Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Stratigraphic Evidence For Indigenous Use Of Fire As A Dryland Agricultural Landscape Management Tool On The Northern Colorado Plateau, Mariah Walzer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

While documented in ethnography and traditional ecological knowledge, Indigenous burning practices are rarely recognized in the archaeological record of the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau. I analyzed charcoal from an arroyo wall to understand the relationship between Indigenous farmers and fire at the Cub Creek archaeological site (AD 300-1300) in Dinosaur National Monument. The size, shape, and amount of charcoal in each sediment layer indicates the fuel types (woody or grassy) and relative size and/or intensity of fires. I compared my data to a precipitation reconstruction for the area to evaluate the influence of climate on fire activity. The results …

The Use Of Laja In Construction In Ancient Mesoamerica: A View From The Southern Gulf Lowlands Of Veracruz, Mexico, Lauren E. Smith

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

The archaeology of the southern Gulf lowlands of Veracruz, Mexico is notable for its research pertaining to the Olmec culture (Jaime-Riveron 2016; Loughlin 2012; Pool 2006). The region was home to the Colossal Olmec Heads: large, easily identifiable sculptures crafted from the volcanic rock of the Tuxtlas Volcanic Field. The use of volcanic resources in such grand presentations may instill a bias in the research of some archaeologists, but it is important to consider how these and other volcanic resources might have been used in everyday life (e.g., Jaime-Riveron 2016: 86). The consolidated volcanic ash in this region is referred …

Interpreting Geochemical Sourcing In The Northwest Great Basin: The 26wa12962 Sample Study, Tyler Alexander Reinholt

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Located in Northwest Washoe County Nevada along the California and Nevada border, 26WA12962 is an upland spring site consisting of habitation debris and several thousand pieces of debitage on the surface. The purpose of this research project is to interpret energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) results of 80 random samples of obsidian, and fine grain volcanics such as basalt and dacite from the excavations on 26WA12962 that were conducted in 2021. This thesis will investigate if there is a preference for a specific source, as well as assisting in gathering data within a lithic landscape. To accomplish this goal, I …

Developing A Methodology For Evaluating The Sensitivity Of Rock Imagery Sites To Vandalism In Washington County, Ut, Erin C. Haycock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study uses statistical analysis to examine the relationship between the characteristics of rock imagery (also known as rock art) sites and intentionally caused damages in Washington County, Utah. This project aims to create an index for public land managers to respond proactively to vandalism at rock imagery sites. Included here is an analysis of the severity and frequency of damage to the sites and an inventory of the types of site damage to determine the most common and destructive types of vandalism. Site attributes such as the number of figures in a panel, the type of images, and panel …

A Grim End For Europe's First Civilization: The Fall Of Minoan Crete, Ashley Arp

Honors Theses

Early popular theories about the collapse of the Minoan civilization center around natural disasters, but geoarchaeological research from the past few decades has disproved these earlier theories. It is evident that the Minoan civilization continued to thrive for around a century after the volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that had previously been credited as the cause for the collapse. Evidence of manmade destruction has been uncovered across the island of Crete c. 1450 BCE and this period was quickly followed by a drastic cultural shift that included more Mycenaean elements than had been found on the island previously. These destructions, …

A Manual On The Planning And Integration Of Archaeological Methods Into Outdoor Forensic Search Investigations, Jonathan Robert Garcia

Anthropology Department: Theses

As archaeology and its applications into forensic contexts develop into the growing discipline of forensic archaeology, an increasing amount of literature has resulted stemming from research on the integration of common archaeological methods. However, much of this literature is intended for professional archaeologists or forensic anthropologists who are well experienced in their respective disciplines. Emerging literature generally does not consider those who leads efforts at forensic scenes in the outdoors such as law enforcement officers who often lack a background in archaeology or forensic anthropology. This thesis seeks to resolve this dilemma by creating a new and accessible manual. The …

Transatlantic Traditions: The History Of Welsh Quarrying And Its Connections To Newfoundland Slate, Alexa D. Spiwak, Johanna Cole

Northeast Historical Archaeology

Previous archaeological investigations have conclusively shown that the presence of Welshmen has co-occurred with the practice of local slate quarrying in Newfoundland since the early colonial ventures of the 17th century. The island experienced a resurgence in Welsh culture in the 19th century when a number of small slate quarries were established overlooking both the Bay of Islands on the west coast and Smith Sound in Trinity Bay. The following article outlines the history of these 19th-century Newfoundland quarries, as well as the social, political and economic factors which encouraged the migration of Welsh quarrymen across the Atlantic to remote …

Introduction, Barry Gaulton

Northeast Historical Archaeology

No abstract provided.

Editor's Introduction, Maria O'Donovan

Northeast Historical Archaeology

No abstract provided.

Theoretical Foundations For Archaeological Pedagogy With Digital 3d, Virtual, Augmented, And Mixed Reality Technologies, Peter J. Cobb, Elvan Cobb, Jiafang Liang, Ryushi Kiyama, Jeremy Ng

Journal of Archaeology and Education

Archaeology is inherently a visual and spatial discipline and thus we should strive to center student learning within visual and spatial media. Apart from museum work, site visits, and fieldtrips, the traditional tools of the classroom, however, tend to only convey textual or two-dimensional abstractions of primary archaeological data. The latest digital 3D and eXtended Reality (XR) technologies (Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed) hold the potential for engagement with information in ways that more closely represent the true three-dimensional and visual nature of archaeological objects, spaces, and landscapes. This should allow for an embodied mode of interaction that significantly improves understandings …

Gaining Insight Into Lithic Technology In Eastern Pennsylvania Through The Study Of An Amateur Collection, Khori Newlander, Linda Zuniga

Anthropology and Sociology Faculty Research

The farm fields of east-central Pennsylvania contain an abundance of artifacts that span much of regional prehistory. Not surprisingly, many of these artifacts have been collected by local amateurs. Here, we analyze an assemblage of projectile points collected from the Kramer Farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. We explore how morphometric attributes (e.g., size, shape), indices of retouch, and raw material vary in relation to projectile point type. Our analysis provides insight into projectile point design, lithic resource preferences, technological organization, and land use. Despite the imperfections that often characterize amateur collections and the controversy that surrounds their study, our analysis demonstrates …

Hands-On History: Applying A Strong Like Two People Approach To Archaeology Education, Kaylee Woldum

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explores Indigenization in the context of archaeology and Western education at the Tundra Science and Culture Camp (TSCC), a government-run summer camp in the Northwest Territories, Canada. By collaborating with Indigenous knowledge holders, it begins the process of re-designing the Human History session—a program within the TSCC that focuses on archaeology and the cultural sites around the camp—to incorporate more Indigenous pedagogies and knowledge. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and participant observation, this thesis outlines an attempt to Indigenize the Human History session at the 2022 TSCC, its successes and challenges, and diverse conceptions of what it would mean …

Monitoring Of Caucasus Heritage Sites Facing Cultural Genocide, Peyton Edelbrock

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

The Implications Of Waste Streams At Camp Au Train, Timothy J. Maze

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Archaeological remains from Camp Au Train provide an opportunity to understand sanitation methods during its use as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp and later used to house German Prisoners of War during World War II. Seven refuse features from this camp were excavated and their contents linked to functional locations within the camp in order to reconstruct waste streams across the site and to observe how military aspects of sanitation were implemented by an organization infamous for its emphasis on cleanliness, order, and hygiene. While the importance of sanitation is often mentioned by historians and archaeologists in research of these …

“Not Much Of A Job”: Everyday Life And Labor At Camp Au Train, Josef T. Iwanicki

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In this thesis, I use data from Camp Au Train, a Civilian Conservation Corp camp in Michigan’s Hiawatha National Forest, as a case study to connect the everyday life of enrollees with dominant government narratives while including a focus on labor and the capitalist crisis of the Great Depression. Using the vantage point of work, play, study, and health, I integrate archaeological, historic, and photographic evidence to show contradictions between the enrollees’ real lived experience and the dominant perspectives of the CCC ‘authorities’ who organized their lives. I argue that to interpret these contradictions, the CCC needs to be connected …

Expanding The Orbit Of Maya Culture: Creating A Non-Profit In The United States, Apollo Liu, Callie Passwater, Skyler Steckler, Ryan Rowberry

Journal of Maya Heritage

Archaeologists Without Borders of the Maya World (AWBMW) is a Mexican non-profit organization focused on promoting and preserving Mayan history, particularly archaeological sites and tangible culture. To assist its mission, AWBMW wants to be able to solicit donations from U.S. entities to assist in spreading awareness of Maya culture worldwide. Using the U.S. tax code and laws from state of Georgia, this article outlines the legal steps and strategies a foreign non-profit organization must consider when desiring to start a non-profit organization in the United States. Strategies on opening a U.S. branch of an existing foreign non-profit, linking a new …

3d & 360º Visualization In Archaeology, Amalie Vacanti

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The Trasimeno Regional Archaeological Project (TRAP) is a long-term regional archaeological project focused on the exploration of the Castiglione del Lago territory on the West Side of Lago Trasimeno. The 2023 season involved the excavation of a new site, dubbed the Belvedere site, situated within the town of Castiglione del Lago, Italy, an area of interest due to a visible Roman structure protruding from the earth. With the unique opportunity of working with this new site and the innovations in archaeology that have developed in recent years, this summer’s research focused on the production of digital 3D and 360º content …

Legacy - Fall 2023, South Carolina Institute Of Archaeology And Anthropology--University Of South Carolina

SCIAA Newsletter - Legacy & PastWatch

Contents:

The Camden Burial Project, Part II: Triumph and Defeat

Director's Notes

New and Improved Equipment for the Maritime Research Division

The Camden Burial Project, Part II: Triumph and Defeat

Dr. Christopher R. Moore Appointed Director of the Southeastern Paleoamerican Survey (SEPAS)

Forensic Evidence Suggests Paleo-Americans Hunted Mastodons, Mammoths and other Megafauna in Eastern North America 13,000 Years Ago

Update on the Southeastern Paleoamerican Survey 2022-2023

Finding a Revolutionary War Skirmish Site: Lower Bridge

Arms and Armor from Santa Elena: A Photographic Inventory

Historic Archaeology SCIAA Staff Visit the Windy Ridge Site in 1977

Reuniting People, Place, and Associated Historic …

Finding A Revolutionary War Skirmish Site: Lower Bridge, Steven D. Smith

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

New And Improved Equipment For The Maritime Research Division, William Nassif, James D. Spirek

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Forensic Evidence Suggests Paleo-Americans Hunted Mastodons, Mammoths And Other Megafauna In Eastern North America 13,000 Years Ago, Christopher R. Moore

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Update On The Southeastern Paleoamerican Survey 2022-2023, Joseph A. Linder Jr, Albert C. Goodyear, Christopher R. Moore, Anna Muller, Daniel Holt

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Reuniting People, Place, And Associated Historic Documents Through The Reconstruction Of An Acquisition Tract (1767-1952), Heather R. Amaral

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Arms And Armor From Santa Elena: A Photographic Inventory, Heathley A. Johnson

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

The Camden Burial Project, Part Ii: Triumph And Defeat, James B. Legg

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Archaeological Photography: The United Kingdom, Madeline Scholten

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Archaeological photography is an interdisciplinary aspect of archaeological endeavors that is key in allowing archaeological finds to be accessible to a general audience. This facet is key in data collection and distribution within the field as it is to the general public.

Photography is something that people are exposed to, possibly even partaking in, on a daily basis, but photography goes a lot deeper than simply capturing a still image. The history of photography, and the ways photography has improved so many disciplines are things that are just as important as the camera itself, and yet not necessarily needed to …

Africa’S Coastal Archaeological Record And Climate Change, Michael Murphy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Since the 1980s, archaeologists have warned about threats from anthropogenic climate change (ACC) to the world’s archaeological record in coastal areas. Until recently, such warnings did not include Africa’s archaeological record. There is a persistent gap in research on climate change and Africa’s archaeological and cultural heritage stretching back before the U.N. established the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the gap and help to narrow it. The approach is to take advantage of the availability of the dataset from the first geographically comprehensive study of climate change and coastal …

Beyond 2020: How General Education Archaeology Curricula Should Adapt To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexis T. Boutin, C. Midori Longo, Victoria R. Calvin

Journal of Archaeology and Education

Archaeology often justifies its existence by invoking the trope that we must learn about the past in order to create a better future. The COVID-19 pandemic is itself an event that will enter the historical record. Thus, the universality of this public health crisis is a unique opportunity to assess the relevance of university-level archaeology curricula to our present historical moment. We studied an upper division general education course on the archaeology of complex societies at a public liberal arts college in California. The instrument of data collection was a questionnaire administered at the end of the Fall 2020, Spring …

Life Styles, Death Styles, And Posthumous Portraiture: Elite Female Burials In Iron Age Europe, Emily Ryan Stanton

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes the grave good assemblages in 222 burial contexts from HallstattD (c. 600-400 BCE) tumulus cemeteries in west-central Europe to test the hypothesis that certain combinations of grave goods were associated with particular categories of persons based on an intersectional marking of gender, status, age and social role. The primary data set consists of high-status graves – male, female, ungendered/pre-gendered subadults, and those of indeterminate gender – in the Heuneburg interaction sphere in southwest Germany. The results of this analysis are compared to a secondary data set of comparable burials from other west-central European locations, to determine whether …

“Provisioned, Produced, Procured,” And Purchased?: A Macrobotanical Study Of Enslaved Individuals’ Economic Engagement In The Shenandoah Valley, Linda A. Seminario

Graduate Masters Theses

This research investigates enslaved peoples’ economic engagement in the Shenandoah Valley during the first half of the 19th century. In 2017, archaeologists excavated two features at the Belle Grove enslaved quarters in Middletown, Virginia— a root cellar and subfloor pit that were filled in when a log cabin burned down. The preservation of the macrobotanicals has allowed for an in-depth analysis of the plants with which enslaved individuals engaged and the relationship between plant acquisition and enslaved people’s regional formal economic involvement at a 19th-century plantation in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. These data sets have also allowed for an …