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Proquest Dissertations Late Quaternary loess stratigraphy, soils, and environments of the Shaw Creek Flats Paleoindian sites, Tanana Valley, Alaska Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Dilley, Thomas Edward, 1959- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 23/09/2021 20:11:04 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/282635 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zed) Road, Aim Arbor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 LATE QUATERNARY LOESS STRATIGRAPHY, SOILS, AND ENVIRONMENTS OF THE SHAW CREEK FLATS PALEOINDL\N SITES, TANANA VALLEY, ALASKA by Thomas Edward Dilley Copyright © Thomas Edward Dilley A Dissertation Submittted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1998 UMI Number: 9829376 Copyright 1998 by Dilley, Thomas Edward All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9829376 Copyright 1998, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 o THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ® GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Thomas Edward Dilley entitled Late Quaternary Loess Stratigraphy, Soils, and Environments of the Shaw Creek Flats Paleoindian sites, Tanana Valley, Alaska and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy T7-ry nee Ha Date Vi^or'nrtnr R-/R/ Baker Date^e y/f/f 8 Oweifl K. Davis Date Donald F. Post Date £if,. ^ IV.. David M. Hendricks Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ^ /7^ Dissertation Director / Date^ C. Vance Haynes, Jr. 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without the assistance of many people. I owe a great deal of thanks to the following people. I would like to thank my dissertation conmiittee members, Drs. Victor Baker, Owen Davis, and especially my main advisor, C. Vance Haynes, for their extreme patience and help during this long, drawn out process. I appreciate not only their help in completing this dissertation, but also, for providing outstanding role models for how quality geoscientists should conduct themselves. Being a Paleoindian geoarchaeologist is an obsession and I would especially like to thank Vance Haynes for providing me an opportunity to study with the best. Members of my minor committee, in the Soils and Water Sciences Department, Drs. Donald Post and David Hendricks generously shared their knowledge of soils and their lab space and supplies with me. Dr. Douglas Donahue at the AMS Facility of the University of Arizona kindly donated five radiocarbon analyses. A special thanks to my good friend, Peter Kresan, who, while not involved with my dissertation research, made my graduate studies at Arizona fun and interesting. Pete is among the best in undergraduate geoscience education and I will always consider him my mentor with respect to teaching geology. Thanks for all the wonderfiil field trips and teaching me that the Sonoran Desert could be just as fascinating and beautiful as Alaska. I decided to attend the University of Arizona because of the quality of the faculty and I was not disappointed. TTie other large group of people who deserve many thanks are the folks associated with Broken Mammoth Archaeological Project Drs. Charles Holmes and David Yesner allowed me the opportimity to participate in their project. I am grateful. They graciously shared their data and extensive knowledge of AlasI^ archaeology with me. A special heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Kristine Crossen of the University of Alaska Anchorage, who helped me in the initial field work unraveling the local geology and finding important stratigraphic sections. I am thankful for her support and assistance in providing adjunct teaching positions at UAA over the years, allowing me to hone my teaching slalls and providing financial assistance. To all of the field crews and students over the years, especially Jonathan Durr and Georges Pearson, thanks for providing one of the best experiences of my life. It was a great time. Georges also allowed me to participate in several of his projects over the years, specifically site surveying around Tok and the University of Alaska field school at Moose Creek in the Nenana Valley. A special thanks to my colleague and great friend, Richard VanderHoek, for all the enjoyable thoughtful conversations around the campfire, enjoying a favorite beverage on those wonderful Alaskan simimer evenings after a hard, dusty day of doing geoarchaeology. That's what it's all about. Those old guys are out there, we've just got to find 'em! Last, but definitely not least, I would like to thank my family for all their wonderful support and help over the years. My father, John Dilley, never failed to support my choice to pursue Quaternary geology and geoarchaeology as a career. To my mother, Theresa, for her patience and continual reminders to "finish this damn thing and get a real job". For a hard-working German immigrant, it is not easy for your only son to be a barely-employed Paleoindian geoarchaeologist. I would like to thank her for putting up with my indulgences over the years. I finally did it Mom, thanks for everything. My sister, Lorie, was a great help in putting the final stages of this together long distance. My wonderful wife, Nancy, deserves a tremendous thanks for her total and dedicated support and help through the difficult writing period. She typed many of the tables and sections. Her background in archaeology and geology helped in the proofreading and editing process. Finally, I would like to thank Raven, who makes all things possible. Quyana! 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES 8 LIST OF TABLES 10 ABSTRACT 11 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 13 Introduction 13 Purpose 22 History of Project 23 Methods 27 CHAPTER TWO REGIONAL SETTING 31 Location and Physiography 31 Tanana River 33 Climate 37 Vegetation 41 Soils 48 Bedrock Geology 59 Quaternary Geology 60 Shaw Creek Flats 73 CHAPTER THREE LOESS STRATIGRAPHY, DATING, AND SOILS 77 Introduction 77 BROECEN MAMMOTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE 78 Setting 78 Stratigraphy and Dating 81 Soils 96 Discussion 108 MEAD ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE 115 Setting 115 Stratigraphy and Dating 116 Soils 128 Discussion 137 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued SWAN POINT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE 141 Setting 141 Stratigraphy and Dating 142 Soils 152 Discussion 161 288 BLUFF 165 Setting 165 Stratigraphy and Dating 165 Soils 177 Discussion 185 CAMP SECTION 187 Setting 187 Stratigraphy and Dating 188 Soils 196 Discussion 203 DISCUSSION OF MAIN SECTIONS 205 CHAPTER FOUR REGIONAL COMPARISONS 214 Introduction 214 Shaw Creek Flats Area 214 Delta Region 220 Archaeological Sites in the Tanana Valley 223 Nenana Valley Archaeological Sites 234 Discussion 247 CHAPTER FIVE ENVIRONMENTS 249 Introduction 249 Glacial Geology Record 249 Tanana River Record 253 Vegetational Record 255 Cultural and Faunal Record
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