An Analysis of Basalt and Obsidian Artifacts from the Ea

103 Pages·2013·6.77 MB·English

by  Kerrie N Absher

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

Material Distribution Patterns:
An Analysis of Basalt and Obsidian Artifacts from the East Side of the
Tahoe National Forest and Surrounding Lands

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology,
Public Archeology

By

Kerrie Nicole Absher

May 2013
The thesis of Kerrie Nicole Absher is approved:

___________________________________ ___________
Dr. Cathy Costin Date

___________________________________ ___________
Dr. Michael Love Date

___________________________________ ___________
Dr. Matthew Des Lauriers, Chair Date

California State University, Northridge
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Acknowledgements
Many people deserve acknowledgement for their support and encouragement
throughout the years. The members of my thesis committee—Dr. Costin, Dr. Love, and
Dr. Des Lauriers—deserve my gratitude. Their input was invaluable and I can’t thank
them enough for supporting me. The Department of Graduate Studies at California State
University, Northridge, awarded me funds through their Thesis Support Program that
enabled me to analyze additional artifacts. Gene Hattori at the Nevada State Museum in
Carson City lent out three projectile points for analysis, and, although these artifacts were
not included in my final analysis, the opportunity to examine the artifacts is much
appreciated.
Michael Baldrica, Carrie Smith, and the entire staff of the Tahoe National Forest
made it possible for me to grow as an archaeologist by providing me with years of
experience in the field and supporting me throughout the research process. The Forest’s
investment in my future as an archaeologist means more to me than words can adequately
convey. Alice Baldrica and Richard Perry are two of the many individuals who also
played an important role by encouraging me to have intellectual discussions concerning
my research and by participating in such conversations.
Without the unfailing support of my parents (Stephen and Karen Absher), none of
this would have been possible. I am forever grateful for them and everything they have
done for me.
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Table of Contents
Signature Page ii
Acknowledgements iii
List of Tables vi
List of Figures vii
List of Maps viii
Abstract ix
Chapter I: Introduction 1
Chapter II: The Washoe 4
Washoe Territory 4
Washoe Culture 4
Temporal Phases of Washoe Prehistory 6
Chapter III: Important Historic Impacts in the Research Area 9
Livestock Grazing 9
Railroad Lines and Logging Camps 10
Wildfire 11
Chapter IV: Theory, Data Collection, and Methodology 12
Theory 12
Other Theoretical Approaches to Trade and Exchange 13
Data Collection 15
Methodology 17
Chapter V: Results of Data Analysis 31
Results of Basalt Analysis 31
iv
Results of Obsidian Analysis 34
Chapter VI: Summary and Discussion 39
Chapter VII: Future Research 41
References 45
Appendix A: Sketched Examples of Diagnostic Projectile Points 49
Appendix B: A Key to Great Basin and Sierran Projectile Point Types 52
Appendix C: Basalt Artifact Catalogue 54
Appendix D: Obsidian Artifact Catalogue 58
Appendix E: Site Disturbance and Investigation Details 68
Appendix F: Basalt Analysis Charts 72
Appendix G: Obsidian Analysis Charts 81

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List of Tables
Table 1: Temporal Phases, Years, Microns, and Diagnostic Artifacts (based on
Elston et al. 1994, Bloomer and Jaffke 2009) 7
Table 2: Number of Artifacts per Site 18
Table 3: Site Clusters 23
Table 4: Obsidian Source(s), UTM Coordinates, and Justification for Clusters 28
Table 5: Distribution of Basalt Projectile Points by Source and Temporal Phase 31
Table 6: Distribution of Obsidian Artifacts by Source and Temporal Phase 35

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Hypothetical Obsidian Hydration Rate Curve for the Tahoe Sierra
(courtesy of William Bloomer, 2011) 19
Figure 2: Basalt Frequency Trend for the Gold Lake Source 32
Figure 3: Obsidian Frequency Trend for the Bodie Hills Source 36
Figure 4: Obsidian Frequency Trend for the Bodie Hills Source, Clustered by Site
Distance 37

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List of Maps
Map 1: Location of All Site Clusters 22
Map 2: Location of Basalt Analysis Site Clusters 24
Map 3: Location of Obsidian Analysis Site Clusters 25
Map 4: Identified Basalt Sources and Generalization of Site Locations (based on
NWROSL 2005) 27
Map 5: Identified Obsidian Sources and Generalization of Site Locations (based on
NWROSL 2011) 29

viii
Abstract

Material Distribution Patterns:
An Analysis of Basalt and Obsidian Artifacts from the East Side of the
Tahoe National Forest and Surrounding Lands

By
Kerrie Nicole Absher
Master of Arts in Anthropology,
Public Archeology

This thesis is an analysis of data recovered from 29 archaeological sites on the
east side of the Tahoe National Forest and surrounding lands. Toolstone sources and
temporal phase information from individual sites are compiled in an attempt to identify
the Law of Monotonic Decrement as a distribution pattern for basalt projectile points and
obsidian artifacts. Artifact catalogues and maps are created, and distances are measured
and analyzed. For basalt projectile points, the Law of Monotonic Decrement is
exemplified during the Late Martis temporal phase. For obsidian artifacts, there appears
to be an optimal distance as opposed to the Law of Monotonic Decrement, except when
certain distances from sources are clustered, in which case the Law of Monotonic
Decrement is fairly closely followed during the Early Martis temporal phase. In future
research, these results could be combined with larger datasets from other regions to get
an even broader picture of distribution patterns.
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Chapter I: Introduction

The prehistoric Washoe of the northern Sierra and Lake Tahoe area are described
as geographically being a Great Basin people, but they are also described as culturally
having ties to both the Great Basin and California regions (d’Azevedo 1986: 466). The
east side of the Tahoe National Forest and surrounding lands are part of prehistoric
Washoe territory and were occupied during various temporal phases, partially evidenced
by the presence of archaeological sites containing stone tools (such as bifaces and
projectile points). Raw materials the Washoe used to create stone tools include sinter,
basalt, chert, exotic obsidian, and local obsidian. For many years, basalt and obsidian
artifacts on the east side of the Tahoe National Forest and surrounding lands have been
collected in the field and subsequently analyzed to determine the source of the materials
used to create stone tools and the temporal phase in which these tools were created.
Toolstone sources and temporal phase information have already been established for the
area; however, up until now, toolstone source and temporal phase data have never been
compiled into one report in such a way as to look for distribution patterns.
This research examines 29 archaeological sites pertaining to the Tahoe Reach,
Spooner, Early Martis, Late Martis, Early Kings Beach, and Late Kings Beach temporal
phases on the east side of the Tahoe National Forest and surrounding lands, and poses
two questions. Will an analysis of basalt projectile point and obsidian artifact
distributions reveal patterns of toolstone movement on the east side of the Tahoe National
Forest and surrounding lands? If so, can the Law of Monotonic Decrement (Renfrew
1977) explain either or both of these patterns?
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