Mason Gray Site Survey Assignment

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Wichita State University *

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MISC

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Anthropology

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Apr 3, 2024

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MASON GRAY (Answers on pg. 4-5) Conduct a Site Survey This activity is adapted from the Active Archaeology Notebook , edited by Leah McCurdy, pg 14- 18 Background Archaeological field methods can be divided into two major phases: survey and excavation. Survey allows archaeologists to identify archaeological materials and their distribution across a landscape, while excavations facilitate in-depth studies of individual places identified through survey. Survey methodologies break down into three major categories: systematic, randomized, and high probability locality surveys. In this activity, you will establish a survey methodology and apply your methodology to a fictional landscape. Archaeological sites, features, and structures present on the landscape will be revealed to you based on the survey methodology you choose. You will use the results of your survey to provide an interpretation of site distribution, resource exploitation, and occupational history of the landscape. Finally, you will be asked to provide plans for future survey, excavation, and preservation efforts based on your preliminary survey results. You are managing an archaeological survey crew tasked with determining which type of archaeological remains survive in this landscape. In order to assess the layout of the sites and features in the landscape, you plan to conduct a site surface survey. This is a straightforward way to record artifacts and features visible on the ground surface. However, the area is quite large and your team won’t have time to visibly examine the entire landscape, therefor you must select a survey methodology that will allow you to sample the area (also called a sampling strategy – see page 69 of your textbook). Use the descriptions of the major survey methodologies to choose an approach, and then survey the appropriate 15 squares.

Task 1 Choose one of the following options and follow the instructions to make a note of the parcels you will survey (mark them on the map, or make a list – this is for your own reference as you complete the activity). Option 1 – Systematic Survey Systematic surveys involve selecting parcels from the grid based on a pattern (e.g. choosing every other square) · Advantages: Minimizes survey bias (ensures archaeologist don’t project their own assumptions onto the landscape) · Disadvantages: Runs the risk of missing (or hitting) every high potential locality. To conduct a systematic survey, choose 15 square parcels that create a uniform pattern across the area. Checkerboard patterns are very common. Option 2 – Randomized Survey Randomized Surveys attempt to eliminate any bias of the researchers. This methodology uses random numbers or choices to choose survey locations. It is very rarely encountered in the real world of archaeological field projects.

· Advantages: Minimizes survey bias · Disadvantages: The nature of random numbers results in some areas being allotted clusters of squares while other areas remain untouched To conduct a randomized survey, pull 15 numbers and letters out of a hat to select the parcels (or use a random number generator online). A2, A7, B4, B7, C7, C9, D1, D5, D10, E1, E6, E10, G1, G3, G8 Option 3 – High-probability Locality Surveys A high probability locality survey allows archaeologists to choose the survey parcels they judge as having a high probability of yielding archaeological materials. This survey method allows archaeologists to apply knowledge of landscape use, settlement patterns, and site distribution when selecting the parcels to survey. · Advantages: Because the archaeologists draw on their knowledge and experience of the culture and region, they are more likely to survey parcels that contain archaeological materials. · Disadvantages: Of all of the approaches, this method is most prone to the bias of the researcher. To conduct a high-probability locality survey, choose the 15 square parcels that you think are most likely to contain archaeological remains. Task 2 Your crew surveyed the area according to the methodology you selected. Review the survey results (see the last page of this activity) and copy the findings for the parcels you selected into the “Survey Results Log.” You will use these findings to develop interpretations.

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Survey Results Log Square Parcel Grid Label (A1, G10, etc.) Findings 1 A2 A lithic surface scatter consisting of debitage and a single fluted projectile point. 2 A7 EMPTY 3 B4 A mammoth kill site. A nearly complete mammoth skeleton was discovered with five fluted projectile points directly associated with the remains. Samples from the mammoth skeleton date to 9,000 years ago. 4 B7 EMPTY 5 C7 EMPTY 6 C9 EMPTY 7 D1 EMPTY 8 D5 EMPTY 9 D10 EMPTY 10 E1 EMPTY 11 E6 EMPTY 12 E10 EMPTY 13 G1 A collapsed lighthouse on the south-west corner of the island. This lighthouse style is consistent with a construction style dating to the 18th century 14 G3 The remains of a large wooden sailing ship. You know that ships of this construction style were manufactured between 1620 and 1650 AD. 15 G8 The ruins of a small cluster of structures only evidenced by stone rings outlining the footprints of the structures. You recover some woven fiber, lithic debitage, and faunal remains of terrestrial game and freshwater fish. You are unable to date this site. Questions 1. Which survey methodology did you use? Explain why you selected this approach.

I used the randomized survey because I did not want to have a bias in picking the numbers and, to be honest, I figured it would be the easiest. I used a random number generator to find the squares I would be including and discarded duplicates. 2. Write a short response reporting the results of your survey. What types of remains did you find? What did they reveal about landscape use practices, resource exploitation, site distribution, and the occupational history of this landscape? Do these patterns change through time? In my randomized survey of the land, I found artifacts and structures. These remains revealed that there was evidence of human activity dating back to over 9,000 years ago. From what was revealed to me, there was evidence of intermittent land use, but no real evidence of a civilization using this terrain. The sites only seemed to be present in the north and south regions. It seemed like our early ancestors that were over 5,000 years old inhabited the north region, whereas the south region was inhabited by much later individuals with the ability to build structures and vessels. The inhabitants of the land seemed to be few and migrated south over time. There was never any large assemblages, and few subassemblages, leading me to believe that there were groups that inhabited the land but the population did not grow to the size of a community. 3. Now, look at all the survey results data (included the parcels you did not survey). How does total knowledge of the archaeological materials on the landscape change your interpretation? Do you feel like your survey methodologies helped you create an accurate understanding of the archaeology of this area? After reviewing the results from the other parts of the land, I was made aware of communities and cities that the randomized survey did not find. There was significantly more activity than I previously thought. Activity was present all throughout the land instead of just the north and south regions. It was also evident that inhabitants remained occupying the land in many eras instead of a stark difference in time where early humans inhabited the north and more recent humans occupied the south. There were cities and villages that were completely missed by the randomized survey methods. Cites and villages where there was an abundance of evidence of resource exploitation through mining, farming, and fishing. The randomized survey method did not get close to painting a good image of the history of the region. It provided decent coverage but via luck (or lack thereof) the survey did not include some of the most important details and information on the region. I see now why it is not commonly used in archaeology and it will be my least preferred method moving forward. .

Survey Results A1: EMPTY A2: A lithic surface scatter consisting of debitage and a single fluted projectile point. A3: EMPTY A4: EMPTY A5: EMPTY A6: EMPTY A7: EMPTY A8: A shallowly buried single component site. Assemblage includes cortical debitage, multiple fluted projectile points, and a hearth feature dating to 10,000 years ago. A9: A buried site with lithic and faunal assemblages. The lithic assemblage consists of scrapers, blades, and broken fluted projectile points. Faunal assemblage includes caribou, hare, and migratory birds. Radiocarbon dates on caribou bone yielded ages of 8,000 years. A10: EMPTY B1: The remains of a large wooden sailing ship that has been hauled onto the beach. The ship shows obvious signs of damage and heavy looting. You know that ships of this construction style were manufactured between 1620 and 1650 AD. B2: EMPTY B3: The remains of a small campsite with five fire rings and the remains of a corral built from wood. Associated with the hearths are faunal remains of early domesticated horses. You know that horses were domesticated about 4,000 years ago. B4: A mammoth kill site. A nearly complete mammoth skeleton was discovered with five fluted projectile points directly associated with the remains. Samples from the mammoth skeleton date to 9,000 years ago. B5: EMPTY B6: EMPTY B7: EMPTY B8: EMPTY B9: EMPTY B10: EMPTY C1: EMPTY C2: EMPTY C3: A small cluster of structures only evidenced by stone rings outlining the footprints of the structures. Woven fiber, lithic debitage, and faunal remains of terrestrial game and freshwater fish. This site dates to about 1,500 years ago.

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C4: In a shovel test pit, a lithic assemblage deeply buried under massively bedded loess along the bend of the river. The lithic assemblage consists of biface retouching debitage and several discarded, basal fragments of fluted projectile points. C5: EMPTY C6: EMPTY C7: EMPTY C8: EMPTY C9: EMPTY C10: EMPTY D1: EMPTY D2: EMPTY D3: The broken and partially sunken remains of a large dock on the edge of the lake. You recognize the metal nails used in the dock as a style produced between 1785 and 1800. D4: EMPTY D5: EMPTY D6: The fragmented remains of a buried domesticated horse in the grassland. The horse is buried with a highly degraded halter and shell beads arranged around the mane and tail. D7: EMPTY D8: EMPTY D9: A stemmed, leaf-shaped projectile point as part of a lithic scatter on a palimpsest in the desert. D10: EMPTY E1: EMPTY E2: EMPTY E3: Two separate small villages. Both villages have similar construction styles consisting of wood walls and steeply pitched roofs. You discover stores of grain in these structures. E4: Two separate small villages. Both villages have similar construction styles consisting of wood walls and steeply pitched roofs. You discover stores of grain in these structures. You also locate evidence of a well traveled, hard packed dirt road leading south. E5: EMPTY E6: EMPTY E7: The remains of a mammoth buried in a wetland near the large river to the south. The remains are scattered over a large area. There are no associated lithic materials. E8: EMPTY

E9: Evidence of a lithic quarry at the foot of a large mountain, where it meets the river. Tested boulders, cortical debitage, and early-stage biface production debitage cover the ground. You also recover stemmed, leaf-shaped biface preforms. E10: EMPTY F1: EMPTY F2: EMPTY F3: The ruins of a large city in the north-west corner. A wide, tall wooden wall (collapsed) surrounds the outside of the village. You identify residential and large ceremonial structures inside the village. In one of these ceremonial structures, you find a figurine produced from beaten copper. F4: The ruins of a large city. A wide, tall wooden wall surrounds the outside of the city. You identify residential and large ceremonial structures inside the city. Additionally, you find large subterranean stores of wheat. This city dates to 1,000 years ago. F5: EMPTY F6: EMPTY F7: EMPTY F8: EMPTY F9: The remains of a fish camp along the edge of the river. You identify salmon faunal elements, fragmented drying racks, and a non-diagnostic lithic assemblage. Radiocarbon dates on the drying racks yield an age of about 6,000 years ago. F10: EMPTY G1: A collapsed lighthouse on the south-west corner of the island. This lighthouse style is consistent with a construction style dating to the 18th century. G2: EMPTY G3 The remains of a large wooden sailing ship. You know that ships of this construction style were manufactured between 1620 and 1650 AD. G4: EMPTY G5: EMPTY G6: The remains of a large mining complex. This complex includes a large shallow quarry as well as deep mining shafts diving into the hard rock of the mountain. In addition to lithic debitage, you recover a number of tools produced from pounded copper. G7: EMPTY G8: The ruins of a small cluster of structures only evidenced by stone rings outlining the footprints of the structures. You recover some woven fiber, lithic debitage, and faunal remains of terrestrial game and freshwater fish. You are unable to date this site. G9: The remains of a fish camp along the edge of the river. You identify salmon faunal elements, fragmented drying racks, and a non-diagnostic lithic assemblage. Radiocarbon dates on the drying racks yield an age of about 5,700 years ago.

G10: EMPTY

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