The Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 2006
This paper describes the type locality and type section for the Honey Creek Member, a stratigraph... more This paper describes the type locality and type section for the Honey Creek Member, a stratigraphic unit first recognized in the Honey Creek drainag~ in somheastern Nebraska. The alluvial chronology for Honey Creek basin is similar ro the regional chronology of streams rn the Midwest, and all of the formal members of the DeForest Formation occur in the basin. However, the lithology of one unit, the Honey Creek Member, does not correlate with any of the formally recognized members of the DeForest Formation. The Honey Creek Member is composed of grayish brown silt loam overbank facies coarsening downward to a gravelly loam channel facies with prominent, large-scale cross-bedding. At its type locality, aggradation of the Honey Creek Member occurred from ca. 3700 14 C yrs. B.P. to ca. 600 14 C yrs. B.P. Paleochannels preserved within the unit suggest that aggradation was interrupted by at least two episodes of channel entrenchment and filling. The Honey Creek Member is significant because it has been identified within many basins across the eastern Plains. Recognition and detailed mapping of this unit facilitates our understanding of fluvial behavior during the late Holocene.
Archaeological investigations at 27 prehistoric sites in the Clinton Lake Poje= Area, Douglas and... more Archaeological investigations at 27 prehistoric sites in the Clinton Lake Poje= Area, Douglas and Shawnee Counties, Kansas, to determine eligibility of the sites for National Register of Historic Places. Field and geomorphic investigations conclude that the sites span at least the last 2000-3000 yrs of human history in the Wakarusa River basin and indicate the presence of a crematorium-a feature unique in this region and of great research potential.
A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widesp... more A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widespread, deeply buried paleosols that represent Paleoindian-age landscapes in terrace fills of large streams (N 5th order), in alluvial fans, and in draws in areas of western Kansas with a thick loess mantle. Alluvial stratigraphic sections were investigated along a steep bio-climatic gradient extending from the moistsubhumid forest-prairie border of the east-central Plains to the dry-subhumid and semi-arid shortgrass prairie of the west-central Plains. Radiocarbon ages indicate that most large streams were characterized by slow aggradation accompanied by cumulic soil development from ca. 11,500 to 10,000 14 C yr B.P. In the valleys of some large streams, such as the Ninnescah and Saline rivers, these processes continued into the early Holocene. The soil-stratigraphic record in the draws of western Kansas indicates slow aggradation punctuated by episodes of landscape stability and pedogenesis beginning as early as ca. 13,300 14 C yr B.P. and spanning the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. The development record of alluvial fans in western Kansas is similar to the record in the draws; slow aggradation was punctuated by multiple episodes of soil development between ca. 13,000 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. In eastern Kansas and Nebraska, development of alluvial fans was common during the early and middle Holocene, but evidence shows fan development as early as ca. 11,300 14 C yr B.P. Buried soils dating between ca. 12,600 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. were documented in fans throughout the region. In stream valleys across the Central Plains, rapid alluviation after ca. 9000 14 C yr B.P. resulted in deeply buried soils that may harbor Paleoindian cultural deposits. Hence, the paucity of recorded stratified Paleoindian sites in the Central Plains is probably related to poor visibility (i.e., deep burial in alluvial deposits) instead of limited human occupation in the region during the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene. The thick, dark, cumulic A horizons of soils, representing buried Paleoindian-age landscapes, are targets for future archaeological surveys.
The papers in this volume were originally prepared for presentation at a symposium titled "In the... more The papers in this volume were originally prepared for presentation at a symposium titled "In the Footprints of Squier and Davis: Hopewell Archaeology in Ross County, Ohio" at the 68th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Milwaukee, WI (April 11, 2003). We regret the long delay in making these papers available to a wider audience, but hope that the data and ideas in this volume will be a useful contribution to Ohio Hopewell archeology. Much of the research presented in this volume has benefitted from the support and encouragement of the staff at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Superintendents John Neal and Dean Alexander provided much support and encouragement for the research and papers presented here. Park Archeologists Dr. Bret Ruby and Dr. Jennifer Pederson Weinberger helped coordinate and organize many of the projects in this volume, and any success we may have achieved is also due to the interest and assistance provided by Dr. Jarrod Burks and Dr. Kathy Brady. We also appreciate the cheerful assistance of Jon Casson,
The Great Plains of the United States was the setting for some of the earliest research in North ... more The Great Plains of the United States was the setting for some of the earliest research in North America into patterns and changes in the character of late Pleistocene environments and their effects on contemporary human populations. Many localities in the region have well-stratified records of terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene human (Paleoindian) activity and past environments. These have proven important in debates over the character of the Younger Dryas Chronozone (YDC; 11,000e10,000 14 C BP; 12,900e11,700 cal BP) in the continental interior. This paper reviews the lithostratigraphic record of the YDC on the Central and Southern Great Plains and summarizes paleobiological records (largely isotopic). The goal is to determine if there is any uniformity in the timing, character, direction and/or magnitude of changes in depositional environments or broader geomorphic systems before, during or after the YDC in order to address the question of the character of environments through this time. The stratigraphic records of the late Pleistocene to early Holocene transition, and in particular, the stratigraphic records of the YDC vary through time and space. The data clearly show that a host of geomorphic processes produced the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene stratigraphic records of the Great Plains. Moreover, the YDC is not necessarily manifest as a distinct lithostratigraphic or biostratigraphic entity in these different types of deposits and soils. The various geomorphic systems of the Great Plains did not behave synchronously in response to any common climate driver. These stratigraphic records reflect local environmental conditions and probably a complex response to the reorganization of mid-latitude climates in the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene.
Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents of ... more Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents of the famous but much younger Poverty Point earthworks. Watson Brake is the largest and most complex of these early mound sites. Very extensive coring and stratigraphic studies, aided by 25 radiocarbon dates and six luminescence dates, show that minor earthworks were begun here at ca. 3500 B.C. in association with an oval arrangement of burned rock middens at the edge of a stream terrace. The full extent of the first earthworks is not yet known. Substantial moundraising began ca. 3350 B.C. and continued in stages until some time after 3000 B.C. when the site was abandoned. All 11 mounds and their connecting ridges were occupied between building bursts. Soils formed on some of these temporary surfaces, while lithics, fire-cracked rock, and fired clay/loam objects became scattered throughout the mound fills. Faunal and floral remains from a basal midden indicate all-season occupation, suppor...
When I teach geoarchaeology, I tell students on the first day of class that "soils are the c... more When I teach geoarchaeology, I tell students on the first day of class that "soils are the canvas for much of the archaeological record." Just as an artist's canvas holds and affects the paint, soils hold archaeological materials, and soil-forming processes strongly influence the preservation and spatial pattern of cultural deposits. Given this close relationship between soils and the material remains of humans, we have long needed a treatise that addresses all aspects of soils from an archaeological perspective. Vance Holliday's latest book, Soils in Archaeological Research, does this and more.
'Ain Ghazal, an archeological site located on the outskir... more 'Ain Ghazal, an archeological site located on the outskirts of Amman, Jordan, is one of the largest early villages known in the Near East. The site dates to the Neolithic period, during which mankind made one of its most significant advances, the adoption of domestic plants and animals as primary subsistence sources. Recent excavations at 'Ain Ghazal have augmented considerably current knowledge of several aspects of the Neolithic. Of particular interest has been the documentation of a continuous, or near continuous, occupation from early through late Neolithic components, and a concomitant dramatic economic shift. This shift was from a broad subsistence base relying on a variety of both wild and domestic plants and animals, to an economic strategy reflecting an apparent emphasis on pastoralism.
Patterns of erosion and deposition act as a filter that strongly influences the disposition of th... more Patterns of erosion and deposition act as a filter that strongly influences the disposition of the archaeological record of the Central and Eastern Plains of the North American Midcontinent. Detailed studies of alluvial valley stratigraphy in four drainage basins in the region reveal temporal and spatial patterns of fluvial system behavior that control the preservation and visibility of past human activity. These basins are located on a 600-km-long longitudinal gradient extending from semiarid southwestern Kansas to moist-subhumid central Iowa. Despite significant environmental variability along this transect, basin-wide patterns of Holocene erosion and deposition are similar across the study area. From ca. 11,000 to 8000 yr B.P., aggradation, punctuated by slow alluviation and/or stability around 10,000 yr B.P., was the dominant process in large and some small valleys. The early and middle Holocene (ca. 8000-5000 yr B.P.) was a period of net erosion and sediment movement in small valleys, sediment storage in large valleys, and episodic aggradation on alluvial fans. During the late Holocene (post-5000 yr B.P.), alluvial fans stabilized, small valleys became zones of net sediment storage, and aggradation slowed in large valleys. Basin-wide aggradation followed by entrenchment and channel migration characterizes fluvial activity during the Historic period. Consideration of the effects of these temporal and spatial patterns of Holocene erosion and alluviation on the archaeological record is crucial for developing efficient cultural resource sampling strategies and for accurately interpreting the archaeological record.
A continuous record of organic carbon δ 13 C from a buried soil sequence in south-central Texas d... more A continuous record of organic carbon δ 13 C from a buried soil sequence in south-central Texas demonstrates: 1) strong coupling between marine and adjacent continental ecosystems in the late Pleistocene as a result of glacial meltwater entering the Gulf of Mexico and 2) ecosystem decoupling in the Holocene associated with a reduction of meltwater and a shift in global circulation patterns. In the late Pleistocene, reduction in C 4 plant productivity correlates with two well-documented glacial meltwater pulses (∼15,000 and 12,000 14 C yr B.P.), indicating a cooler-than-present adjacent continental environment. Increased C 4 production between 11,000 and 10,000 14 C yr B.P. suggests that the Younger Dryas was a warm interval responding to the diversion of glacial meltwater away from the Mississippi River. With waning meltwater flow, C 4 productivity generally increased throughout the Holocene, culminating in peak warm intervals at ∼5000 and 2000 14 C yr B.P. Shifts in the abundances of C 3 -C 4 plants through the late Quaternary show no correlation to ecophysiological responses to atmospheric CO 2 concentration.
Toxodonts were a group of large-sized notoungulates of South American origin. They were diverse a... more Toxodonts were a group of large-sized notoungulates of South American origin. They were diverse and widespread in South America in deposits ranging in age from late Oligocene to late Pleistocene. Sparse remains have been found from the Pleistocene of isolated regions of Central America. All of the Central American specimens have been referred to the genus Mixotoxodon (Van Frank, 1950). They were not previously known north of the southern Mexican states of Michoacan and Veracruz, except for an unconfirmed report of an occurrence in Tamaulipas . Here we report the occurrence of a single toxodont tooth, a left upper third molar, from late Pleistocene deposits in Harris County, Texas (30 • N). This is the first record of toxodonts, or any notoungulate, in the United States and extends the geographic range of this group 1600 km north of their previously known localities at Hihuitl án, Michoacan (18 • 52 30 N, 103 • 24 14 W) and La Estribera, Veracruz (18 • 07 01.27 N, 94 • 53 15.59W) to latitude 30 • N.
SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2012, 2012
Geophysical subsurface imaging is becoming a common practice in archaeology. Non-invasive geophys... more Geophysical subsurface imaging is becoming a common practice in archaeology. Non-invasive geophysical methods provide efficient alternatives to costly and invasive excavations, allowing archaeologists to analyze sites before any excavation is done to identify areas of interest. For my thesis, I investigated two prehistoric borrow pits at the Mound City Group (200 BC-200 AD) in the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in south-central Ohio. The primary objective of this study was to determine the presence and spatial extent of a clay lining that was emplaced upon the borrow pits by the Hopewell people. Information gleaned from the geophysical investigation was used to assess the degree of site disturbance from agriculture, construction of Camp Sherman, and modern reconstruction of the earthworks. My analysis included a suite of overlapping geophysical surveys consisting of ground-penetrating radar, magnetometry, electromagnetic induction, and electrical resistivity. The geophysical data was ground-truthed with limited auguring and trenching. Analysis of the first borrow pit data showed strong evidence of historical disturbance within the pit from construction of Camp Sherman, including disturbed soil and a buried utility pipe, leaving little of the clay lining present except around the edges of the borrow pit. The geophysical data for the second borrow pit showed less historical damage that was primarily caused from the re-excavation of the pit during the reconstruction of the park. The second borrow pit still retains about half of the clay lining, a finding supported by the results of auguring and trenching. These results are evidence that the borrow pits at Mound City may have also served a purpose as cultural landscape features. The geophysical methods used in this study proved to be an invaluable source of information with minimal disturbance of the site. First off, I would like to begin by thanking Nick, my soon to be husband, for all of his support these past few years. He has never once grumbled about my busy, erratic schedule, but only did whatever he could to help, and for that I am so grateful. My advisors George Tsoflias and Rolfe Mandel, who teamed up to work with me and helped me create a project that I am truly proud of. They have both always encouraged me and pointed me in the right direction and I couldn't have accomplished this without them. I would like to thank Ross Black for being on my committee and always being around when I had a question or needed feedback. Everyone at the Midwest Archeological Center, particularly Mark Lynott, Steve De Vore, and Ann Bauermeister, for allowing me to work with them, use their equipment, and most importantly allow me the opportunity to work at such an interesting research site! Huge thanks to all of the KU students who have provided their feedback and helped when I got stuck: Brian Miller, Anthony Hoch, Jose Velez, Matt Baker, Kwanyee Cheng, and Brooke Perini. My parents for their constant excitement and enthusiasm in hearing about what I am doing. Finally, I would like to say a very special thank you to Don Steeples for his amazing support, guidance, and advice. Stopping by his office in the mornings to say hello and chat was always a great start to the day.
Wadi Shuʿeib is one of the huge Neolithic "mega-sites" that have been investiga... more Wadi Shuʿeib is one of the huge Neolithic "mega-sites" that have been investigated in the Levantine Near East in recent years. The site, located in the central Jordanian highlands, was test excavated over two seasons. Although these were only limited excavations, they demonstrated that Wadi Shuʿeib is a large Neolithic settlement that spans the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (Middle and Late phases), the Pre-Pottery Neolithic C, and the Pottery Neolithic periods; it was abandoned after the Neolithic. This paper is a report of the findings from those studies and provides information on the chipped stone, ceramic, ornamental, and faunal assemblages, as well as on the human burials, architecture, geomorphology, chronology, and stratigraphy of the site.
Streambanks are the primary source of sediment for watersheds in the Midwestern USA. In much of t... more Streambanks are the primary source of sediment for watersheds in the Midwestern USA. In much of this region, deposits of fine-grained Holocene alluvium comprising streambanks have been assigned to a single lithostratigraphic unit, the DeForest Formation. This study examines the stratigraphic relationships and measures the erodibility of the different members of the DeForest Formation in three watersheds in northeastern Kansas. Distinct differences in erodibility, measured in terms of critical shear stress (τ c) by a submerged jet-test device, were observed between the different members of the DeForest Formation. The most erodible member is the Camp Creek Member (average τ c = 1.0 Pa) while the most resistant is the Gunder Member (average τ c = 10.4 Pa). Variability in erodibility between and within the members of the DeForest Formation is attributed to the magnitude of post-depositional soil-forming processes, including the presence of buried soils, as well as the inherent natural variability in the different parent materials. A weak positive correlation was found between percent clay and τ c. Resistance to erosion by fluid flow was found to be significantly greater where clay contents exceed 28%. Although the Camp Creek Member was found to be the most erodible, it always occurs, stratigraphically, as the uppermost member. Available bankfull stage indicators suggest that bankfull discharges rarely attain elevations sufficient to erode Camp Creek Member deposits. Therefore, other members of the DeForest Formation are able to exert some control on the rate of bank erosion by hydraulic flow. Furthermore, given the observed differences in lithology, soil development and erodibility, the susceptibility to mass wasting processes is also likely to vary between the different members. Therefore, lithostratigraphic and soil-stratigraphic relationships have important implications for streambank erodibility and are crucial for accurately determining areas prone to streambank erosion in alluvial settings.
A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widesp... more A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widespread, deeply buried paleosols that represent Paleoindian-age landscapes in terrace fills of large streams (N 5th order), in alluvial fans, and in draws in areas of western Kansas with a thick loess mantle. Alluvial stratigraphic sections were investigated along a steep bio-climatic gradient extending from the moistsubhumid forest-prairie border of the east-central Plains to the dry-subhumid and semi-arid shortgrass prairie of the west-central Plains. Radiocarbon ages indicate that most large streams were characterized by slow aggradation accompanied by cumulic soil development from ca. 11,500 to 10,000 14 C yr B.P. In the valleys of some large streams, such as the Ninnescah and Saline rivers, these processes continued into the early Holocene. The soil-stratigraphic record in the draws of western Kansas indicates slow aggradation punctuated by episodes of landscape stability and pedogenesis beginning as early as ca. 13,300 14 C yr B.P. and spanning the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. The development record of alluvial fans in western Kansas is similar to the record in the draws; slow aggradation was punctuated by multiple episodes of soil development between ca. 13,000 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. In eastern Kansas and Nebraska, development of alluvial fans was common during the early and middle Holocene, but evidence shows fan development as early as ca. 11,300 14 C yr B.P. Buried soils dating between ca. 12,600 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. were documented in fans throughout the region. In stream valleys across the Central Plains, rapid alluviation after ca. 9000 14 C yr B.P. resulted in deeply buried soils that may harbor Paleoindian cultural deposits. Hence, the paucity of recorded stratified Paleoindian sites in the Central Plains is probably related to poor visibility (i.e., deep burial in alluvial deposits) instead of limited human occupation in the region during the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene. The thick, dark, cumulic A horizons of soils, representing buried Paleoindian-age landscapes, are targets for future archaeological surveys.
In late 2001, investigators excavated a solitary Middle Archaic burial from the Plains-Prairie bo... more In late 2001, investigators excavated a solitary Middle Archaic burial from the Plains-Prairie border in east-central Kansas. The burial was contained in a dissected colluvial apron at the foot of the valley wall, in a soil horizon that began accumulating around 9000 BP Burial goods include deer bone, a drill, and a side-notched projectile point/knife, the morphology of which is consistent with side-notched Middle Archaic points of the North American Central Plains and Midwest. Use-wear analysis shows that the stone tools were used before being ...
Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents o y... more Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents o younger Poverty Point earthworks. Watson Brake is the largest and most complex of these early m coring and stratigraphic studies, aided by 25 radiocarbon dates and six luminescence dates, sho were begun here at ca. 3500 B.C. in association with an oval arrangement of burned rock middens terrace. The full extent of the first earthworks is not yet known. Substantial moundraising began ued in stages until some time after 3000 B. C. when the site was abandoned. All 1 1 mounds and th occupied between building bursts. Soils formed on some of these temporary surfaces, while lithic fired clay/loam objects became scattered throughout the mound fills. Faunal and floral remains f cate all-season occupation, supported by broad-spectrum foraging centered on nuts, fish, and dee are so acidic that organics have not survived. The area enclosed by the mounds was kept clean of as ritual space. The reasons why such elaborate activities first occurred here remain elusive. Howe covary with very well-documented increases in El Nino/Southern Oscillation events. During such frequencies, rainfall becomes extremely erratic and unpredictable. It may be that early moun response to new stresses of droughts and flooding that created a suddenly more unpredictable fo Los complejos de monticulos de tierra del Arcaico Medio del valle del rio Mississippi son los an famosos monticulos de Poverty Point, que sefechan mucho mas temprano. Watson Brake es el mas
This study investigated two stratigraphic sequences that record the complex interplay of sediment... more This study investigated two stratigraphic sequences that record the complex interplay of sedimentation and pe-dogenesis over the past ca. 84 ka on the High Plains of southwestern Kansas. Up to eight eolian sand and loess units with associated soils were identified in two cores collected from an upland setting. Soil morphological and geochemical data were used to quantitatively assess and compare soil development between multiple buried soils. Chronostratigraphic relationships indicate that 1) loess and eolian sands were episodically deposited during late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 (ca. 84–70 ka), 2) the Sangamon soil at this site formed between MIS 3/4 (ca. 70–52 ka), which is consistent with age estimates for renewed Sangamon pedogenesis in the Mississippi River valley, and 3) soil development in the Gilman Canyon Formation began at ca. 44 ka and continued until at least 29.2 ka. Multiple lines of evidence, including grain-size distributions, structure, clay content, and chemical weathering index data, indicate that the morphology and chemistry of the Ak horizon developed in the Gilman Canyon Formation is a product of cumulization by slow loess additions. Similar evidence suggests that cumulization processes are also responsible for the morphology and chemistry of other buried soils in the strat-igraphic sequence. Overall, loess inputs during pedogenesis complicate the quantification of weathering processes in these soils.
The Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 2006
This paper describes the type locality and type section for the Honey Creek Member, a stratigraph... more This paper describes the type locality and type section for the Honey Creek Member, a stratigraphic unit first recognized in the Honey Creek drainag~ in somheastern Nebraska. The alluvial chronology for Honey Creek basin is similar ro the regional chronology of streams rn the Midwest, and all of the formal members of the DeForest Formation occur in the basin. However, the lithology of one unit, the Honey Creek Member, does not correlate with any of the formally recognized members of the DeForest Formation. The Honey Creek Member is composed of grayish brown silt loam overbank facies coarsening downward to a gravelly loam channel facies with prominent, large-scale cross-bedding. At its type locality, aggradation of the Honey Creek Member occurred from ca. 3700 14 C yrs. B.P. to ca. 600 14 C yrs. B.P. Paleochannels preserved within the unit suggest that aggradation was interrupted by at least two episodes of channel entrenchment and filling. The Honey Creek Member is significant because it has been identified within many basins across the eastern Plains. Recognition and detailed mapping of this unit facilitates our understanding of fluvial behavior during the late Holocene.
Archaeological investigations at 27 prehistoric sites in the Clinton Lake Poje= Area, Douglas and... more Archaeological investigations at 27 prehistoric sites in the Clinton Lake Poje= Area, Douglas and Shawnee Counties, Kansas, to determine eligibility of the sites for National Register of Historic Places. Field and geomorphic investigations conclude that the sites span at least the last 2000-3000 yrs of human history in the Wakarusa River basin and indicate the presence of a crematorium-a feature unique in this region and of great research potential.
A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widesp... more A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widespread, deeply buried paleosols that represent Paleoindian-age landscapes in terrace fills of large streams (N 5th order), in alluvial fans, and in draws in areas of western Kansas with a thick loess mantle. Alluvial stratigraphic sections were investigated along a steep bio-climatic gradient extending from the moistsubhumid forest-prairie border of the east-central Plains to the dry-subhumid and semi-arid shortgrass prairie of the west-central Plains. Radiocarbon ages indicate that most large streams were characterized by slow aggradation accompanied by cumulic soil development from ca. 11,500 to 10,000 14 C yr B.P. In the valleys of some large streams, such as the Ninnescah and Saline rivers, these processes continued into the early Holocene. The soil-stratigraphic record in the draws of western Kansas indicates slow aggradation punctuated by episodes of landscape stability and pedogenesis beginning as early as ca. 13,300 14 C yr B.P. and spanning the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. The development record of alluvial fans in western Kansas is similar to the record in the draws; slow aggradation was punctuated by multiple episodes of soil development between ca. 13,000 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. In eastern Kansas and Nebraska, development of alluvial fans was common during the early and middle Holocene, but evidence shows fan development as early as ca. 11,300 14 C yr B.P. Buried soils dating between ca. 12,600 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. were documented in fans throughout the region. In stream valleys across the Central Plains, rapid alluviation after ca. 9000 14 C yr B.P. resulted in deeply buried soils that may harbor Paleoindian cultural deposits. Hence, the paucity of recorded stratified Paleoindian sites in the Central Plains is probably related to poor visibility (i.e., deep burial in alluvial deposits) instead of limited human occupation in the region during the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene. The thick, dark, cumulic A horizons of soils, representing buried Paleoindian-age landscapes, are targets for future archaeological surveys.
The papers in this volume were originally prepared for presentation at a symposium titled "In the... more The papers in this volume were originally prepared for presentation at a symposium titled "In the Footprints of Squier and Davis: Hopewell Archaeology in Ross County, Ohio" at the 68th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Milwaukee, WI (April 11, 2003). We regret the long delay in making these papers available to a wider audience, but hope that the data and ideas in this volume will be a useful contribution to Ohio Hopewell archeology. Much of the research presented in this volume has benefitted from the support and encouragement of the staff at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Superintendents John Neal and Dean Alexander provided much support and encouragement for the research and papers presented here. Park Archeologists Dr. Bret Ruby and Dr. Jennifer Pederson Weinberger helped coordinate and organize many of the projects in this volume, and any success we may have achieved is also due to the interest and assistance provided by Dr. Jarrod Burks and Dr. Kathy Brady. We also appreciate the cheerful assistance of Jon Casson,
The Great Plains of the United States was the setting for some of the earliest research in North ... more The Great Plains of the United States was the setting for some of the earliest research in North America into patterns and changes in the character of late Pleistocene environments and their effects on contemporary human populations. Many localities in the region have well-stratified records of terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene human (Paleoindian) activity and past environments. These have proven important in debates over the character of the Younger Dryas Chronozone (YDC; 11,000e10,000 14 C BP; 12,900e11,700 cal BP) in the continental interior. This paper reviews the lithostratigraphic record of the YDC on the Central and Southern Great Plains and summarizes paleobiological records (largely isotopic). The goal is to determine if there is any uniformity in the timing, character, direction and/or magnitude of changes in depositional environments or broader geomorphic systems before, during or after the YDC in order to address the question of the character of environments through this time. The stratigraphic records of the late Pleistocene to early Holocene transition, and in particular, the stratigraphic records of the YDC vary through time and space. The data clearly show that a host of geomorphic processes produced the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene stratigraphic records of the Great Plains. Moreover, the YDC is not necessarily manifest as a distinct lithostratigraphic or biostratigraphic entity in these different types of deposits and soils. The various geomorphic systems of the Great Plains did not behave synchronously in response to any common climate driver. These stratigraphic records reflect local environmental conditions and probably a complex response to the reorganization of mid-latitude climates in the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene.
Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents of ... more Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents of the famous but much younger Poverty Point earthworks. Watson Brake is the largest and most complex of these early mound sites. Very extensive coring and stratigraphic studies, aided by 25 radiocarbon dates and six luminescence dates, show that minor earthworks were begun here at ca. 3500 B.C. in association with an oval arrangement of burned rock middens at the edge of a stream terrace. The full extent of the first earthworks is not yet known. Substantial moundraising began ca. 3350 B.C. and continued in stages until some time after 3000 B.C. when the site was abandoned. All 11 mounds and their connecting ridges were occupied between building bursts. Soils formed on some of these temporary surfaces, while lithics, fire-cracked rock, and fired clay/loam objects became scattered throughout the mound fills. Faunal and floral remains from a basal midden indicate all-season occupation, suppor...
When I teach geoarchaeology, I tell students on the first day of class that "soils are the c... more When I teach geoarchaeology, I tell students on the first day of class that "soils are the canvas for much of the archaeological record." Just as an artist's canvas holds and affects the paint, soils hold archaeological materials, and soil-forming processes strongly influence the preservation and spatial pattern of cultural deposits. Given this close relationship between soils and the material remains of humans, we have long needed a treatise that addresses all aspects of soils from an archaeological perspective. Vance Holliday's latest book, Soils in Archaeological Research, does this and more.
'Ain Ghazal, an archeological site located on the outskir... more 'Ain Ghazal, an archeological site located on the outskirts of Amman, Jordan, is one of the largest early villages known in the Near East. The site dates to the Neolithic period, during which mankind made one of its most significant advances, the adoption of domestic plants and animals as primary subsistence sources. Recent excavations at 'Ain Ghazal have augmented considerably current knowledge of several aspects of the Neolithic. Of particular interest has been the documentation of a continuous, or near continuous, occupation from early through late Neolithic components, and a concomitant dramatic economic shift. This shift was from a broad subsistence base relying on a variety of both wild and domestic plants and animals, to an economic strategy reflecting an apparent emphasis on pastoralism.
Patterns of erosion and deposition act as a filter that strongly influences the disposition of th... more Patterns of erosion and deposition act as a filter that strongly influences the disposition of the archaeological record of the Central and Eastern Plains of the North American Midcontinent. Detailed studies of alluvial valley stratigraphy in four drainage basins in the region reveal temporal and spatial patterns of fluvial system behavior that control the preservation and visibility of past human activity. These basins are located on a 600-km-long longitudinal gradient extending from semiarid southwestern Kansas to moist-subhumid central Iowa. Despite significant environmental variability along this transect, basin-wide patterns of Holocene erosion and deposition are similar across the study area. From ca. 11,000 to 8000 yr B.P., aggradation, punctuated by slow alluviation and/or stability around 10,000 yr B.P., was the dominant process in large and some small valleys. The early and middle Holocene (ca. 8000-5000 yr B.P.) was a period of net erosion and sediment movement in small valleys, sediment storage in large valleys, and episodic aggradation on alluvial fans. During the late Holocene (post-5000 yr B.P.), alluvial fans stabilized, small valleys became zones of net sediment storage, and aggradation slowed in large valleys. Basin-wide aggradation followed by entrenchment and channel migration characterizes fluvial activity during the Historic period. Consideration of the effects of these temporal and spatial patterns of Holocene erosion and alluviation on the archaeological record is crucial for developing efficient cultural resource sampling strategies and for accurately interpreting the archaeological record.
A continuous record of organic carbon δ 13 C from a buried soil sequence in south-central Texas d... more A continuous record of organic carbon δ 13 C from a buried soil sequence in south-central Texas demonstrates: 1) strong coupling between marine and adjacent continental ecosystems in the late Pleistocene as a result of glacial meltwater entering the Gulf of Mexico and 2) ecosystem decoupling in the Holocene associated with a reduction of meltwater and a shift in global circulation patterns. In the late Pleistocene, reduction in C 4 plant productivity correlates with two well-documented glacial meltwater pulses (∼15,000 and 12,000 14 C yr B.P.), indicating a cooler-than-present adjacent continental environment. Increased C 4 production between 11,000 and 10,000 14 C yr B.P. suggests that the Younger Dryas was a warm interval responding to the diversion of glacial meltwater away from the Mississippi River. With waning meltwater flow, C 4 productivity generally increased throughout the Holocene, culminating in peak warm intervals at ∼5000 and 2000 14 C yr B.P. Shifts in the abundances of C 3 -C 4 plants through the late Quaternary show no correlation to ecophysiological responses to atmospheric CO 2 concentration.
Toxodonts were a group of large-sized notoungulates of South American origin. They were diverse a... more Toxodonts were a group of large-sized notoungulates of South American origin. They were diverse and widespread in South America in deposits ranging in age from late Oligocene to late Pleistocene. Sparse remains have been found from the Pleistocene of isolated regions of Central America. All of the Central American specimens have been referred to the genus Mixotoxodon (Van Frank, 1950). They were not previously known north of the southern Mexican states of Michoacan and Veracruz, except for an unconfirmed report of an occurrence in Tamaulipas . Here we report the occurrence of a single toxodont tooth, a left upper third molar, from late Pleistocene deposits in Harris County, Texas (30 • N). This is the first record of toxodonts, or any notoungulate, in the United States and extends the geographic range of this group 1600 km north of their previously known localities at Hihuitl án, Michoacan (18 • 52 30 N, 103 • 24 14 W) and La Estribera, Veracruz (18 • 07 01.27 N, 94 • 53 15.59W) to latitude 30 • N.
SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2012, 2012
Geophysical subsurface imaging is becoming a common practice in archaeology. Non-invasive geophys... more Geophysical subsurface imaging is becoming a common practice in archaeology. Non-invasive geophysical methods provide efficient alternatives to costly and invasive excavations, allowing archaeologists to analyze sites before any excavation is done to identify areas of interest. For my thesis, I investigated two prehistoric borrow pits at the Mound City Group (200 BC-200 AD) in the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in south-central Ohio. The primary objective of this study was to determine the presence and spatial extent of a clay lining that was emplaced upon the borrow pits by the Hopewell people. Information gleaned from the geophysical investigation was used to assess the degree of site disturbance from agriculture, construction of Camp Sherman, and modern reconstruction of the earthworks. My analysis included a suite of overlapping geophysical surveys consisting of ground-penetrating radar, magnetometry, electromagnetic induction, and electrical resistivity. The geophysical data was ground-truthed with limited auguring and trenching. Analysis of the first borrow pit data showed strong evidence of historical disturbance within the pit from construction of Camp Sherman, including disturbed soil and a buried utility pipe, leaving little of the clay lining present except around the edges of the borrow pit. The geophysical data for the second borrow pit showed less historical damage that was primarily caused from the re-excavation of the pit during the reconstruction of the park. The second borrow pit still retains about half of the clay lining, a finding supported by the results of auguring and trenching. These results are evidence that the borrow pits at Mound City may have also served a purpose as cultural landscape features. The geophysical methods used in this study proved to be an invaluable source of information with minimal disturbance of the site. First off, I would like to begin by thanking Nick, my soon to be husband, for all of his support these past few years. He has never once grumbled about my busy, erratic schedule, but only did whatever he could to help, and for that I am so grateful. My advisors George Tsoflias and Rolfe Mandel, who teamed up to work with me and helped me create a project that I am truly proud of. They have both always encouraged me and pointed me in the right direction and I couldn't have accomplished this without them. I would like to thank Ross Black for being on my committee and always being around when I had a question or needed feedback. Everyone at the Midwest Archeological Center, particularly Mark Lynott, Steve De Vore, and Ann Bauermeister, for allowing me to work with them, use their equipment, and most importantly allow me the opportunity to work at such an interesting research site! Huge thanks to all of the KU students who have provided their feedback and helped when I got stuck: Brian Miller, Anthony Hoch, Jose Velez, Matt Baker, Kwanyee Cheng, and Brooke Perini. My parents for their constant excitement and enthusiasm in hearing about what I am doing. Finally, I would like to say a very special thank you to Don Steeples for his amazing support, guidance, and advice. Stopping by his office in the mornings to say hello and chat was always a great start to the day.
Wadi Shuʿeib is one of the huge Neolithic "mega-sites" that have been investiga... more Wadi Shuʿeib is one of the huge Neolithic "mega-sites" that have been investigated in the Levantine Near East in recent years. The site, located in the central Jordanian highlands, was test excavated over two seasons. Although these were only limited excavations, they demonstrated that Wadi Shuʿeib is a large Neolithic settlement that spans the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (Middle and Late phases), the Pre-Pottery Neolithic C, and the Pottery Neolithic periods; it was abandoned after the Neolithic. This paper is a report of the findings from those studies and provides information on the chipped stone, ceramic, ornamental, and faunal assemblages, as well as on the human burials, architecture, geomorphology, chronology, and stratigraphy of the site.
Streambanks are the primary source of sediment for watersheds in the Midwestern USA. In much of t... more Streambanks are the primary source of sediment for watersheds in the Midwestern USA. In much of this region, deposits of fine-grained Holocene alluvium comprising streambanks have been assigned to a single lithostratigraphic unit, the DeForest Formation. This study examines the stratigraphic relationships and measures the erodibility of the different members of the DeForest Formation in three watersheds in northeastern Kansas. Distinct differences in erodibility, measured in terms of critical shear stress (τ c) by a submerged jet-test device, were observed between the different members of the DeForest Formation. The most erodible member is the Camp Creek Member (average τ c = 1.0 Pa) while the most resistant is the Gunder Member (average τ c = 10.4 Pa). Variability in erodibility between and within the members of the DeForest Formation is attributed to the magnitude of post-depositional soil-forming processes, including the presence of buried soils, as well as the inherent natural variability in the different parent materials. A weak positive correlation was found between percent clay and τ c. Resistance to erosion by fluid flow was found to be significantly greater where clay contents exceed 28%. Although the Camp Creek Member was found to be the most erodible, it always occurs, stratigraphically, as the uppermost member. Available bankfull stage indicators suggest that bankfull discharges rarely attain elevations sufficient to erode Camp Creek Member deposits. Therefore, other members of the DeForest Formation are able to exert some control on the rate of bank erosion by hydraulic flow. Furthermore, given the observed differences in lithology, soil development and erodibility, the susceptibility to mass wasting processes is also likely to vary between the different members. Therefore, lithostratigraphic and soil-stratigraphic relationships have important implications for streambank erodibility and are crucial for accurately determining areas prone to streambank erosion in alluvial settings.
A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widesp... more A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widespread, deeply buried paleosols that represent Paleoindian-age landscapes in terrace fills of large streams (N 5th order), in alluvial fans, and in draws in areas of western Kansas with a thick loess mantle. Alluvial stratigraphic sections were investigated along a steep bio-climatic gradient extending from the moistsubhumid forest-prairie border of the east-central Plains to the dry-subhumid and semi-arid shortgrass prairie of the west-central Plains. Radiocarbon ages indicate that most large streams were characterized by slow aggradation accompanied by cumulic soil development from ca. 11,500 to 10,000 14 C yr B.P. In the valleys of some large streams, such as the Ninnescah and Saline rivers, these processes continued into the early Holocene. The soil-stratigraphic record in the draws of western Kansas indicates slow aggradation punctuated by episodes of landscape stability and pedogenesis beginning as early as ca. 13,300 14 C yr B.P. and spanning the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. The development record of alluvial fans in western Kansas is similar to the record in the draws; slow aggradation was punctuated by multiple episodes of soil development between ca. 13,000 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. In eastern Kansas and Nebraska, development of alluvial fans was common during the early and middle Holocene, but evidence shows fan development as early as ca. 11,300 14 C yr B.P. Buried soils dating between ca. 12,600 and 9000 14 C yr B.P. were documented in fans throughout the region. In stream valleys across the Central Plains, rapid alluviation after ca. 9000 14 C yr B.P. resulted in deeply buried soils that may harbor Paleoindian cultural deposits. Hence, the paucity of recorded stratified Paleoindian sites in the Central Plains is probably related to poor visibility (i.e., deep burial in alluvial deposits) instead of limited human occupation in the region during the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene. The thick, dark, cumulic A horizons of soils, representing buried Paleoindian-age landscapes, are targets for future archaeological surveys.
In late 2001, investigators excavated a solitary Middle Archaic burial from the Plains-Prairie bo... more In late 2001, investigators excavated a solitary Middle Archaic burial from the Plains-Prairie border in east-central Kansas. The burial was contained in a dissected colluvial apron at the foot of the valley wall, in a soil horizon that began accumulating around 9000 BP Burial goods include deer bone, a drill, and a side-notched projectile point/knife, the morphology of which is consistent with side-notched Middle Archaic points of the North American Central Plains and Midwest. Use-wear analysis shows that the stone tools were used before being ...
Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents o y... more Middle Archaic earthen mound complexes in the lower Mississippi valley are remote antecedents o younger Poverty Point earthworks. Watson Brake is the largest and most complex of these early m coring and stratigraphic studies, aided by 25 radiocarbon dates and six luminescence dates, sho were begun here at ca. 3500 B.C. in association with an oval arrangement of burned rock middens terrace. The full extent of the first earthworks is not yet known. Substantial moundraising began ued in stages until some time after 3000 B. C. when the site was abandoned. All 1 1 mounds and th occupied between building bursts. Soils formed on some of these temporary surfaces, while lithic fired clay/loam objects became scattered throughout the mound fills. Faunal and floral remains f cate all-season occupation, supported by broad-spectrum foraging centered on nuts, fish, and dee are so acidic that organics have not survived. The area enclosed by the mounds was kept clean of as ritual space. The reasons why such elaborate activities first occurred here remain elusive. Howe covary with very well-documented increases in El Nino/Southern Oscillation events. During such frequencies, rainfall becomes extremely erratic and unpredictable. It may be that early moun response to new stresses of droughts and flooding that created a suddenly more unpredictable fo Los complejos de monticulos de tierra del Arcaico Medio del valle del rio Mississippi son los an famosos monticulos de Poverty Point, que sefechan mucho mas temprano. Watson Brake es el mas
This study investigated two stratigraphic sequences that record the complex interplay of sediment... more This study investigated two stratigraphic sequences that record the complex interplay of sedimentation and pe-dogenesis over the past ca. 84 ka on the High Plains of southwestern Kansas. Up to eight eolian sand and loess units with associated soils were identified in two cores collected from an upland setting. Soil morphological and geochemical data were used to quantitatively assess and compare soil development between multiple buried soils. Chronostratigraphic relationships indicate that 1) loess and eolian sands were episodically deposited during late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 (ca. 84–70 ka), 2) the Sangamon soil at this site formed between MIS 3/4 (ca. 70–52 ka), which is consistent with age estimates for renewed Sangamon pedogenesis in the Mississippi River valley, and 3) soil development in the Gilman Canyon Formation began at ca. 44 ka and continued until at least 29.2 ka. Multiple lines of evidence, including grain-size distributions, structure, clay content, and chemical weathering index data, indicate that the morphology and chemistry of the Ak horizon developed in the Gilman Canyon Formation is a product of cumulization by slow loess additions. Similar evidence suggests that cumulization processes are also responsible for the morphology and chemistry of other buried soils in the strat-igraphic sequence. Overall, loess inputs during pedogenesis complicate the quantification of weathering processes in these soils.
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