Obsidian Hydration Analysis of Artifacts from Six Sites Between Walters Ferry and King Hill, Idaho.

During the past ten years excavations have been conducted at a number of archaeological sites along the Snake River between Meiba and King Hill, Idaho. Though the majority of point types from these sites are typologically of Late Archaic age (2000-150 BP) few have produced little datable organic material, though all have produced obsidian artifacts and debitage. In some instances projectile points of what are typologically Early and Middle Archaic age have been recovered. This report discusses the results of obsidian hydration analysis of 32 specimens from six sites between Walters Ferry and King Hill, Idaho. The purpose of the study was to establish Chronometrie ages for undated sites and determine if contexts that have produced temporally mixed types actually reflect distinct temporal occupations

A Comment from Mark G. Plew on Kir’yak’s Portable Engravings of the Northeastern Paleoasiatics

Jan Kee and I published a note on incised stones from Idaho (Kee and Plew 2015). The paper was based on a presentation on portable art of Western North America presented at the 2014 SAA meetings and published in JONA. We described four distinct types that occur in different geographic settings in association with different site types and over a period of several thousand years, though more common in the Late Holocene. These included stones with parallel lines located on the face or margins of stones with horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines—or a combination. A second type was characterized by centrally placed hachure, while a third type consisted of irregular/multidirectional lines lacking discernable patterning. A final type included what appeared to be more decorative—combining zig-zags, ladders, parallel lines and chevrons. Reviewing the Kir’yak paper, there appear some similarities in design motifs to those in Idaho—though all would fit our Type 4 (Figures A, B, and C)—being more decorative items

Assessing the Early Holocene Environment of Northwestern Guyana: An Isotopic Analysis of Human and Faunal Remains

This study used stable carbon δ13C and oxygen δ18O isotope compositions data to assess the extent to which diet breadths of northwestern Guyana changed during the Holocene. We analyzed human bone and enamel remains from seven shell mound sites dating between 7500 and 2600 BP. Our analyses demonstrate some degree of constancy in the availability of C3 plants during the past several thousand years—though we note an increasing reliance on such plants beginning in the Early Holocene. We also document warming intervals during the Early Holocene (Early Archaic), which appear to correlate with dry periods known elsewhere in the central Amazon during this period

SNAKE: The Plain and Its People

Idaho\u27s longest river curves west through desert landscapes, cutting deep through ancient formations, flowing through space and time. How have humans dealt with the desert? How have we been shaped by the land? SNAKE: The Plain and Its People explores the physical and ecological roots of Idaho civilization through science, social science, photography and art.https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/fac_books/1371/thumbnail.jp

A Collection of Pottery Sherds from King Hill, Idaho

This paper describes a collection of 196 pottery sherds from the vicinity of King Hill, Idaho (see, Figure 1). The collection was brought to the author by Mr. Armond Taylor of Boise. The sherds were collected by an acquaintance of Mr. Taylor some thirty years ago. The collection, though its exact provenience is unknown, is of interest since a somewhat unusual ceramic assemblage, including incised decoration, was recovered at the Clover Creek site at King Hill (Plew and Gould, 1990, see also Plew and Bennick 1990). The collection documents an additional riverine locality where pottery has been discovered. This is relevant to the recently advanced distributional hypothesis positing seasonal use of ceramics in upland and riverine contexts (Plew and Bennick 1990)

Net Sinker from Higby Cave, Southwestern Idaho

Though evidence of the role of fishing in aboriginal subsistence in southwestern Idaho has increased in recent years (see Plew and Plager 1998), it is based largely upon recovery of fish remains (Huelsbeck 1981, Pavesic, Follet and Statham 1987; Plew 1980; Plew and Sayer 1994; Plew and Plager 1998). Little in the way of fishing gear has been described for southern Idaho. Exceptions include the fishing gear recovered at Schellbach Cave No. 1 (Schellbach 1967; Pavesic et al. 1987) which includes harpoon points, possible net sinkers, a length of rope and a fishhook and net sinkers from sites 10-AA-1S (see Swanson and Tuohy 1960), 1 0-AA-176, 1O-AA-188 (see Sayer, Plager and Plew 1996), 1 0-AA-198, 10-0E-23 (see McCabe 1998), Though fishing gear or equipment has been reported throughout the Southern Plateau and Great Basin (Johnston 1987, Greenspan 1990; Sappington 1997; Tuohy 1990) reporting of fishing gear has been rare. This may reflect sampling or recovery methods or failure to identify the function of items used in fishing activities as is implied by the recent suggestion that Bliss points are fishing spears (see Yohe, Pavesic and Reed 1996)

Archaeological Evidence of Storage on the Snake River Plain

This article reviews the archaeological evidence for storage on the Snake River Plain. A review of the literature indicates the presence of four types of facilities that include small shallow oval-basin shaped pits with rounded bottoms, larger but shallow oval-shaped pits, sagebrush platforms in ice caves, and stone and grass platform beds. The evidence of storage features is, however, quite limited in the Middle and Late Archaic periods. Though preservation and sampling may well account for distribution, a number of other explanations are provided

Aboriginal Sturgeon Exploitation on the Middle Snake River, Idaho

This article examines the potential of harvesting and processing sturgeon and assesses its potential nutritional or dietary value as a food resource. Using examples from the Middle Snake River and other areas, catch ratios, handling time, and caloric values are calculated. Analysis of existing data suggests that while sturgeon were utilized, they may not have been optimal in the aboriginal diet

Archaic Hunter-Gatherer Diet Breadth and Prey Choice on the Snake River Plain

This article summarizes the zooarchaeological record of Archaic period occupations of Idaho\u27s Snake River Plain. The record suggests an early and continuing use of deer, elk, and bison with an increasing use of rabbits and small mammals during the Middle Archaic (5000-2000 BP). Archaic period prey choice reflects considerable evenness over time and across the Plain. The Late Archaic period (2000-150 BP) is, however, characterized by an increase in the ubiquity of fish and artiodactyl associated with the emergence of modern conditions reflecting greater aridity. Through diet breadth appears to have narrowed and broadened by local potentialities, there is generally little evidence of resource intensification or depression

Modelling Alternative Subsistence Strategies for the Middle Snake River

This article models acquisition costs and nutritional returns for Late Archaic (post-A.D. 1200) peoples of the Middle Snake River. It is an attempt to demonstrate probable deficiencies in the ethnographic record relating to storage for winter consumption and to provide for the generation of hypotheses which may explain diversity in the recent archaeological record. The article proposes three alternative subsistence strategies: relatively sedentary river dwellers who maintain fishing equipment, including weirs, and are the primary exploiters of the riverline resources, particularly anadromous fishes; transhumant groups who rely upon high yield, low cost root crops; and highly mobile groups placing minimal emphasis upon root crops or salmon, electing to pursue large game during winter months. Finally, it is proposed that hunters and gatherers who store for winter prefer high yield resources with low acquisition costs obtainable over extended periods of time