UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2001 Burnt Rock Mound (26Ck3601): Late Archaic and Ceramic period human use of a northern Mojave spring mound Hal Boyle Rager University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Rager, Hal Boyle, "Burnt Rock Mound (26Ck3601): Late Archaic and Ceramic period human use of a northern Mojave spring mound" (2001). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1338. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/ptq1-8ldn This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. BURNT ROCK MOUND (26CK360I): LATE ARCHAIC AND CERAMIC PERIOD HUMAN USE OF A NORTHERN MOJAVE SPRING MOUND by Hal Boyle Rager Bachelor of Science Kansas State University 1981 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree Department of Anthropology College of Liberal Arts Graduate School University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 2001 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 1409048 Copyright 2001 by Rager, Hal Boyle All rights reserved. UMI UMI Microform 1409048 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Leaming Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Leaming Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1348 # Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © Hal Boyle Rager 2001 All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval UNIV The Graduate College University of Nevada, I ac Vegas 26 November .20 m The Thesis prepared by Hal Boyle Rager Entitled Burnt Rock Mound (26CK3601): Late Archaic And Ceramic Period Human Use Of A Northern Mojave Spring Mound is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Examinai 'ommittee Dean of the Graduate College Examination Committee Member n Commi Graduate College Faculty Representatiix PRy 1017^/1-00 U Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Burnt Rock Mound (26CK3601): Late Archaic and Ceramic Period Human Use of a Northern Mojave Spring Mound by Hal Boyle Rager Dr. Ted Goebel, Examination Committee Chair Assistant Professor of Anthropology University of Nevada. Las Vegas Archaeological excavations and geological trenching at Burnt Rock Spring Mound. 26CK3601. in the northern Mojave Desert has revealed a complex relationship between paleohydrogeology and the prehistoric human use of the site. Multiple formation, accumu­ lation. and deflation episodes since the Late Pleistocene and Holocene correlate with re­ gional climatic models. The mound is located on the northwest periphery of the known extent of Ancestral Puebloan and Patayan peoples. Artifacts, especially micro-debitage. recovered from Late Holocene mound deposits suggest long-term use of this vital resource by Late Archaic and Ceramic peoples. m Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................ üi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS....................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER L INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... I Statement of The Problem .....................................................................................................I Archaeology in the Northern Mojave Desert/Southwest Great Basin .............................4 The Las Vegas Valley .............................................................................................................5 Chronology-Culture History ................................................................................................. 5 Burnt Rock Spring Mound ................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2- ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND PREVIOUS RESEARCH.............10 Physiography and Location of the Research Area ............................................................10 Regional Geology ............................................................................................................... 11 Environmental Setting and Paleoenvironmental Overview .............................................13 Previous Archaeological Research .....................................................................................19 Cultural Historical Frameworks for the Northern Mojave Desert ................................. 20 CHAPTER 3. BURNT ROCK SPRING MOUND................................................................26 Physical Site Description .....................................................................................................26 Geological and Paleohydrological Spring Investigations ............................................... 30 Site Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 34 Burnt Rock Ceramics ..........................................................................................................35 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 41 CHAPTER 4. ARCHAEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY.............................43 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................43 Site Analysis .........................................................................................................................43 Lithic Analysis ......................................................................................................................44 Ground Stone. Hand Stones and Object Stones ................................................................49 Other Artifact Attributes Studied ....................................................................................... 51 Faunal Analysis ....................................................................................................................52 Ceramic Analysis ................................................................................................................. 52 CHAPTER 5. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA PRESENTATION.........................................53 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 53 Site Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 53 Burnt Rock Ceramics ..........................................................................................................54 Lithic Analysis ......................................................................................................................55 Conclusions