suggests [Proto-Hokan] had just three vowels. The issue is open, though, and I could change my mind. —Kaufman (1988:105) 1. INTRODUCTION. The central question that this paper attempts to address is the motivation for the statements given above. Specifically, assuming there was a Proto-Hokan, what evidence is there for the shape of its vowel system? With the exception of Kaufman’s somewhat equivocal statement above, the general (but basically unsupported) verdict has been that Proto-Hokan had three vowels, *i, *a, and *u. This conclusion dates back to at least Sapir (1917, 1920, 1925) who implies a three-vowel system in his reconstructions of Proto-Hokan forms. However, as far as I am aware, no one has carefully articulated why they think the Proto-Hokan system should have been of one form instead of another (though Kaufman (1988) does discuss some of his reasons).2 Furthermore, while reconstructions of Proto-Hokan forms exist, it has not yet been possible to provide a detailed analysis of the sound changes required to relate reconstructed forms to attested forms. As a result, even though the reconstructions themselves are valuable, they cannot serve as a strong argument for the particular proto vowel system they implicitly or explicitly assume.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Register/Vol. 77, No. 84/Tuesday, May 1, 2012/Notices
    Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 1, 2012 / Notices 25743 completion of an inventory of human hammerstone, 1 scraper, and 1 end ACTION: Notice. remains and associated funerary objects scraper. in the possession of The Northwest In the Federal Register (75 FR 58429– SUMMARY: The Fowler Museum at UCLA Museum of Arts & Culture, formerly 58430, September 24, 2010), paragraph has completed an inventory of human Eastern Washington State Historical 15 is corrected by substituting the remains, in consultation with the Society, Spokane, WA. The human following paragraphs: appropriate Indian tribes, and has remains and associated funerary objects determined that that there is a cultural Determinations Made by the Northwest were removed from Lincoln, Ferry, and affiliation between the human remains Museum of Arts & Culture Stevens counties, WA. and present-day Indian tribes. This notice is published as part of the Officials of The Northwest Museum of Repatriation of the human remains to National Park Service’s administrative Arts & Culture have determined that: the Indian tribe stated below may occur responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 • Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the if no additional claimants come U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The determinations in human remains described above forward. this notice are the sole responsibility of represent the physical remains of 61 DATES: Representatives of any Indian the museum, institution, or Federal individuals of Native American tribe that believes it has a cultural agency that has control of the Native ancestry. affiliation with the human remains American human remains and • Pursuant to 25 U.S.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 2. Native Languages of West-Central California
    Chapter 2. Native Languages of West-Central California This chapter discusses the native language spoken at Spanish contact by people who eventually moved to missions within Costanoan language family territories. No area in North America was more crowded with distinct languages and language families than central California at the time of Spanish contact. In the chapter we will examine the information that leads scholars to conclude the following key points: The local tribes of the San Francisco Peninsula spoke San Francisco Bay Costanoan, the native language of the central and southern San Francisco Bay Area and adjacent coastal and mountain areas. San Francisco Bay Costanoan is one of six languages of the Costanoan language family, along with Karkin, Awaswas, Mutsun, Rumsen, and Chalon. The Costanoan language family is itself a branch of the Utian language family, of which Miwokan is the only other branch. The Miwokan languages are Coast Miwok, Lake Miwok, Bay Miwok, Plains Miwok, Northern Sierra Miwok, Central Sierra Miwok, and Southern Sierra Miwok. Other languages spoken by native people who moved to Franciscan missions within Costanoan language family territories were Patwin (a Wintuan Family language), Delta and Northern Valley Yokuts (Yokutsan family languages), Esselen (a language isolate) and Wappo (a Yukian family language). Below, we will first present a history of the study of the native languages within our maximal study area, with emphasis on the Costanoan languages. In succeeding sections, we will talk about the degree to which Costanoan language variation is clinal or abrupt, the amount of difference among dialects necessary to call them different languages, and the relationship of the Costanoan languages to the Miwokan languages within the Utian Family.
    [Show full text]