Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology | Vol. 30, No. 1 (2010) | pp. 5–15 A Shell Midden in the Upper Gulf of California: Challenging the Paradigms of Isolation and Marginalization? ANTONIO PORCAYO MICHELINI Centro INAH, Baja California, Reforma No. 1333, Col. Nueva 2a. Sección, Mexicali, Baja California, CP 21100, [email protected] The archaeological site known as “El Faro” is located in the upper Gulf of California region of the Baja California peninsula. Archaeological work within this area of Baja California has been limited, and the investigation presented in this article is the most extensive to date in the region. This research, combining surface reconnaissance with three field seasons of excavation, has yielded data that allow for the reconstruction of the subsistence patterns of the site’s inhabitants through time. Additionally, we have been able to establish that the late occupation inhabitants of the El Faro site had a system of exchange with neighboring Yuman regions. The subsistence and trade evidence together allows us to comment on the proposed isolation and marginalization of the prehistoric groups in Baja California. ecorded in 2006, site ASU 14-178 El Faro RESEARCH OBJECTIVES R (hereafter referred to as El Faro) was excavated as The main purpose of the research at the El Faro part of an Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia archaeo logical site, as well as at other sites recorded in (INAH) project entitled “Registro y Rescate de Sitios the San Felipe area and in the Mexicali Municipality, Arqueológicos de Baja California—Fase Municipio de is to establish a cultural chronology and reconstruct Mexicali” (“Recordation and Salvage of Baja California land-use patterns, at both the diachronic and synchronic Archaeological Sites—Municipality of Mexicali Phase”). levels, for the ancient inhabitants of these lands. This is The 6,400 m.2 site is located in the southern part of San the most extensive research of its kind in the upper Gulf Felipe Bay, at Punta Estrella (Figs. 1 and 2). The official of California portion of the Baja California peninsula site code, ASU 14-178 El Faro, was given to it due to (for previous studies see Schenck and Gifford 1952), its proximity to the remains of a metal beacon that and it will allow us to analyze the El Faro site data and illuminated the southern part of San Felipe Bay. The compare it with data from other sites in the upper Gulf Kiliwa Indians, who lit it with petroleum every night, region, as well as from sites in more distant regions, in managed the faro, or beacon. It was, however, abandoned order to evaluate the amount of interaction that the at the onset of the twentieth century, and the remains of site inhabitants were involved in. By considering the the metal beacon are no longer present at the site. amount of interaction between various prehistoric Baja Another archaeological site, known as ASU 14-179 Californian groups, we can comment on the degree El Faro II, was recorded to the north of El Faro. El of isolation, or lack thereof, that characterized the Faro II is located next to a beacon that is currently in inhabitants of the Baja California peninsula. use. This site was excavated during the winter of 2009 with the help of students from the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH). It is similar in size SURFACE RECONNAISSANCE to El Faro; however, the archaeological materials are AND EXCAVATION: A SUMMARY more abundant at El Faro II. Artifacts such as granite Three field seasons of work have been carried out at the and quartz grinding stones and manos are numerous, El Faro site. The first season involved site identifi cation suggesting a more permanent human occupation at El and recordation, as well as the systematic collection Faro II than at El Faro. of most of the representative surface materials 5 6 Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology | Vol. 30, No. 1 (2010) Tijuana Mexicali ARIZONA BAJA CALIFORNIA Puerto Peñasco San Felipe Puertecitos SONORA Huerfanito San Luis Gonzaga Figure 1. General research region. (Porcayo 2007). During the second season, which took place in the winter of 2007, the first excavations were carried out specifically at the El Faro site. These excavations consisted of two units, Pit 1 and Trench 1. San Felipe Some materials from these excavations were submitted for radiocarbon dating, and a malacological analysis was conducted on the invertebrate faunal material found during site excavations (Fig. 3) (Porcayo 2008a). The third season in the San Felipe area again involved only the El Faro site (Porcayo 2009a). During the winter of 2008, a deeper excavation was made at Trench 1, and excavation began at Trench 2 (Fig. 4). The radiocarbon samples from this season have been submitted, and the remaining archaeological materials are currently being analyzed. All research conducted at El Faro the site up to this point will form part of the dissertation work of Fátima Camacho Araiza, a student at ENAH, who was invited to participate in the site excavations Figure 2. Specific region where El Faro is located. during the second and third field seasons. ARTICLE | A Shell Midden in the Upper Gulf of California: Challenging the Paradigms of Isolation and Marginalization? | Porcayo 7 Figure 3. Trench 1 at the El Faro excavation. Radiocarbon Dating Table 1 The initial radiocarbon dating of various archaeological and archaeozoological materials, taken from the best- RADIOCARBON DATES FOR EL FARO SITE defined features within each occupational stratum, Uncorrected Calibrated Sample Layer Material has provided a chronological sequence for the site. Date B.P. A.D./B.C To date, twelve radiocarbon dates, using both shell Trench 1 I-2 (1) 1314 ± 73 1464–1805 cal A.D. Ostrea cf. angelica and charcoal, have been obtained from samples from Trench 1 I-2 (2) 1318 ± 74 1460–1805 cal A.D. Cardita affinis the three excavation units that have been analyzed. Ostrea cf. angelica Trench 1 I-2 (3) 1316 ± 57 1465–1801 cal A.D. The dates suggest that the site had approximately Cardita affinis 2,000 years of practically uninterrupted occupation Trench 1 III-7 2677±73 130–532 cal A.D. Glycymeris gigantea (Table 1). These samples were processed and analyzed Trench 2 I-4 55 ± 21 1820–1960 cal A.D. charcoal at the Underdirectorship of Laboratories and Academic Support of INAH in Mexico City by Magdalena de los Trench 2 II-7 171± 31 1658–1953 cal A.D. charcoal Ríos Paredes, Chemical Engineer. Trench 2 III-11 1109±73 1689–1951 cal A.D. Glycymeris gigantea Trench 2 III-12 1414 ±73 1410–1676 cal A.D. Glycymeris gigantea Artifactual Materials Pit 1 I-1 1735 ± 72 1117–1423 cal A.D. Glycymeris gigantea The archaeological materials representing the latest Pit 1 iii-3,4 (1) 2350 ±75 476–846 cal A.D. Glycymeris gigantea occupation at the site are abundant and diverse. Among the finds are ceramic sherds and lithic artifacts made from Pit 1 III-3,4 (2) 789 ± 72 1899–1955 cal A.D. Hexaplex nigritus 8 Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology | Vol. 30, No. 1 (2010) Figure 4. Trench 2 at the El Faro excavation. obsidian, jasper, quartz, granite, and felsite. In the lower Archaeozoological Materials levels, the artifactual materials diminished substantially, Some 47,293 faunal elements were recovered during the with the exception of some small flaked andesite pieces. two field seasons of excavation at the El Faro site, and The analysis of these ceramic and lithic artifacts 72 taxonomic groups were recognized; 79% percent of focused mainly on sourcing the material, in order to these specimens were bivalves, 15% were gastropods, establish land-use patterns and to provide an indication and the remaining 6% were other faunal species (Guía of possible trade routes between the various groups 2008a). Although the largest percentage of specimens within present-day northern Baja California and the were bivalves, gastropods accounted for the highest southwestern United States. A total of 55 samples of number of different species in the assemblage. The obsidian and 60 sherds from northern Baja California, most abundant bivalves within the site assemblage are including San Felipe, were studied at the Geochemical Glycymeris gigantea, Ostrea angelica, Ostrea sp., and Research Laboratory (Hughes 2008) and at the Cardita affinis, while the most abundant gastropods are Geoarchaeological XRF Laboratory at the University Turbo fluctuosus, Cerithium stercusmuscarum, Crepidula of California, Berkeley (Shackley 2009a, 2009b; Shackley sp., Anachis sp., Acanthina angelica, and members of and Panich 2009a, 2009b). The results of these analyses the Muricidae family (Guía 2008a). The habitat for the are discussed below. species found at the site shifted through time, from those ARTICLE | A Shell Midden in the Upper Gulf of California: Challenging the Paradigms of Isolation and Marginalization? | Porcayo 9 species found in a sandy beach environment to species no alterations of any kind were present on these remains. found in more rocky environments (Guía 2008a). It is therefore impossible to determine the function of As has been mentioned previously, comparisons these animals at the site with certainty (Guía 2008a). between the shell recovered during the excavations of the second and third seasons are currently in progress and will form part of a master’s thesis, which will analyze CHALLENGING PARADIGMS the results with respect to the diet, exploitation, and OF ISOLATION AND MARGINALITY consumption patterns of the early inhabitants of El Considering all the information gathered to date at the Faro. However, it is already evident that there was a El Faro site, some comments can be made regarding very notable preference for the consumption of bivalves the paradigms of isolation and marginalization of the throughout the occupation of the site.