Radiocarbon Dating Willard Libby mass spectrometer

Aerial Photography first remote sensing technique crop/soil marks infrared photography sideways looking aerial radar satellite imagery

Aerial Photography showing large scale agricultural features

Enhanced Aerial Imagery showing prehistoric agricultural fields

Oblique Aerial Photography

Remote Sensing resistivity survey ground penetrating radar magnetometer small scale excavation-testing

Cerén (El Salvador)

Cerén

Archaeological Survey

systematic surface evaluation Walk a grid examine ground surface sysytematic subsurface inspection

Subsurface Inspection coring (small samples) systematic shovel tests –small (50 x 50 cm) –larger (1x1 m) remote sensing other specialized sampling

Islas Los Roques (Venezuela)

Islas Los Roques

Stratigraphy

Starr Carr (Britain)

Starr Carr

Cerén

Islas Los Roques

Bugas-Holding, WY

thin deposit sealed by low-energy overbank sediments Late Prehistoric, ~500 BP

well preserved site merited new methods pioneered detailed piece-plotting use of taphonomic interpretation

excellent preservation small remains ~2-5 cm thick bone fragments animal remains heavily butchered tiny flakes (≤4 mm)

EDM Technology rapid accurate mapping sub-centimeter precision

Recovery of Small Materials 1/8” screen 1/16” screen small flakes small bone fragments rocks gastropod remains charcoal

Multiple Hearths 8 hearths with associated debris & ash dumps ash indicates minimal movement of artifacts Rapid burial high potential for site structural analyses

few stone tools small tools, heavily re-worked dominance of small flakes winter unavailability of new stone

bone implements

Map of Site hearth features conjoined bone fragments show movement of meat units across site distinct activity areas

conjoined bones traces movements of individual bones shows patterns of processing of particular anatomical units

stone boiling hearths 4 hearths in same area bone debris indicates removal of fatty articular ends boiled to collect bone grease

Butchering map impact fractures on fragments map cutmarks on fragments allows statistical examination of butchering practices although almost no complete bones

Taphonomy same processes preserving archaeological site preserve natural bone accumulations shed elk antler natural bison death followed by archaeological occupation

Bison remains targeted individual animals, especially pregnant cows complete butchery seasonality from fetal bison bones=late winter early spring camp

mountain sheep remains catastrophic kill frozen caches of articulated units periodic recovery and input to camp

Sheep Trap archaeological evidence of sheep traps in Absaroka Mountains drive lines and trap drop kill results in catastrophic kill-all ages in population

Elk remains individuals infrequently brought to camp complete butchery

Dead Indian Site, WY deeply stratified deposits at least Archaic-Late Prehistoric deer bones dominate all archaeological levels