CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE A POSSIBLE CHUMASH TRADING SITE IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology by Alan B. Corbin August, 1983 The thesis of Alan Brett Corbin is ap?roved: Clav A. :t'inqer V''"" • .,. Michae'I West California State University, Northridge ii DEDICATIONS I wish to dedicate this thesis to John, Gwen, Danny, my parents, and the Recluse of the Silicon Valley. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge several persons who were of great assistance during the course of this thesis. The excavation, analysis, and report writing of the Charmlee Regional Park materials was a time consuming and often arduous process. This could not have been accom­ plished without the combined efforts of volunteers of the Northridge Archeological Research Center and especially John and Gwen Romani and Dan Larson. I would also like to gratefully acknowledge those instructors who helped me along the way, Dr. Antonio Gilman and Dr. Louis Tartaglia, and especially those on my com­ mittee, Dr. Carol Mackey, Mr. Clay Singer, and Dr. Michael West. Without the help of these persons, this thesis could not have been written. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv LIST OF TABLES • ix LIST OF FIGURES . X LIST OF MAPS . xi ABSTRACT • • • • • e • xii Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION • • . • . 1 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY • . 6 3 PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND 8 GEOLOGIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DATA 8 FLORAL DATA • • • • • • • • • 9 Grassland • • • • • • • • 10 Chamise-Chaparral • • • • • • • • • • 10 Sagebrush • • • • • • • • • • 10 Chaparral • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 Woodland • • • • • • • • • • • 11 Oak-Grassland • • • • • • • • 11 ETHNOBOTANY: FLORAL RESOURCES • 12 Summary . 15 FAUNAL RESOURCES . 15 Sea Mammals 15 . 16 Fish e • • • • . Shellfish . 17 Land Mammals . 17 SUMMARY ••• . 18 4 CHUMASH CULTURAL DATA . 20 ' () v Chapter Page DEMOGRAPHY • • • • • 20 POLITICAL STRUCTURE . 21 ECONOMICS . 22 SEASONAL ROUND • . 23 SUMMARY •••• . 24 5 PRIOR ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS . 25 COASTAL VILLAGES 25 TRANCAS CANYON CEMETERY CLAn-197) • • • 25 MALIBU-ENCINEL VILLAGE CLAn-114) • • • 28 ARROYO SEQUIT VILLAGE CLAn-52) 32 LAn-384 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 34 LAn-352 • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 36 SUMMARY • • • $ c . 6 ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT CHARMLEE REGIONAL PARK ..••.•••.•••• . 37 METHODOLOGY (Section 1) • • • • • • • • • 38 ARCHEOLOGICAL AND ECOFACTUAL DATA (Section 2) • • • • • • • • • • • ••• 39 THE CHARMLEE ROCKSHELTER CLAn-472) 39 Fauna • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 39 Shellfish • • • • • • • • • • • 45 Seasonality •••••••••• 55 Summary • • • • • • • • 57 FLORA • • • • •• . 57 LITHIC MATERIALS . 58 Charmlee Rockshelter (LAn-472) 63 Beads • • • • • • • • • • • 63 LAn-966, LAn-1057, AND LAn-1058 • . 74 Fauna . 74 Shell . 77 Beads • • • • • • • • • • • 77 Lithics . 78 SUMMARY • • • • • • • . 82 CHRONOMETRICS •••• . 83 LAn-472 . 84 Absolute Dating . • • 84 ' tl vi Chapter Page Relative Dating • . 85 LAn-966 . 86 Relative Dating • 86 LAn-1057 • • • • • • 87 Absolute Dating • . 87 Relative Dating • . 87 Summary . 87 7 ETHNOGRAPHIC EXAMPLES OF TRADE AND TRADE MATERIALS • . • • • • • • • • • • . • . • 88 ETHNOGRAPHIC SOURCES OF TRADE (Section 1) • • • • . 88 Shell Bead Money • • • • • • . 89 Traded Materials and Trade Networks • • • • • • • • • 92 ETHNOGRAPHIC SOURCES OF TYPES OF TRADE (Section 2) • • • • • • • • • • 98 The Type of Trade • • • • • 98 The Composition of Trading Groups 100 The Manner of Trade • • • • • • 101 SUMMARY . 102 8 TESTING OF PROPOSITIONS • 104 THE MODEL 113 The Time of Year • . 113 Materials Traded • . 114 THE MANNER OF TRADE • • • • 115 POSSIBLE VILLAGE ASSOCIATION OF THE TRADING PARTIES • • • • • • • • • • • 116 Medea Creek Site (LAn-243-v) 117 The Canterbury Lake Shore Site (Ven-179) • • • • • • 118 Hipuc Village • • • • • • • 119 SUMMARY . 120 vii Chapter Page 9 CONCLUSIONS ...• . 123 THE PROPOSITIONS AND RESULTS • . 123 Problems Encountered . 124 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 128 APPENDICES . 137 A A LIST OF COMMON PLANTS FOUND IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS • • • • • • • • • • 137 B PLANTS FOUND AT CHARMLEE REGIONAL PARK . 139 c A LIST OF IMPORTANT SEA FAUNA IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAIN AREA • • • • 142 D LIST OF COMMON LARGE AND SMALL Lru~D MAMMALS OF THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS PLUS THOSE FOUND IN OR NEAR CHARMLEE REGIONAL PARK • • • 144 E FISH, SEA AND LAND MAMMALS UTILIZED AT CHARMLEE REGIONAL PARK • • • • • • 146 F ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES IN THE VICINITY OF CHARl-1-LEE REG I ON AL PARK • • • • • • . 148 G ARTIFACT INVENTORIES FROM THE INLAND SITES OF MEDEA CREEK, CANTERBURY LAKE SHORE SITE, AND CANTERBURY CAVE • • • • • • • • • • • • • 171 H QUOTES CONCERNING TRADE AMONG THE CHUMASH AND THEIR NEIGHBORS (By Author) • • • • • 176 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES AND ARTIFACTS IN THE VICINITY OF CHARMLEE REGIONAL PARK • • • • • • 26 2 ARTIFACTS FOUND AT LAn-114 29 3 MAMMALIAN SKELETAL ELEMENT COUNTS AT LAn-4 72 • • • • • • • • • 40 4 SHELLFISH DISTRIBUTION AT LAn-472 46 5 SHELL SPECIES AT LAn-472 • 52 6 STONE TOOLS AT LAn-472 • 64 7 STONE TOOL DISTRIBUTION AT LAn-472 • 65 8 VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF DEBITAGE MATERIALS AT LAn.-472 •••••••••••••••• 66 9 BEAD DISTRIBUTION AT LAn-472 ••••• . 67 10 COMPARISON OF BEAD TYPES IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS • • • • • • • • • • 72 11 MISCELLANEOUS ARTIFACTS AT LAn-472 • 73 12 STONE TOOLS FROM LAn-966 • 80 13 STONE TOOLS FROM LAn-1057 . 81 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Percentages of General Faunal Categories Based on Raw Bone Count at LAn-472 •••• 42 2 Percentage of Total Small Mammals Compared to Percentage of Total Large Mammals at LAn-472 •.••••.••.•••••.• 43 3 Debitage Frequencies at LAn-472, LAn-966, and LAn -10 57 . • . 69 4 Distribution of Debitage Materials at LAn-4 72 . • • • • . • • • • • . • • . 70 5 Lithic Material Frequencies at LAn-966 •• 79 X LIST OF MAPS Map Page 1 General Vicinity Map Showing Sites LAn-472, LAn-966, and LAn-1057 ••••••••••• . 2 2 Location of Sites LAn-472, LAn-966, LAn-1057, and LAn-1058 Showing Grid Plan and Surface Scrapes • • • • • . 75 3 California Tribal Territories • . 96 ABSTRACT A POSSIBLE CHUMASH TRADING SITE IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS by Alan B. Corbin Master of Arts in Anthropology In 1980 a rockshelter and three adjacent sites near the coast in the Santa Monica Mountains were excavated and three adjacent sites above it were surface collected. Several propositions concerning the aboriginal utilization of the rockshelter and sites were generated. These were (briefly): use of the rockshelter and sites for trade, hunting, permanent habitation, or both trade and hunting. After analysis of the derived data, it appears that the rockshelter and sites were used as a trading/hunting site. This thesis examines and interprets the archeological data derived from the excavation of the rockshelter and the surface collection of the sites, while examining the relationship of these sites to sites along the coast. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION In the spring of 1978 the Northridge Archeological Research Center was contacted by the Los Angeles County Department of Recreation and Parks to conduct archeological investigations on a county-owned park, Charmlee Regional Park. This park was to be developed, i.e., new roads, trails, and picnic grounds established and several build­ ings constructed. Subsequently, several archeological sites were dis­ covered which warranted further investigation in the spring and summer of 1980 due to their complexity and relatively undisturbed nature. This was accomplished with funding from the Los Angeles County Department of Recreation and Parks plus volunteer assistance by various members of the Northridge Archeological Research Center in the excavation, surface collection, and analysis of the sites. The purpose of this thesis is to examine, analyze, and explain part of the archeological record in the Santa Monica Mountains; specifically these sites located in the Encinal Canyon drainage in Los Angeles County several kilometers inland from the coast (Map 1). These sites are now within the boundaries of Charmlee Regional Park (CRP), henceforth referred to as CRP. 1 2 TRIUNFO PASS, CALIF. POINT DUME, CALIF. SW/4 TR!UNFO PASS 15' QUADRANGLE N3400-W 11852.5/7.5 N3400-Wll84~/7 5 1950 ·/ 1949 AMS 2252 Ill SE -SERIES VB95 ) AMS 2252 lli SW-SERIES V895 ,," ' '.::.' (." '· .,"-! ·'~,, 21-' "' ~ ,, ..4-t~ •r • • ,,' ~ ...... ~~ ~':,4-: '-·- tUB I J 27 i f/31) SCALE 124 000 I MILE ~ 4C~O 5000 6000 7000 Ft:ET ·:'-"-'"-1- ----· ---,=--- -- - = KILOMETRE -- l.. Q.J-.:._!.~ . ·............ -- --, . ···r Lechuza Point~- · Map 1. General Vicinity Map showing Sites LAn-472, LAn-966, and LAn-1057 3 The specific problem is to develop and test a set of propositions designed to explain the primary functions of three prehistoric sites in the Upper Encinal drainage. These investigated sites are: 1. LAn-472 (the Charmlee Rockshelter) is a rock shelter seemingly inhabited in the Late and possibly Middle Horizon of the Chumash Indian culture. 2. LAn-966 represents a large open-air or surface site directly above LAn-472 containing primarily flakes and flake tools. This site has very little bone and apparent shell. 3. LAn-1057, adjacent to LAn-966, contains more shell and bone and some flake tools. Together these two open-air sites constitute an area approximately 135 meters north-south and 85 meters east-west. Although trade as a concept and as an important activity in aboriginal California has been well documented (King 1974;