University of Nevada, Reno Starch Residue Analysis from Two High Altitude Village Locations: High Rise Village, Wyoming and the White Mountain Village Sites, California A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology by Amanda M. Rankin Dr. Christopher T. Morgan/Thesis Advisor August, 2016 THE GRADUATE SCHOOL We recommend that the thesis prepared under our supervision by AMANDA M. RANKIN Entitled Starch Residue Analysis from Two High Altitude Village Locations: High Rise Village, Wyoming and the White Mountain Village Sites, California be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Dr. Christopher T. Morgan, Advisor Dr. Dave Rhode, Committee Member Dr Robert Watters, Graduate School Representative David W. Zeh, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School August, 2016 i Abstract Starch residue analysis, ground stone, and use-wear analysis on milling equipment from High Rise Village and the White Mountain Village sites reveals a subsistence system that included geophyte processing at high elevation. High altitude residential use is little understood in North America and has often been thought to relate to intensive pine nut exploitation. This research indicates that this is not the case, and that geophytes were a targeted resource at high elevation. A closer look at the archaeological record in the two regions reveals that root processing was a common occurrence in nearby lowland regions and that high altitude villages may fit into this broader regional pattern of geophyte processing, a fact that has been overlooked by archaeologists and ethnographers alike, and something starch residue analysis is well suited to demonstrate. ii Dedication To my family who have always supported me, and most of all to my mother who was my greatest support, editor, and cheerleader. I wish you were here to see me finish. iii Acknowledgments I would like to thank the Nevada Archaeological Association for the 2014 Student Research Grant to conduct my research, the UNR Department of Anthropology for the 2014 William Self award, Dr. Dave Rhode at Desert Research Institute for teaching me the process of starch residue extraction and analysis and for letting me use the facilities, Dr. Christopher Morgan for allowing me to use the High Rise Village assemblage, and Dr. Robert Bettinger for allowing me access to the White Mountain collections, and for the tour of the White Mountain Village sites. Thank you to Shaun Richey for all the love and support as well as help with editing. Finally, thank you to my graduate cohort for all fun amid the stress. Portions of this project were funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant No. BCS-1302054); the continued support of the American public for scientific archaeological research is greatly appreciated. iv Table of Contents ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................... I DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................................II ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................................ III TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ IV LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... VIII LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................ X CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH CONTEXT ....................................................................................................... 5 HIGH RISE VILLAGE .................................................................................................................................... 5 SITE CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Flaked Stone Tools................................................................................................................................. 7 Subsistence Remains .............................................................................................................................. 9 Chronology ............................................................................................................................................ 9 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT ...................................................................................................................... 10 Western Wyoming Paleoenvironmental Record................................................................................... 11 WESTERN WYOMING CULTURE HISTORY.................................................................................................. 13 The Early Archaic ................................................................................................................................ 15 The Middle Archaic ............................................................................................................................. 15 The Late Archaic .................................................................................................................................. 16 The Late Prehistoric Period................................................................................................................. 16 Historic Period .................................................................................................................................... 17 WHITE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE SITES ........................................................................................................... 18 SITE CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Archaeological Findings ...................................................................................................................... 19 CA-MNO-2198: Rancho Deluxe .......................................................................................................... 20 v CA-MNO-2191: Crooked Forks .......................................................................................................... 21 CA-MNO-2194: Corral Camp South ................................................................................................... 21 Gate Meadows ..................................................................................................................................... 21 CA-MON-2193: Raven Camp .............................................................................................................. 22 CA-MNO-2196: Midway Village ......................................................................................................... 22 Chronology of the White Mountain Sites ............................................................................................. 22 Subsistence Remains: ........................................................................................................................... 24 Interpretation ....................................................................................................................................... 26 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT ...................................................................................................................... 26 Great Basin and Owens Valley Paleoenvironmental Record .............................................................. 28 WHITE MOUNTAINS AND OWENS VALLEY CULTURE HISTORY ................................................................. 29 Western Great Basin: Newberry (4000 B.P.-1500 B.P.) ..................................................................... 31 Western Great Basin: Haiwee Period (ca. 1500-600 B.P.) ................................................................. 31 Western Great Basin: Marana Period (600 B.P.-historic) .................................................................. 32 Historic Period .................................................................................................................................... 32 Environmental and Culture History Comparisons .............................................................................. 34 CHAPTER 3 THEORY AND EXPECTATIONS .................................................................................... 38 HIGH ALTITUDE ARCHAEOLOGY ............................................................................................................... 38 High Altitude Land Use in North America ........................................................................................... 38 The “Pull” Hypothesis......................................................................................................................... 42 The “Push” Hypothesis ....................................................................................................................... 45 MODELING MOUNTAIN PLANT-BASED SUBSISTENCE................................................................................ 46 PREDICTIONS ............................................................................................................................................