Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 1989 Subsistence variability on the Columbia Plateau Ricky Gilmer Atwell Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Atwell, Ricky Gilmer, "Subsistence variability on the Columbia Plateau" (1989). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 4048. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.5932 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Ricky Gilmer Atwell for the Master of Arts in Anthropology presented May 1, 1989. Title: Subsistence Variability on the Columbia Plateau. APPROVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE THESIS COMMITTEE: Marc R. Feldesman Long-term human dietary change is a poorly understood aspect of Columbia Plateau prehistory. Faunal assemblages from thirty-four archaeological sites on the Plateau are organized into fifteen aggregate assemblages that are defined spatially and temporally. These assemblages are examined in terms of a focal-diffuse model using ecological measures of diversity, richness and evenness. Variability 2 and patterning in the prehistoric subsistence record is indicated. Major trends in human diet and shifts in subsistence economies are documented and the relationship between subsistence and some initial semi-sedentary adaptations on the Plateau is clarified. SUBSISTENCE VARIABILITY ON THE COLUMBIA PLATEAU by RICKY GILMER ATWELL A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in ANTHROPOLOGY Portland State University 1989 TO THE OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES: The members of the Committee approve the thesis of Ricky Gilmer Atwell presented May 1, 1989. Marc R. Feldesman Sandra L. Snyder Richard B. Forbes Marc R. Feldesman, Chair, Department of Anthropology Bernard Ross, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF TABLES •. v LIST OF FIGURES . ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ..... 1 II PREVIOUS RESEARCH . 2 III THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE . 8 IV METHODS . 14 Analytic Units . 14 Measuring Taxonomic Abundance •... 16 Justifying the Use of NISP . 21 Using Received NISP ......... 24 Adapting Received Data to a Usable Format . 26 Cons.tructing Faunal Categories . 29 Measures of Abundance and Diversity 32 Shannon Diversity Index . 33 Pielou's Evenness Index •... 34 Species Richness Index. 35 Dominance-Diversity Curves •.. 37 v ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES. 46 The Southeastern Study Area ..... 46 Alpowa Locality . 46 Granite Point (45WT41) ..... 47 Hatwai (10NP143) ........ 49 Lind Coulee (45GR97) •.•... 50 Marmes Rockshelter (45FR60) .. 51 ' iv Wawawai (45WT39) ........ 53 Summary . 5 5 The Central Columbia Plateau Study Areas ............. 55 Wells Reservoir Archaeological Project ............ 55 Chief Joseph Dam Cultural Resources Project ....... 56 VI ANALYSIS OF TEMPORAL UNITS .. 83 Southeastern Plateau . 84 Windust Phase . 84 Windust/Cascade . 85 Cascade Phase . 86 Hatwai Complex ..... 87 Tucannon Phase ....... 88 Harder Phase ...... 89 Late Harder/Piqunin . 90 Numipu Phase. • . 91 Wells Reservoir ••. 92 Period 1 (7800-5500 BP) . 92 Period 2 ( 4350-3800 BP) . 93 Period 3 (3300-2200 BP) . 94 Period 4 (900 BP - ) . 95 Chief Joseph Reservoir . 96 Kartar Phase (6000-4000 BP) .. 96 Hudnut Phase (4000-2000 BP) .. 96 Coyote Creek Phase (2000-50 BP) 97 VII SUMMARY ANALYSIS OF TEMPORAL UNITS . 135 Southeastern Plateau . • 136 Wells Reservoir ... 146 Chief Joseph Reservoir . 148 VIII SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . 160 REFERENCES CITED. • . • • . • . • . 169 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I Test for the Significance of the Rela­ tionship Between Number of Species and Sample Size for Temporal Units . • 40 II Houses, Features and Surfaces Providing Faunal Remains from the Alpowa Locality by Phase and Site . 58 III Original Faunal Data From the Alpowa Locality . 59 IV Faunal Data from the Alpowa Locality Used in this Analysis . 60 v Assemblage Designation by Component, Age and Phase at Granite Point . 61 VI Original Faunal Data from Granite Point . 62 VII Faunal Data from Granite Point Used in this Analysis • 63 VIII Houses, Other Features and Surfaces Providing Faunal Remains at Hatwai by Phase • • 64 IX Original Faunal Data from Hatwai • • 65 -1 vi X Faunal Data from Hatwai Used in this Analysis . 66 XI Original Faunal Data from Lind Coulee . 67 XII Faunal Data from Lind Coulee Used in this Analysis • • • 68 XIII Correlation of Chronology at Marmes Rockshelter ............ 69 XIV Original Faunal Data from Marmes Rockshelter . 70 xv Faunal Data from Marmes Rockshelter Used in this Analysis . 71 XVI Original Faunal Data from wawawai . 72 XVII Faunal Data from Wawawai Used in this Analysis . • • • 7 3 XVIII Southeastern Plateau Faunal Sample Size by Cultural Phase and Site .. 74 XIX Cumulative Faunal Data by Cultural Phase for Southeastern Plateau sites ............... 75 xx original Faunal Data from Sites in Wells Reservoir . 77 XXI Faunal Data from Wells Reservoir Used in this Analysis . • • 79 XXII Original Faunal Data from Sites in Chief Joseph Reservoir . 80 vii XXIII Faunal Data from Chief Joseph Reservoir Used in this Analysis . 82 XXIV Southeastern Plateau, Windust Phase summary Faunal Data . 99 XXV Southeastern Plateau, Windust/Cascade summary Faunal Data . 100 XXVI Southeastern Plateau, Cascade Phase Summary Faunal Data . 101 XXVII Southeastern Plateau, Hatwai Complex Summary Faunal Data . 102 XXVIII Southeastern Plateau, Tucannon Phase summary Faunal Data . 103 XXIX Southeastern Plateau, Harder Phase Summary Faunal Data . 104 XXX Southeastern Plateau, Late Harder/ Piqunin Summary Faunal Data . 106 XXXI Southeastern Plateau, Numipu Phase summary Faunal Data . 107 XXXII Wells Reservoir, Period 1 Summary Faunal Data . • . • . 108 XXXIII Wells Reservoir, Period 2 Summary Faunal Data . • . 109 XXXIV Wells Reservoir, Period 3 Summary Faunal Data . 111 xx xv Wells Reservoir, Period 4 Summary Faunal Data . • . • . • . • • 113 viii XX XVI Chief Joseph Reservoir, Kartar Phase Summary Faunal Data . 114 XXXVII Chief Joseph Reservoir, Hudnut Phase Summary Faunal Data • . 116 XXXVIII Chief Joseph Reservoir, Coyote Creek Phase Summary Faunal Data . 118 XXXIX Summary Indices by Study Area and Cultural Phase . 151 XL Proportions of Faunal categories by Cultural Phase on the Southeastern Plateau . 152 XLI Proportions of Faunal categories by Periods at Wells Reservoir . 152 XLII Proportions of Faunal Categories by Cultural Phase at Chief Joseph Reservoir . 153 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Map Showing Locations of the Three Study Areas . 41 2. Dominance-Diversity Curve Showing a Maximally Even - Minimally Dominant Distribution • • • 42 3. Dominance-Diversity Curve Showing a Minimally Even - Maximally Dominant Distribution • • • 4 3 4. Dominance-Diversity Curve Showing a Geometric Distribution . 44 5. Dominance-Diversity curve Showing a Lognormal Distribution . 45 6. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal categories During the Windust Phase . 120 7. Windust Phase Dominance-diversity Curve • 120 8. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During the Windust/Cascade Period . 121 9. Windust/Cascade Dominance-diversity Curve .. 121 x 10. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During the Cascade Phase . 122 11. Cascade Phase Dominance-diversity Curve . 122 12 Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Fauna! Categories During the Hatwai Complex Period . 123 13. Hatwai Complex Dominance-diversity Curve ... 123 14. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Fauna! Categories During the Tucannon Phase . 124 15. Tucannon Phase Dominance-diversity Curve . 124 16. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During the Harder Phase . 125 17. Harder Phase Dominance-diversity curve .... 125 18. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During the Late Harder/Piqunin Period . 126 19. Late Harder/Piqunin Dominance- diversity curve . 126 20. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During the Numipu Phase . 127 21. Numipu Phase Dominance-diversity Curve .... 127 xi 22. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During Period 1 . 128 23. Period 1 Dominance-diversity Curve ...... 128 24. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal categories During Period 2 . 129 25. Period 2 Dominance-diversity Curve ... 129 26. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal categories During Period 3 . 130 27. Period 3 Dominance-diversity Curve ...... 130 28. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During Period 4 . 131 29. Period 4 Dominance-diversity Curve ...... 131 30. Histogram· Showing the Relative Frequency (%) bf Faunal Categories During the Kartar Phase . 132 31. Kartar Phase Dominance-diversity Curve . 132 32. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During the Hudnut Phase . • . 133 33. Hudnut Phase Dominance-diversity Curve . 133 xii 34. Histogram Showing the Relative Frequency (%) of Faunal Categories During the coyote Creek Phase . 134 35. Coyote Creek Phase Dominance-diversity curve 134 36. Summary Diversity Indices . 154 37. Summary Evenness Indices . 155 38. Summary Richness Indices