Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2011-12-12 Macrobotanical Evidence of Diet and Plant Use at Wolf Village (42UT273), Utah Valley, Utah. Wendy Dahle Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Anthropology Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Dahle, Wendy, "Macrobotanical Evidence of Diet and Plant Use at Wolf Village (42UT273), Utah Valley, Utah." (2011). Theses and Dissertations. 2703. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/2703 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Macrobotanical Evidence of Diet and Plant Use at Wolf Village (42UT273), Utah Valley, Utah Wendy C. Dahle A thesis submitted to the faculty of Brigham Young University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts James R. Allison, Chair Michael T. Searcy Leigh A. Johnson Department of Anthropology Brigham Young University December 2011 Copyright © 2011 Wendy C. Dahle All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Macrobotanical Evidence of Diet and Plant Use at Wolf Village (42UT273), Utah Valley, Utah Wendy C. Dahle Department of Anthropology, BYU Master of Arts Farming played a role in the subsistence base for the Fremont culture, but there is no consensus as to how significant that role was. Maize is consistently found in Fremont sites, but evidence of wild plant use is also abundant. The use of both domesticates and foraged plants by the Fremont, combined with the diversity of the landscape and sites that were inhabited by the Fremont, contributes to the diversity of theories on Fremont subsistence. This thesis examines evidence for plant usage at Wolf Village, a Fremont site in Utah Valley. Wolf Village is ideally situated for a Fremont farming village. Maize, beans, and wild plant remains were all recovered in the excavation process. In order to better understand the basis of Fremont subsistence there, further research is needed, however, into the economic importance of both the domesticates and the foraged plants, how the foraged foods may have contributed to the subsistence base, and whether the foraged plants were complimentary to a farming lifestyle. The information on plant use at Wolf Village should contribute to a better understanding of Fremont subsistence. Keywords: Native Americans, Utah, Fremont, Wolf Village, diet and plant use ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to those who made it possible for me to complete this thesis. James Allison served as the chairman of my committee. His experience in archaeology, and insight on different aspects of cultural studies have benefited my work, along with his suggestions for improving the quality of the thesis. Leigh Johnson taught me the basics of botany, which was essential to my research. Michael Searcy offered constructive criticism and encouragement. Our department secretary, Evie Forsyth kept me on track, and offered help in numerous ways. Scott Ure, a fellow graduate student, and the department graphics arts master, was especially helpful with the technical aspects and creating some of the figures that are used in the thesis. Paul Stavast, the museum director, helped substantially with my thesis by acquiring needed equipment, and helping me with technical support. Sarah Stauffer, a fellow graduate student, offered much needed moral support and offers to critique my written work. Clinton Whipple shared his expertise on corn with me by answering questions. Preparation for the thesis begins long before one starts the actual process of putting one together. Each class I have taken has increased my knowledge, and broadened my horizons. Each professor has contributed to my educational experience. Consequently, I would like to thank the professors from the Anthropology department that I have studied under. Ray Matheny, Joel Janetski, John Clark, David Johnson, Donald Forsyth, James Allison, and Ruth Toulson have all contributed to a successful educational experience. My family deserves an extra special thanks for their support and love. They have endured long nights, deadlines, and projects that had to be completed. Hopefully, no one has been left out, many people contribute to the experiences we have, so I also thank the other students I have known and worked with over the years for making this a good experience. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii Acknowledgements iii List of Figures v List of Tables 1 INTRODUCTION . 1 Wolf Village . 3 Thesis organization . 7 2 ENVIRONMENT . 1 Climate . 2 Reports from Early Explorers and Settlers . 2 Spotten Cave . 3 Modern Vegetation Studies . 4 Wolf Village Plant Information. 7 Plant community . .7 3 FREMONT SUBSISTENCE STRATEGIES. .11 Fremont Subsistence Models . .12 Farming as a Cultural Choice. .19 Comparative Data. .20 4 METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLING. .26 Flotation Analysis. .26 Macrobotanicals from Screening . .28 Pollen analysis . .34 5 BOTANICAL DATA FROM WOLF VILLAGE . .35 Results by Structure . .36 Combined Results . .55 Identified Plants from Flotation Analysis. .61 Ethnographic Plant Use. .64 6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. .73 REFERENCES . .79 APPENDIX A . .87 iv LIST OF FIGURES 1. Location of Wolf Village in relation to other Fremont sites mentioned in the text. .........4 2. Plan map for Wolf Village showing the location of the different structures................6 3. Scatterplot of kernel width and length measurements to determine maize type indicating there is no correlation between the measurements and maize type. ............32 4. Boxplot for width to determine maize type indicating there is no correlation between width measurements and maize type. ...........................................32 5. Boxplot for length to determine maize type indicating there is no correlation between length measurements and maize type. ...........................................32 6. Boxplot for depth to determine maize type indicating there is no correlation between depth measurements and maize type.............................................32 7. Plan map for Structure 1 showing the provenience of maize from screening, progressing from the floor zone to the upper fill below duff layer ...............................38 8. Plan map for Structure 2 showing provenience of maize from screening the midden of the structure by strata...........................................................42 9. Plan map for Structure 3 showing the provenience of maize from the floor zone and from the midden of the structure ...................................................44 10. Plan map for Structure 4 showing the provenience of maize from the floor zone of the structure and lower fill of the vent shaft and structure...............................45 11. Plan map for Structure 5. .....................................................47 12. Plan map for Structure 6 showing the provenience of maize from the floor zone of the structure and the lower midden of the vent shaft, and the midden of the structure and the upper midden of the vent shaft.................................................50 13. Plan map for Structure 7 showing the provenience of maize from the lower fill, roof fall layer, and the fill below duff layer. The color key indicates the count of maize found in each grid in increments of ten..................................................52 14. Plan map of Extramural Pit 2 showing the trench with pits on either side ...............54 15. Corn count by type for all seven structures, and the extramural pits. ...................56 16. Flint corn found at Wolf Village. ...............................................57 17. Dent corn found at Wolf Village. ...............................................57 18. Photo of Flour corn found at Wolf Village. .......................................57 19. Sampling of row count for cob fragments found at Wolf Village.......................58 20. Percentage of corn type for structures with a count over ten. .........................60 21. Photo of different varieties of beans found at Wolf Village ...........................61 v LIST OF TABLES 1. Native Plants Identified in the Vicinity of Spotten Cave by Bushman and Welsh ..........5 2. Native Plants from the Vicinity of Spotten Cave identified by Rushforth.................5 3. Native plants from Playa in the Vicinity of Spotten Cave identified by Rushforth..........6 4. Native Species Collected from Wolf Village .......................................8 5. Introduced or Cultivated Plants Collected from Wolf Village..........................8 6. Results of Phytolith and Starch Analysis for Dental Tartar from the Seamon’s Mound Burial..............................................................22 7. Compiled List of Identified Plants from Flotation Analysis for Nineteen Fremont Sites ....23 8. Soil Samples chosen for Flotation Analysis.......................................27 9. Flotation Results from the Hearth of Structure 1...................................37 10. Flotation Results from the Midden of Structure 1 ..................................37 11. Flotation Results from the Second Room of Stucture 1 .............................37 12. Flotation Results from the Midden of Structure 2 ..................................40 13. Flotation Results from the Hearth of Structure 3...................................43 14. Flotation