The Lake Atitlan Basin of highland Guatemala boasted fertile soils and was rich in natural resources, making it an attractive area for permanent settlement. However, the region lacked a number of important items, such as salt, cotton, and obsidian, all of which had to be obtained through trade. Good agricultural land was also scarce in certain parts of the lake and the steep hillslopes were easily eroded, making it necessary for communities to maintain access to emergency supplies of corn. Lake Atitlan’s communities were therefore highly dependent on exchanges with neighboring groups who occupied contrasting ecological zones, especially those in the Pacific Coast. However, the Pacific piedmont was a corridor of interregional trade and a source of valuable goods such as cacao; factors which made it a focus of political contestation and instability. Additionally, the lower coast appears to have been vulnerable to episodes of drought, prompting periodic migrations to higher altitudes. All of these factors must have made it challenging for the communities of Lake Atitlan to maintain access to the resources they needed, and therefore to sustain their way of life. And while there is currently no evidence to suggest a collapse or abandonment of the lake, the majority of the existing data comes from a small number of sites concentrated near the southern shore and the lack of rural settlement data makes it impossible to assess the impact that broad scale political, economic, and environmental changes had on the general population of the lake and their internal organization. The Lake Atitlan Archaeological Project (PALA) set out to rectify this situation by generating systematic settlement and ceramic data for an important sub-region of the lake, namely the southwestern shore. The current dissertation combines the data generated by this project with data from previous investigations, to provide a more comprehensive synthesis of the cultural-historic development of the lake and to place this development in its broader Mesoamerican context. Drawing on resilience and world systems concepts, the two main questions that I set out to answer in this dissertation are: How did Lake Atitlan’s socio-cultural systems adapt to broad scale fluctuations in the Mesoamerican world system, and, did these adaptations succeed in producing a more resilient society?

Ethnographers in the early 20th century compiled notes and published reports and books concerning the cultures and life-ways of the California Indians. Among these are the Juaneño (Acjachemen) and Gabrielino (Tongva) peoples. This study aimed to correlate ethnographic data with methods of spatial archaeology and GIS analysis to test if the privately owned resource collecting areas and tribal boundaries described in the ethnographies could be seen archaeologically. Centered on CA-ORA-507 (an ancient chert quarry), the study shows that the boundaries between these resource areas are culturally derived as well as a part of the greater pattern of sites on the landscape and that the pattern of sites on the landscape conform to descriptions of the practices written at the turn of the last century.

Archaeological investigations at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) have been ongoing for more than 40 years. Yet the findings from the vast majority of those efforts are available only as grey literature that is known only to a relative few. The primary purpose of this thesis was to investigate a late Holocene decline in obsidian frequency reported by researchers working in the Bissell Basin and Rosamond Dry Lake region of Edwards AFB near the turn of the 21st century. A secondary purpose of this thesis was to shine a light on an area of the western Mojave Desert that is not widely known despite more than four decades of research. In order to explore the reported decline in obsidian frequency, I created an obsidian database using data gleaned from nearly 50 cultural resources management reports and supplemented those data with sourcing and hydration information for 39 additional obsidian artifacts. Those data were organized into tables, charts, and histograms to look for patterns that would support or refute the claim that obsidian use decreased significantly after the Gypsum time period (4000 to 1500 Before Present [B.P.]). Two patterns emerged from my analysis. The first was one where the overall abundance of obsidian at Edwards AFB did not decrease during the late Holocene, thus contradicting the conclusions made in the previous research. The second was one where the obsidian abundance shifted among the various regions of the installation. Yet these shifts are nowhere near as significant as the previously reported decline. Therefore, while the total amount of obsidian that entered the archaeological record at Edwards remained relatively stable from 1500 to 100 B.P., the amount of obsidian decreased in certain regions and increased in others. Although not within the scope of my original intent, my research also identified two areas for future research. The first involves an apparent pattern where the number of archaeological sites from which obsidian was recovered gradually decreases during the middle-Holocene even as the overall quantity of obsidian remains essentially unchanged. The second relates to the lack of a well-established hydration rate formula for obsidian recovered from archaeological sites on Edwards AFB. Ultimately, I concluded that the previous findings that obsidian declined during the late Holocene were affected by sampling bias and faulty data organization. Most archaeologists understand that poorly implemented sampling can lead to poorly derived findings and conclusions. What may not be as well understood is that a perfectly appropriate sample where the data are not organized well can also lead to flawed results and conclusions. It is hoped that this thesis will inform archaeologists not only about how the manner in which they organize their data can affect their interpretation of past human behavior, but also about additional research opportunities at Edwards AFB.

First excavated in 1938, the site of Muscupiabit (CA-SBR-425/H) has long been a subject of archaeological research in the San Bernardino Mountains. Previous excavations at the site have either been unpublished or limited in scope. A primary goal was to obtain a radiocarbon date for the site, giving a definitive age to the site. Other goals included determining the population size of Muscupiabit as well as the function of the site and its place in the Serrano settlement system. To obtain dateable material, an excavation was conducted in hopes of locating a thermal feature. An intact thermal feature was found and charcoal was recovered. In order to adequately address the proposed research questions, museum collections were used to gain a larger sample size. A large quantity of artifacts had been excavated in the 1980s but were never analyzed. Between those excavations and the 2017 excavations, 7 units were analyzed. Additionally, population records from the Spanish mission system were analyzed to address research questions about population size. Based on a radiocarbon date, shell bead types, and population records, it appears that Muscupiabit was occupied in the late 17th/early 18th century and was likely abandoned by 1815. Despite its location along a trade route, the site does not appear to have been controlling trade. Muscupiabit was intermarried with other villages but it’s level of political independence cannot be determined at this time.

The primary concern of this thesis is to quantify and analyze the lithic (chipped stone) assemblage previously excavated by Hepp (2015) and the La Consentida Archaeological Project (LCAP) at the archaeological site of La Consentida in the lower Río Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico. The lithic assemblage is comprised of over 500 artifacts mainly of obsidian and chert. This research represents a study of all primary context lithic artifacts from La Consentida and focuses on obsidian, the material most used at the site. In the first part of this thesis I provide an analysis of all lithic artifacts of this primary context assemblage collected during the 2012 field season. Additionally, I present technological considerations regarding manufacturing techniques and subsequent issues regarding technique implementation. The second part of this thesis examines the distribution of lithics, in addition to other artifact classes (i.e. ceramics and ground stone), at the site and relates this to manufacturing techniques and inferences towards social organization. Results indicate that the people of La Consentida favored obsidian as a material for lithic manufacture. While other materials were used to produce chipped stone, obsidian dominates the assemblage. Further, these materials were used in expedient lithic reduction, which characterizes the majority of the assemblage. In addition to expedient flakes, specialized tools are also present, although minimal. Additionally, the way in which lithics, and more importantly obsidian artifacts, are distributed at the site indicates a purposeful designation for manufacture and use in specific locations. The artifacts I examine here are crucial to determining the economic practices of this Early Formative period (2000–1000 B.C.) site. Ascertaining how the lithic artifacts were distributed at the site will help expand current understandings of Early Formative period exchange, crafting, and subsistence practices. Furthermore, these results may have implications for developing our understanding of social organization at the earliest known settled village in coastal Oaxaca.

Baker Cabin, a pioneer log structure, is located on privately owned property near the community of Carver, Oregon. According to traditional accounts the cabin has existed continuously on this site since its construction in 1856. Archaeological excavations of the cabin's foundation and the surrounding area uncovered date-able artifacts and a second foundation with an associated well. Analysis of the artifacts associated with the present cabin foundation indicate a post-1870 construction date those associated with the second foundation and its well indicate an 1850’s occupation. Four hypotheses that are explored in this paper can be derived from the interpretation of all available data: Baker Cabin was constructed in 1856 at a presently undiscovered site on the claim but was moved to its present location about 1870. Baker Cabin was constructed in 1856 on the precise spot that it now stands but reconstruction by the Old Timers' Association involved a complete rebuilding of the foundation. Baker Cabin was constructed in 1856 on the present foundation but extensive repairs were done on the foundation in the 1870's. The old foundation represents a smaller cabin occupied from the late 1840's until 1856. The old foundation with its associated well represents the original construction am habitation of the site. The present cabin is not the original 1856 cabin referred to in tradition but is rather a cabin constructed about 1870. Data used in this research include excavated materials, informant interviews, and historical documents. The excavated materials consist of glass and pottery sherds, buttons, cartridges, and toys. Informants interviewed are Baker descendants, and they provided recollections, documents, and pictures. Historical documents used included census and tax assessment records, newspapers, Donation Land Claim material, and family ledgers. Results of this research reveal that the authentic history of Baker Cabin will not be known unless further evidence becomes available. The first two hypotheses would seem to have no validity, however, the third and fourth hypotheses can be supported by the available data.

Cross-over electrophoresis, an immunological method for analyzing blood residues on archaeological artifacts, is tested. Artifacts from three sites were utilized in the testing of this methodology. The sites are the Dietz site in south-central Oregon (282 artifacts), Konemehu in northern California (48 artifacts tested for Winthrop Associates), and Chimney Shelter in southwestern Oregon (3 artifacts from the Umpqua National Forest).

This thesis presents the results from archaeological test excavations at site 5GN1.2. The focus of this research is to evaluate Stiger's Late Prehistoric settlement-subsistence hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, post-3000 B.P. occupations of the Upper Gunnison Basin were limited to logistically organized big-game hunting forays originating from residential camps located outside of the basin. Since Stiger's model is based on Binford's forager-collector continuum model, archaeological test implications of his hypothesis include hunter-gatherer settlement mobility, site types, feature types, artifact assemblage characteristics, and the organization of lithic technology. Test excavations at 5GN1.2 revealed intact archaeological deposits reflecting aboriginal occupation during the Late Prehistoric between about 3000 and 1300 B.P. Late Prehistoric features include four hearths associated with abundant debitage, small-game faunal remains, burnt seeds, and lithic tools. Identified lithic tools include ground stone, projectile point fragments, cores, and bifaces. Individual flake attribute analysis of the debitage assemblage provides evidence lithic reduction activities were dominated by bifacial reduction of local and non-local raw materials. Archaeological evidence rules out site 5GN1.2 as a Late Prehistoric logistical big-game hunting site. Site 5GN1.2 contains all the hallmarks of a residential base camp, including constructed hearths, rock art, evidence of plant resource processing, small-game procurement, comparatively high tool diversity, high proportion of locally available tool-stone, late-stage tool manufacture, and tool maintenance debitage. Site 5GN1.2 likely served as a short-term residential base camp occupied by whole family groups during the Late Prehistoric. The Late Prehistoric occupations of site 5GN1.2 represent a more diverse settlement-subsistence adaptation than envisioned by Stiger's culture history. Some hunter-gatherers may have occupied the UGB on long-range logistical big-game hunting forays, but at 5GN1.2 this is simply not the case. This lithic technology research project represents the first published comprehensive debitage analysis of an archaeological component at 5GN1.2 and 5GN1. These results and data can serve as a database for later archaeological research within the UGB.

The Etruscan civilization was rich in local and interregional trade. Its exchange networks were vital in establishing relationships with other societies, importing exotic materials and goods, as well as disseminating and assimilating information. However, there is little understanding of the participation of smaller inland settlements in the act of exchange. This research answers questions pertaining to the purpose of trade within these self-sustaining communities, the reliability of identifying geographic locations of the clay used in ancient ceramics through the use of non-destructive X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry without sampling current regional clay sources, and the materiality of the ceramics being exchanged in order to establish major forms of production for each settlement. The analyses of trace elements contained within the ceramic materials previously excavated from two remote Etruscan sites (La Piana and Cetamura) can provide a greater understanding of both the trade practices of the Etruscan culture and the reliability of the sourcing methods. Over 100 ceramics ranging from storage containers, bricks and roofing tiles, amphorae, loom weights, and tableware (including red and black gloss) from Cetamura and La Piana were selected to represent a sample base for local and non-local crafted ceramics. The artifacts were analyzed non-destructively using a Bruker Tracer III-SD portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF), which has been shown to be highly successful in other archaeological studies. Six trace elements (rubidium, strontium, yttrium, zirconium, niobium and thorium) of each artifact were recorded and analyzed using principal component analysis to create a comparable data set. The results confirm that while these Etruscan settlements were self-sustaining, they were still participating in long-distance exchanges.

Abstract This study seeks to expand the knowledge of Woodland subsistence practices in the Alabama River valley by presenting an analysis of the faunal assemblage from the Indian Hill site, 1WX15. Additionally, this study presents a comparison of 1WX15 to other sites from the Tombigbee, Alabama, and Coosa river valleys in order to present a broad picture of Woodland subsistence in and near the Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain. An intra-site comparison revealed the primary vertebrate resources exploited were mammals and turtles. The substantial amount of turtle fragments suggested the site was occupied during warm months, with a fall and winter occupation possible as well. Feature 38, a domestic dog skeleton, was of special interest. Characteristics of this feature indicated both intentional burial and post-mortem modifications consistent with food refuse. An inter-site comparison demonstrated that three variables were influencing the composition of the faunal assemblages from the Tombigbee, Alabama, and Coosa river valleys. These three variables were seasonality, geography, and time. Seasonality and geography appeared to have greater influence than time. This study has revealed three areas in which Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain faunal analyses are inadequate. There are few Middle Woodland faunal assemblages; those available have very small sample sizes. There are no faunal analyses available outside of alluvial valleys. Finally, there are very few winter assemblages; assemblages in which winter occupation is indicated are mixed with warm season material. Rectifying these shortcomings with future research will provide a more comprehensive picture of Woodland subsistence and variability thereof.