NEVADA ARCHAEOLOGIST VOLUME 23,2008 ~ r/l \ ~ (!) .-=: ~ r/l I I { "'0 0 -- 5 meters .- ~ • (!) • (!) • I-< ~ Trail or "Spirit" break E--- \ ~/' . • • ) I • • \ NEVADA ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION NEVADA Membership The Nevada Archaeological Association is an incorpo­ rated, non-profit organization registered in the State of ARCHAEOLOGICAL Nevada, and has no paid employees. Membership is open to any person signing the NAA Code of Ethics who ASSOCIATION is interested in archaeology and its allied disciplines, and in the conservation of archaeological resources. Requests The design for the NAA logo was for membership and dues should be sent to the Member­ adapted by Robert Elston from a ship Chairman at the address below. Make all checks and Garfield Flat petroglyph. money orders payable to the Nevada Archaeological Association. Membership cards will be issued on the Board of Directors payment of dues and the receipt of a signed Code of Ethics. Active members receive subscription to the The Board of Directors of the Nevada Archaeological Nevada Archaeologist and the NAA Newsletter In Situ. Association is elected annually by the membership. Board members serve one year terms. The Board of Subscription is by membership only; however, indi­ vidual or back issues may be purchased separately. Directors elects the Association's officers from those members elected to the Board. The Board of Directors Dues meets five times a year, once immediately prior to, and Student $10 again immediately following the Annual Meeting, and Regular $20 once each of the remaining quarters throughout the year. Family $25 Corporate $50 President Supporting $50 Eva Jensen, Overton Life $500 Secretary Gregory Haynes, Las Vegas Future Issues Treasurer Please follow the Society for American Archaeology George Phillips, Henderson guidelines for submitting manuscripts for the Nevada In Situ Newsletter Editor Archaeologist. The SAA Style Guide can be found at Suzan Slaughter, Carson City www saa org/publjcatjoDs/S1yleGuide/styFrame html. Membership Daron Duke, Henderson General Correspondence Webmaster Inquiries and general correspondence with the Nevada Hal Rager, Las Vegas Archaeological Association should be directed as fol­ Site Steward Liaison lows: Elizabeth Russell, Caliente Nevada Archaeological Association Board Members at Large P.O. Box 73145, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89170-3145 Mark Giambastiani, Reno Visit the NAA web site at www Dyarch org. Gregory R. Seymour, Las Vegas SHPO Representative (ex-officio member) Alice Baldrica, Carson City Cover: State Site Stewardship Coordinator (ex-officio member) Sketch map of Earth Figure/Intaglio site, Sali Underwood, Las Vegas 26CK4509/BLM 53-5669. From "The Las Vegas Editor, Nevada Archaeologist Volume 23 Wash Intaglio and PatayanlYuman Occupation of Gregory Haynes the Las Vegas Valley" by Kevin Rafferty, page 4. Code of Ethics 3. Seek the advice, consent and assistance of pro­ The purpose of the Nevada Archaeological Association fessionals in archaeology and/or history in dealing with (NAA) is to preserve Nevada's antiquities, encourage artifacts, sites and other materials relating to antiquities. the study of archaeology and to educate the public to the 4. Assist professionals and educators in accom­ aims of archaeological research. Members and chapters plishing the objectives of the NAA. of the NAA shall: 5. Be a personal envoy of the NAA and responsible 1. Uphold the purpose and intent of the NAA. for conducting themselves in a manner so as to protect 2. Adhere to all antiquities laws. the integrity of the artifacts, sites, or other material. NEVADA ARCHAEOLOGIST Volume 23, 2008 Table of Contents Editor's Comer Greg Haynes .................................................................................................................. ii The Las Vegas Wash Intaglio and PatayanlYuman Occupation of the Las Vegas Valley Kevin Rafferty................................................................................................................ 1 Cane Spring Robert C. Jones ........................................................................................................... 17 Digging a Little Deeper at Alunite David Valentine ........................................................................................................... 23 A Report on Stemmed Point Sites at Lake Saracobatus and Along the Amargosa River L. J. Ettinger ................................................................................................................ 37 New Methods of Analyzing Flaked Stone Quarries Heidi Roberts and J. Jeffrey Flenniken ....................................................................... 45 Social Persona From Six Feet Under: Revisiting the Saxe-Binford Hypothesis Barbara A. Holz ........................................................................................................... 57 Neither Gone, Nor Forgotten: GIS Prehistoric Probability Modeling on the Spring Mountain National Recreational Area Alyce Branigan ............................................................................................................ 65 NEVADA ARCHAEOLOGIST Volume 23, 2008 ii NEVADA ARCHAEOLOGIST Volume 23, 2008 Editor sCorner Greg Haynes This particular volume of the Nevada Archae­ (Roberts and Flenniken, Holz), to landscape-scale ologist focuses on southern Nevada, an area of the site prediction models (Branigan). What ties these country that has seen unprecedented growth and articles together are their relevance and applicabil­ development over the last several decades. Accord­ ity to current research themes in southern Nevada, ing to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Au­ specifically, and human occupation and use of the thority website (http://www.lvca.com accessed on arid West, more generally. 03/02/2009),the population of the Las Vegas met­ Many people helped to guide this project to ropolitan area saw a four-fold increase from 1980 fruition. Manuscripts were initially solicited by Eva to 2008, from 462,000 people to over 1.9 million. Jensen and Laureen Perry. Hal Rager, along with These numbers do not even include other burgeon­ Mark Giambastiani , Dayna Giambastiani, and ing communities in Pahrump, the Moapa Valley, Andrea Catacora at A~M Affiliates, proved instru­ or along the lower Colorado River corridor. Life­ mental in redesigning certain problem figures, so long residents of southern Nevada, along with that they would fit the constraints imposed by jour­ many others who seek to make the area their home, nal format and overall cost. Anne McConnell de­ are concerned that this growth threatens to destroy serves special mention because the entire layout of the area's fragile cultural resources. At the same the journal you see before you, including the for­ time, and as a response to this threat, significant mat of each manuscript, was completed by her. She efforts designed to protect and learn from the did this as a volunteer and at no cost to the NAA. region's rich human history has allowed for a In addition, Anne gently nudged me along in the myriad of research opportunities in archaeology, as editing process when my efforts would slow. And well as other related disciplines. all of the authors put up with long delays, coupled The articles contained within this volume, in with bursts of phone calls and e-mails from me try­ many respects, are a result of these two trends, that ing to ready their manuscripts for publication. Each is, the large-scale growth that often threatens cul­ one of you has my thanks. tural resources and the efforts to preserve our heri­ In conclusion, this volume of the Nevada tage. Notwithstanding the southern Nevada theme, Archaeologist follows a number of recent themati­ the articles vary considerably in their purpose and cally organized editions. Last year's journal, North­ content. The first half ofthe volume presents con­ ern Nevada Across Time (Volume 22, 2007), is a text-rich narratives that cover the late prehistoric companion piece to this one and contains research ceramic (Rafferty), contact (Jones), and early mod­ specific to northern Nevada archaeology and his­ em eras (Valentine). The last half of the volume tory. As editor of the southern Nevada theme jour­ presents the results of field- and laboratory-based nal, it is my hope that you will find each of these data analyses. Here, methods of inquiry range from articles worthwhile, and that they contribute in inventory level observations (Ettinger), to data meaningful ways to your own understanding of collection and subsequent laboratory analyses Nevada's rich human history. ii NEVADA ARCHAEOLOGIST Volume 23, 2008 iv The Las Vegas Wash Intaglio and PatayanlYuman Occupation ofthe Las Vegas Valley Dr. Kevin Rafferty Department ofHuman Behavior College ofSouthern Nevada, Las Vegas Before the 1980s it was generally accepted that during the late prehistoric/early historic era the Las Vegas Valley was the almost exclusive territory of bands ofSouthern Paiute. The occupational picture of this area has become more complicated than once realized thanks to a significant increase in research in the valley, particularly in the Las Vegas Wash region. A significant number ofsites in the Las Vegas Wash area have yielded large quantities of ceramics and other artifacts that can be associated with the PatayanlYuman cultural tradition. One of the most significant sites recorded in the Las Vegas Wash area is an intaglio, 26CK4509, theftrst known intaglio recorded north of traditional Patayan territory. This article presents