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MA/PhD Theses Abstracts of Current Students & Alumni |
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Prentiss, William Clark, May 1986 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURFACE SCATTER VARIABILITY ON THE WESTERN SLOPE OF THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CENTRAL WYOMING
Abstract: This thesis details a study of archaeological surface scatter variability on the west slope of the Bighorn Mountains of north central Wyoming. Research on this problem was carried out as part of the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Worland District's West Slope Archeological Assessment Project. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the existence of a series of relationships between distinctive assemblages of artifacts and features and distinct locational patterns. To accomplish this, a model is developed to type distinctive assemblages as site types and link them to sets of locations. Site types are defined on two levels. First, site function is defined. Five types are possible: hunting related, plant procurement/processing related, lithic procurement related, multi-function, and other. Second, a traditional dichotomous site type categorization is applied. Here, sites are typed as camps or loci. Thus, potential site types include multi-function camp, hunting related camp, other camp, hunting related loci, lithic procurement related loci, plant procurement/processing loci, and other loci. Testing the model was accomplished through field inventory of a one percent sample of the 214 square mile study area. Three phases of testing were applied following field and laboratory data collection. First site types were examined by topographic locations. Testing variables included aspect, slope, topography, vegetation, environmental diversity, distance to water, and elevation above water. Second, an analysis of relationships between lithic assemblage diversity and surrounding environmental diversity was applied. Third and last, was an analysis of biface types. Evaluation of the model was based on general pattern recognition following all analyses. The analyses of topographic locations and relationships between lithic assemblage diversity and environmental diversity generally supported the model. The analysis of bifaces was somewhat less than conclusive. The model should be useful in predicting locations of specific types of sites. It is significant in that variability in functional site types is emphasized as an important factor of consideration in general site location prediction models. Further research is recommended concerning further testing and expansion of this model in addition to continued surface scatter research in the Bighorn Mountains and Basin of Wyoming.
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