Table Of Content

ClemsonUniversity 3 1604 019 774 043 vol. 8, jvo. 1 Spring 1995 I 29.59/5: 8/1 nvBstigaling Ecosystems '"J—"""" iE ^^^^233 Hidden Data Learning About Ecosystems from Archeological Sites Francis P. McManamon EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT REQUIRES that the entity Department of the Interior, Assistant Secretary Bonnie R. being managed is described, understood, and interpret- Cohen pointed out the importance ofarcheological and other ed accurately. This is true for ecosystems as for any- cultural resources to ecosystem management. She highlighted thing else. The tendency these days, however, is to their commemorative and interpretive value as well as their view ecosystems as purely "natural" phenomena. One has only worth from the standpoint of understanding and monitoring tolook at our most pristine wilderness areas to see the errorin the long-term changes in biological resources. Her main mes- — — this assumption. There and across the continent archeo- sage to the senior managers, however, was that the ecosystem logical sites testify to the fact that human beings have been a programs theywereresponsible forought nothave ablindspot "natural" part oftheir ecosystems for millennia. where cultural resources should be, and that serious conse- From a management perspective, archeological sites and quences could be e—xpected ifthey did. historic structures should be preserved if only because Cohen's concern that the widespread development and Americans have made it clear that they value their com- implementation ofecosystem m—anagement by public agencies memorative, associative, and interpretive qualities. But, might ignore cultural resources is well-founded. Most ofthe beyond that, these cultural resources offer evidence of past planning, development, and implementation of ecosystem environments that shouldbe put to effective use in managing managementisbeingundertakenbynatural resource scientists them in the future. or managers whose background and focus is on the "natural" Archeological sites present a unique opportunity for man- environment. agers to learn about the long-term functioning ofecosystems. The archeological record reveals how prehistoric human pop- THIS PROBLEM IS beingdealt—with on a number oflevels. ulations and their environments interacted over extended Aseriesofrecentdocuments fromtheNPSHumanities — spans oftime with both changing as a result. At a minimum, and the National Parks to the Society f—or American these sitesofferevidence about the evolutionofavastrangeof Archaeology'sSave the Pastforthe Future II callforcul- plant and animal species. tural resource experts to be more involved in developing and implementing ecosystem management. The NPS draft paper SCIENTISTS STUDYING ECOSYSTEMS would do well to "Ecosystem Managementin theNational ParkService"presents start considering archeological sites as "scientific moni- a well-integrated role for cultural resources in ecosystem man- toring stations" put in place ages ago. These sites fre- agement. quently contain preserved pollen, seeds, animal bones, These documents and the Cohen memorandum reflect the wood samples, and other botanical or faunal remains that, commitment of senior administration officials and national upon excavation, immediately tell us about the nonhuman organizations to include cultural resources in ecosystem man- components ofpast ecosystems. With furtherexamination and agement. Statements from these documents should be used at analysis in the lab, they can provide even more information. all levels ofpublic agenciesby individual archeologists, histori- In North America, human populations have been important ans, curators, anthropologists, and othercultural resource spe- actors in theirecosystems since reaching the continent at least cialists to inject their areas ofexpertise into individual ecosys- 12,000 years ago. That means there is an enormous amount of tem management programs or p—rojects. data out there about our environment over a very long period We need to work at all levels as well as publicize our suc- — of time. This information could potentially help us establish a cesses to ensure that archeological and other cultural baseline of ecosystems past to judge changes in ecosystems resources are not ignored in the development and implemen- future. tation ofthis new, comprehensive approach to resource man- Clearly, this data would be invaluable to managers. To maxi- agement. mize management effectiveness, however, all ofan ecosystem's cultural resources would have to be adequately identified, Francis P. McManamon is Departmental Consultirig Archeologist, described, evaluated, and interpreted. Department of the Interior, and Chief, Archeological Assistance, In a March 1994 memorandum to senior managers in the National Park Service. FederalArcheology Spring 1995 Contents FederalArcheology is publishedby Columns the National Park Service Departmental Consulting In Context 2 Archeologist andArcheological Francis R McManamon Assistance Program. Backfill 28 SecretaryoftheInterior Don Fowler and Charles McCarthy Bruce Babbitt Director, NationalParkService Departments Roger Kennedy AssociateDirector,CulturalResources IGGING5 4 Katherine H. Stevenson News, Views, and Recently Noted DepartmentalConsultingArcheologist 6 Chief,ArcheologicalAssistance Francis P McManamon Protecting the Nation's Archeological Heritage DeputyChief VelettaCanouts NagpraNews 27 — GuestEditors Theligfat-coloredlayerinthisresea—rchtrench ashfromaneruptionofOregon's ImplementingtheNativeAmerican Ruthann Knudson MtMazamaabout7,000yearsago residesunderstratashowingthathuman GravesProtectionandRepatriation Dan Haas occupationresumedwithinafewhundredyearsaftertheashfall. Page8. Act ManagingEditor People and Environments DavidAndrews AssociateEditor Joseph Flanagan ContributingEditors TheArcheolofljofEcology paGE8 S. Terry Childs Dan Haas Farfrom waiting for the Industrial Revolution, human beings have been Ruthann Knudson agents ofchange in the environments ofNorth America for at least 12,000 C. Timothy McKeown years. Why we must take the long view in managing ecosystems now and DavidTarler in the future. William D. Lipe Richard C. Waldbauer PrintingCoordinator JerryBuckbinder ViewfromtheTop ofthePlanet Printedby McDonaldand Eudy, Researchers say that ancient hunters occupied Alaska's Mesa site Temple Hills, MD, undercontract during a time ofradical climate change. Study ofthe site, which to the U.S. GPO. made headlines twoyears ago, may add to the global warming debate. Statementsoffactandviewsarethe Michael, Kunz and Robert King Page 14 responsibilityoftheauthorsanddo notnecessarilyreflectanopinionor anendorsementbytheeditorsorthe NationalParkService. BothArtifactandHabitat Sendcomments, articles,address TheNature ofOurNationalForests PAGE IN changes, andinformationonconfer- ences,training,andpublicationsto Even ifa forest is longgone, archeologists can often detect evidence of it in the Editor,NPSArcheological sites and artifacts that remain. This fact has far-reaching implications in restoring AssistanceDivision, P.O. Box 37127, and sustaining the nation's woodlands. Sandra Jo FORNEY Washington, DC20013-7127, (202) 343-4101,fax (202) 523-1547. ^1 Cover:BandelierNationalMonument, NM. Locking Horns withHistory ByJosephCourtneyWhite,fromhis bookIntheLandoftheDelight Noble and dignified in its alpine solitude, the mountain goat is one ofthe most oI Makers(SaltLakeCity:Universityof evocative symbols ofthe Pacific Northwest wilderness. So why is the National UtahPress, 1992). Park Service interested in removing Oreamnos americanus from the Olympic rsi Mountains? An interdisciplinary journey into the past unravels a myth. Joseph Flanagan Page 22 oi FederalArcheology Spring 1995 1 M 1 New Members Join represent the interests of acclaimed science shows ethics, conservation, and Cultural Property museums, three specialize in shown on public TV in the looting. Foss says that Committee archeology, anthropology, 1970s] did for the history of through "The Archaeologist," President Clinton has named ethnology, or related disci- science." he and his partners hope to seven new members to the plines, three are experts in Foss says he couldn't think answer the question they the international sale ofcul- ofanyone else who was tak- know will be in the minds of Cultural Property Advisory Committee. Theywere tural property, and three ing this approach to bring viewers: "Why should I care represent the general public. archeology to the public. about the past?" sworn inJanuary 30by U.S. Reynolds, Hogg, and Foss The CommunityTelevision Information Agency Director Joseph Duffey at the Old Ancients on the Airwaves believe that archeology on Networkoffers free training to Executive Office Building in In the age ofSega Genesis, television, for the most part, anyone inexchange forfirst Washington, D.C. MTV, and virtual reality, has lacked authoritative and rights to air anythingpro- The new appointees are does archeology stand a careful treatment ofissues in duced. "The Archaeologist"is Martin E. Sullivan of chance? Can a bookish pur- which the public will have comprised mostly ofstills, Phoenix (chairman); Miguel suit compete for the atten- an interest. with Reynolds ashost. Angel Corzo ofLos Angeles; tion ofa nation oftelevi- Asked how their program Interviews withother archeol- Hester A. Davis of sion-watchers? A trio of differs from such shows as ogists and some 1920sfootage Fayetteville, Arkansas; Michigan archeologists are "Archaeology" on the from the University of Prudence M. Rice of so passionate about their Learning Channel, the pro- Michigan's Kelsey Museum Carbondale, Illinois; Gerald line ofwork that they are ducers say that in spite of the havebeen used aswell. The G. Stiebel ofNew York City; willing to gamble that it can. great disparity in production first episode wasshotwith Eugene V. Thaw ofSanta Fe; RealizingthatTVis the budgets (the first episode of SVHS, which, says Foss, yields and Stephen E. Weil of medium ofchoice, Pedar Foss, "The Archaeologist" was aproduct that is "almost" Washington, D.C. Alan Hogg, and DavidWest made for $75), theirs will broadcastquality. Theyhave The committee was estab- Reynolds took advantageof present the discipline in a had some difficulty with lished by the Convention on free trainingofferedby the light that is more substantive sound, however. "We think Cultural Property CommunityTelevision and critical. Other shows we could produce areally Implementation Act of 1983. Network, AnnArbor'slocal about archeology, they con- goodshow ifwe had the right Under the act, the United cable accessstation. Oversix tend, have a tendency to equipment," Foss says. States can ban the importa- months, theyfamiliarized extoll the "wonder" and The producers hope, at tion ofcertain artifacts to themselves with the use of "mystery" oftimes long past, some point, to have a profes- assist a country in protecting videoand sound equipment. but fall short in the analysis sional production team as its cultural patrimony for sci- The result: "The department. well as a budget to film over- entific, cultural, and educa- Archaeologist," a half-hour The first episode deals with seas. Ifall goes well, "The tional purposes. The com- documentary-styleTVshow. the evolution of the archeol- Archaeologist" could find a mittee reviews requests for "We want to reach as ogist from antiquarian to home on PBS, cable, or the aid from countries whose many people as possible," scholar an—d scientist. The educational video market. cultural treasures are being says Foss. "We are aiming for producers classical arche- Contact Dr. Pedar Foss, illegally removed and ped- the 15 and older crowd, and ologists by training (their 318 E. Jefferson #4, Ann dled in the illegal art market. our mission is strictly educa- second episode is a—bout the Arbor, MI 48104, E-mail The committee has tional. We would be very Roman provinces) aim to pfoss(5 umich.edu, or David ametmhbreeer-syeianratlle,rme.acLhasw1erving palrecahseeodloigfywewhcaotulJdamdeosfor eAvmeenrtiucaal.lyIdteuarsnftoorNfourtutrhe WDreisvteRCety.n,o#ld1s0,4,10A9n4nIsland requires that two members Burke [producer oi shows include archeological Arbor, MI 48105. FederalArcheology Spring 1995 ^<fi3L* [JUiACHOWSKI/HABS BRUSH AGAINST the old stone structure, and you could a good deal of artistic license. The highly irregular surfaces take a piece out of it. Square Tower at Hovenweep make conventional methods of measuring all but impossible. National Monument, as dramatic a signature as any left The craftsmen who built these structures lacked the engi- by the ancientpeople ofthe desert, is givingway to time neering skills of the Mayans and Egyptians; corners are not and nature. Sadly, it won'tbe with us forever. particularly square, courses ofstone not uniform. "They buil Enter the Park Service Historic American Buildings Survey. In the best they could, given their primitive tools and [in thesummerof1993,aHABSteamconvergedonHovenweepand rawmaterials,"says Balachowski.That'swhy phot MesaVerdeNationalPark, attachingpaperbullseyestothecrum- is so essential to the project. blingstonework. It was the first phase ofa unique project topro- Last summer, measured drawings ofthe duce apermanentrecordofselectedstructures at the twoparks. erated in the computer-aided drafting studio HABS shares Underthe directionofHABS architectJoseph Balachowski, with the Historic American Engineering Record. The pho- the team recorded Square Tower, Hovenweep Castle (above), togrammetric images, stone by stone, were digitized into Hovenweep House, and Mesa Verde's Balcony House, apply- Autocad software to produce the elevations. Plans and sec- ing a technology never before used by the Park Service on an tions were also drawn using computer aided drafting. archeological site. With the bullseyes as data points, they cir- The data gathered from the ruins will help monitor changes cled the ruins, taking pictures with Linhoff Metrika 150mm in themover time. Thereis also the possibilityofproducing 3- and 90mm photogrammetric cameras. From these known d images and loading the data into a structural program capa- points would grow a record ofthe structures as precise as an ble of calculating stresses. architect's drawing. The HABS project, an encounter between two technologies Past attempts to document such ruins have been generally across the abyss oftime, is proofthat progress is not always at accurate, but elevations, almostby necessity, were drawnwith the expense ofthe past. FederalArcheology Spring 1995 tew tie Petroglyph Looters The court sentenced Adam facts, and a $1,500 fine and Couple Admits Digging Sentenced Bruce to seven months in ayear's probation on the Civil War Site On March 13, three Arizona prison and 36 months super- charge oftrafficking in On March 17, a Banco, residents who illegally vised release. John Bruce Native American remains. Virginia, husband-wife removed and sold petro- was given 36 months proba- As a condition ofhis pro- team oflooters was con- glyphs from a national forest tion and Becky Whitted bation, Maniscalco must also victed ofremoving artifacts were sentenced in the U.S. received 24 months proba- reimburse the U.S. probation from the C & O National District Court for the dis- tion. The three were also office for the expenses of Historical Park in trict ofArizona. The three ordered to pay over $7,600 administering his case Maryland. Brian R. Bader, earlier had pled guilty to in restitution to the national (about $2,100) and pay the 37, and Christine A. Bader, violating the Archaeological forest. In addition, three Park Service $1,500 for 42, pled guilty before U.S. Resources Protection Act pickup trucks used to com- repatriating the remains to Magistrate Donald (ARPA; 16 U.S.C. 470ee). mit the violations were for- the Cheyenne nation. Beachley ofone count each In January 1994 Adam feited to the United States. Meanwhile, in a related ofviolating ARPA. The Bruce sold four petroglyphs Law enforcement personnel case, Charles Snyder of Baders were sentenced on from Kaibah National Forest from the Forest Service, Bowie, Maryland, has been the same date. to federal undercover Bureau ofLand indicted on three counts of In accordance with the agents. During conversations Management, and Arizona attempting to sell artifacts provisions ofa plea agree- with the agents, Bruce Game and Fish Department taken from the battlefield ment, the Baders were lined admitted that he knew his cooperatively investigated and possession ofstolen gov- $200 and placed on unsu- actions were illegal. He also the case. Paul Charlton, ernment property. Snyder pervised probation. They implicated his father, John assistant U.S. Attorney for purchased about 50 artifacts were also ordered to pay Bruce, as the "mastermind" the district ofArizona, from Maniscalco that origi- $1,400 restitution to the of their "business," which, in served as the lead prosecutor. nated from the park, includ- National Park Service. The addition to the looting of ing a cavalry button and metal detectors and artifacts archeological goods, also Little Big Horn Looter several fired bullets and cas- found in their possession included natural resources Sentenced, Another ings. Both ofthe arrests were forfeited to the United violations on Forest Service Arrested stem from a BLM sting oper- States. lands, such as elk poaching Richard Maniscalco, who ation—that snared George The Baders were discov- and removing moss rock. earlier this year pled guilty Scott a former seasonal ered in November 1993 by In February 1994, the in federal court to ARPA ranger (two seasons) at ranger Michael Sabatini. younger Bruce removed five and Native American Little Bighorn—and a local In their possession were more petroglyphs from Graves Protection and school teacher who had two metal detectors, two Kaibab with a backhoe pro- Repatriation Act violations taken many ofthe artifacts shovels, and numerous vided by Becky Whitted. stemming from thefts from and sold them to minnie balls, canister Whitted helped load the pet- the park, has been sen- Maniscalco. Although BLM balls, and buttons. roglyphs and transport them tenced in federal magis- investigators made the initial Investigators later found to Phoenix where, together trate's court in Alexandria, case, Maniscalco and Snyder more than 24 newly dug with the elder Bruce, they Virginia. He faces a $500 were tracked down and boles in former Union sold them to undercover fine and a year's probation arrested by NPS special Army fortifications locat- agents for $1,500. on the charge ofselling arti- agents. ed on park property. FederalArchf.ology Spring 1995 ZjBEBL rcheologicalsitesarelessonsin howpeople... erpatterns,sourcesofsupplyforrawmaterials,andsoc nowonderthatthe National ScienceandTechnologyCou. themasessentialtomanagingthenation'sresourcesfollowingecolog- ical principles.The challenge nowisto commu—nicatethese lessons. As thearticlesinthi—sissueillustrate,manydisciplines workinghandinhand witharcheology arebeingcalledontodojustthat. Archeology has a tradition of working with researchers from different fields. In the 1930s, the excavation of the Clovis site in New Mexico's Blackwater Drawintegrated studiesofstratigraphy, pollen, and paleontol- ogytocharacterize 11,000-year-oldfoodsuppliesand hunting patterns. Thisapproachmakeseminentsenseasweseektomanageourdwindling resources.Alliedwith otherfields, archeologycantell usmuch aboutwhat resourceswereavailableinthepast,whousedthem,andhowthatchanged environmentand culturealike. Federal archeological projectssuch asthe responsetothe Exxon Valdez oilspilldemonstratethevalueofsuchan interdisciplinaryapproach.There needs to be more such collaboration, both to improve the projects and sharpenthelessonstheyyield. Above: BandelierNotionalMonument, NM. josephcourtneywhite,fromhis BOOK INTHELANDOFTHEDEUGHTMAKERS(SALTLAKECITY:UNIVERSITYOFUTAHPRESS,1992). FederalArcheology Spring 1995 Ill to III m D. ipe iIIi(5i my generation u completed my Ph.D in 1966), I received m il a rime when illy oriented ming K table. The "conjuncth lor 1948) inning to lake hold, and suit, archeologists were inning nely colle< J remain pollen sample. The conccj ural ecol- ! reflected in il irity of settlement pat- illy new, and sratcmen rem must be viewed in an . horn aii environmental variables, with cultu committee). Right:ThelightgraystratainthetrenchfaceatMazamaRestoration Dunes site, Fort Rock Basin, OR, is ash from an eruption of Mt. Mazama (now held beliefs about the Crater Lake) about 7,000years ago (Mehringerand Cannon 1994). rid namre (Barker FederalArcheology Spring 1995 m % ' ft* AlM ft PETERJ.MEHRINGER, l». L-o, ingerson iyyt;. oucn iaeasmayimplicitlyu encyofsome tominimize the long-term human contributions to i constructed,byhuman agency. Therefore, the "best scientific he evolution o> data" (BLM 1994) mustbeemployed to understand the human side These views cannot assist in either una or man ofthe equation as well as the strictly biological andphysical. : ecosystems. To manage an ecosystem is to make choices about People did not wait for the Industrial Revolution or European humanneedsandimpactswiththegoalofsustainingitsdiversityand colonization to become agents ofchange in their environments. ity (BLM 1994). As our ability to effect change incr Historyand archeology show that human heiiv .1 the FederalArcheology Spring 1995 — — ecosystems ofNorth Americafor at least 12,000 years, and those future-oriented goals and on regional landscapes is much ofAfrica, Europe, and Asia for much longer. more compatible with conservation archeology than fragmented Even ifpeople could he written out ofthe equation, "restoring" resource-by-resource land management approaches, or those ecosystems to some static "original" condition is not a scientifi- basedon arbitrarilydefined management units. Linkedwith pale- cally meaningful goal. Ecosystems arebynature dynamic: witness oenvironmental studies, archeology can offer much to ecosystem thecompetition amongplants and animals, the weather, andero- management, and to public education as well. sion—not to mention volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and hurri- canes (Oliver 1994, Winterhalder 1994, Barker 1995). Clearly, Smarter Ways to Manage the Planet this evidence of past variability should inform the decisions we rcheology can contribute to "smarter" ecosys- make about the future (Everett et al. 1993). tem management in a number of ways. Most directly, archeology can provide time depth to Where Does Archeology Fit In? our understanding of how the cultural, biological, and physical |he ethic underlying ecosystem management componentsofecosystemsinteract.Tounderstandandcontrol the finds a close parallel in conservation archeol- manyaspectsofecosystems, landmanagers mustfirstacknowledge ogy, which considers archeological sites to be they are not static. Then they need to learn more about their his- non-renewable resources* valuable to society. Like natural tory and variation (Everett et al. 1993,Johnson et al. 1994). resources, they require stewardship and management for future It is also essential that land managers not assume that the 19th generations. century state ofan ecosystem represents its "natural" or "pristine" Conservationarcheologyisuse-orientedin the sense thatitjus- expression. For example, some major studies of Pacific ecology tifies protecting and managing sites because of the values that assume that human beings had little effect on the distribution of society can obtain from them (Lipe 1984). By providinginforma- species until the 19th or 20th centuries. Steadman (1995) shows tion about past cultures and environments, these sites can help otherwise. Using archeological data, he illustrates that a thousand inform both researchers and the public. Archeological sites and or moreyears ago, the settlement ofvarious Pacific islandswasfol- artifacts can also stand as symbols of particular histories or lowed by the rapid extinction ofhundreds ofbird species. — beliefs for example, as national historic landmarks or as what Archeological sites, and their patterns of distribution on the have come to be called traditional cultural properties. landscape, provide a potentially immense reservoir of informa- Because these resources are non-renewable, it is fortunate that tion tor understanding, and ultimately managing, ecosystems. many such uses have little or no effect on their physical integrity. Archeological evidence can work hand in hand with historic The educational orsymbolic value ofMesaVerde's CliffPalace can documents and photographs as well as with oral history. be obtainedby merelyviewingit. With proper precautions, contin- Archeology can also complement data drawn from non-cultural ued viewing does not erode the fabric ofthe site. However, ifexca- sources, such as bogs, ponds, alluvial sediments, packrat mid- vation is undertaken to provide new information, the site will be dens, old-growth woodlands, and so forth. physically changed, and the same excavationcannotbe repeated. Kenneth Petersen (1988), forexample, usedpollenrecordsfrom Conservation archeology promotes frugality in consumptive mountain ponds and tree-ringrecordsfrom high altitude conifers uses such as excavation, but recognizes that providing new infor- to reconstruct the variations in climate that affected the Pueblo mation is a primary social benefit ofarcheology, and hence must Indian agriculture and settlement of southwestern Colorado in be aprimary goal ofresource management. That is, archeological the 600s through 1200s A.D. This work contributed greatly to resources must be protected and managed so that they can pro- interpreting data from the Dolores Archeological Project, a large vide an optimal yield of information and other public benefits study funded by the Bureau of Reclamation in conjunction with over the long term (Lipe 1974, 1985). the construction of the McPhee Reservoir. A Likewise, pollen and charcoal extracted from the sediment of continuing flow of information from research is also seen as essential to effective public interpretation and education, whether pondsandbogsin thenorthwesthasenabledresearchers (forexam- on site or in the museum, the classroom, or the media. ple, Mehringer 1985 and Mehringer and Wigand 1987 and 1990) Conservation archeology also recognizes the need to protect and toreconstruct a long, detailed history ofchanges in vegetation and manage archeologicalresourceswithsymbolicvalueforspecificcul- the frequency offires (Johnson et al. 1994). From this record, cli- matic and ecological change can be inferred, and in some cases, so tural groups aswell as the broader public (Parker and King 1992). Because the primary threats to archeological resources come can the use offire by Native Americans to manage vegetation and game over large areas (for example, Barrett and Arno 1982). not jrom research or other public uses, but from development, Archeologists and paleoenvironmental scientists need to under- looting, vandalism, and the forces ofnature, conservation arche- stand the information needs ofland and resource managers and ologists invest much effort in promoting protective legislation, work cooperatively to meet them. The pioneering Eastside Forest educating the public, and involving the discipline early in the Ecosystem Health Assessment (Everett et al. 1993, Everett 1994) planning ofconstruction projects. provides a model for this kind ofcooperation. In one of the stud- In short, the goals of conservation archeology dovetail quite ies done as part of the assessment, Johnson et al. (1994) note: well with those ol ecosystem management, provided that land managers acknowledge the importance of archeological By studying today's communities, without reference to the fos- resources. Clearly, ecosystem management's focus on integrated, sil record, we could not have known that the eastside's familiar 10 FederalArcheology Spring 1995