Donna C Roper
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 182313 |
|---|---|
| NOME | Donna C Roper |
| PRENOMES | Donna C |
| SOBRENOME | Roper |
| ASSINATURA | ROPER D C |
| AFILIAÇÕES | Kansas State University |
| VERIFICADO | Não |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 32 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 115 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 31 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 1 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 1976 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2022 |
| ÍNDICE H | 6 |
Regional Conflict, Ceramic Senescence, and Pawnee Raw Material Choice in the Late Contact Era
Here, we consider the last decades of ceramic manufacture among the Pawnee in the Central Great Plains, using petrographic analysis to explore raw material availability and use at the Kitkahahki Town site (14RP1). Historical documents reveal tremendous regional pressures and conflicts in the Kitkahahki Town area during its occupation in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries-processes that could have altered or restricted the movement…
Caddoan Archaeology on the High Plains
The interpretations of the Wallace site offered by Huffman and Earley are invalid. The site is not Upper Republican in affiliation, the structural remains in it do not support the interpretations made, and the proposed correspondences to Pawnee cosmology are based on unjustified assumptions
A Response to Hart and Lovis
Hart and Lovis clearly hold different views than do I about how to view incongruities in age determinations on food residue as compared to those on context dates on other short-lived materials. I explain how I came to the conclusions I drew in my earlier study (Roper 2013a) and suggest that I am evaluating my results, and those of others, by looking for patterns in the incongruities, rather than individually explaining away incongruent dates. I a…
Source analysis of obsidian debitage from two Early Archaic sites in Nebraska
We report results of the geochemical analysis of three obsidian objects from two Early Archaic Logan Creek complex, sites in Nebraska, 25FT376 and 25GY12. These are the only obsidian artifacts of this age on the Central Plains and are the oldest geochemically analyzed obsidian specimens from the region. All are identified to the Malad, Idaho, source area. A brief discussion places the objects in a regional context
In situ shallow subsurface reflectance spectroscopy of archaeological soils and features
Evaluating the Reliability of AMS Dates on Food Residue on Pottery from the Late Prehistoric Central Plains of North America
Age offsets of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) assays on food residue taken from pottery vessels are well-documented in Europe and Asia in cultural contexts were freshwater aquatic products are attested, but are less well studied in North America. The present study examines a series of residue dates from the late prehistoric Central Plains of North America, comparing them with context dates run on annual plant remains. At least 13 of 23 assay…
Additional AMS Radiocarbon Age Determinations for the Central Plains Tradition
We report an additional 15 AMS age determinations on annual plants or ceramic residue from eight Central Plains tradition sites in Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Age determinations are presented and problems with dating ceramic residue are discussed
New AMS Radiocarbon Dating Results for Central Plains Tradition Sites in Kansas and Nebraska
I report 16 new AMS age determinations on short-lived plant materials or ceramic residue from seven Central Plains tradition sites in Kansas and Nebraska. Before showing how these new dates contribute to improving the Central Plains tradition chronology, I assess the accuracy of the dates and provide comments on the effects of sample size on date accuracy, the use of small twigs for dating, and the reliability and accuracy of dates on ceramic res…
Shell-Tempered Pottery on the Central Plains
The Central Plains have not been included in recent coverage of issues related to the use of shell-tempered pottery in eastern North America. It has been known for over a century that this material does appear on the Central Plains. Its spatial and temporal distribution, however, are not well understood, and issues related to its presence and technology have only recently begun to receive needed attention. This paper reviews the status of what we…
The Chronological Position of 14RC410, a Little River Focus Site in Rice County, Kansas, and its Implications
Archaeological site 14RC410, assigned to the Little River focus of the Great Bend aspect, was partially excavated in 2005. The recovered assemblage gave the distinct impression that this was an early Little River focus site. Although more precise temporal placement was uncertain, it was possible that the site was just early enough that calibration of radiometric age determinations might avoid the calibration curve fluctuations that have made it d…
Interpreting AMS Radiocarbon Age Determinations from Selected Central Plains Tradition Sites
We report 45 newly-obtained dates for selected Central Plains tradition sites. Of these, 39 dates are from sites assigned to the Smoky Hill phase of central and north-central Kansas; the other six are from sites assigned to the Steed-Kisker phase or south end of the Nebraska phase. All dates were assayed by AMS dating, and all were run on annual plants or residue from ceramics. Before assessing the chronology as reflected by these dates, we consi…
Determining Provenance of Shell-Tempered Pottery from the Central Plains Using Petrography and Oxidation Analysis
Late prehistoric sites on the Central Plains contain both grit/grog- (mineral-) tempered pottery and shell-tempered pottery. This appearance of shell-tempered pottery around cal A.D. 1000 has traditionally been explained as a colonization from the Mississippi River valley with further dispersal via trade. As a result, very little is known about the role of this material in the region. We report the results of a provenance analysis of shell-temper…
Frederick H. Sterns and the Portrayal of Variation in Central Plains Pottery
Lyman et al.’s recent history of graphic depictions of culture change attributes the first use of bar graphs to James Ford in 1935. Ford, though, was anticipated in 1915 by Frederick Sterns, working with pottery from 27 late prehistoric Nebraska phase lodge sites in eastern Nebraska. Sterns used both tabular data summaries and divided bar graphs to show ordered variation over space in vessel neck diameter, types of appendages, and type of decorat…
Source Analysis of Central Plains Tradition Pottery Using Neutron Activation Analysis
We report the results of a study applying instrumental neutron activation analysis (NAA) to pottery from eight sites assigned to the western part of the Central Plains tradition (Upper Republican and Smoky Hill phases) and six components identified as High Plains Upper Republican. Our purpose is to test the feasibility of using NAA to trace interactions among people of the Central Plains tradition and between the Central Plains tradition people a…
The Effect of the Direct Historical Approach on the Development of Theory in Plains Archaeology
Mark Mitchell's analysis of the legacy of the Missouri Basin Project (MBP) identified the direct historical approach as one discourse that shaped the MBP legacy. While that identification is certainly correct, the discussion is too limited in two ways. First, the use of the direct historical approach for tracing ethnicity was more limited than is generally recognized. Second, and more seriously, the rich documentary and ethnographic record of the…
Medicine Creek
The Marion Great Bend Aspect Sites
The settlement pattern of the Great Bend aspect site group at Marion, Kansas includes both floodplain and upland sites and has always been considered something of an enigma. Recent studies show that sites are linearly arranged and are strung along a natural levee and bluff edge where the bluff is near the river. Access to large expanses of soil suitable for cultivation with a bone hoe technology is the key to understanding the settlement pattern,…
The Macy Site (14RY38)
Salvage excavations were conducted at the Macy site (14RY38), a multi-component campsite on a terrace remnant of an unnamed second-order stream that drains into the Kansas River near Manhattan, Kansas. Five Early Ceramic (Plains Woodland) cultural components were defined using a variety of data sets. The lower four components date to A.D. 2-654, based on calibrated radiocarbon age determinations, while the upper component is a mix of Early and Mi…
Lower Loup Phase Pottery in Great Bend Aspect Sites
Statements that Lower Loup phase pottery is found in Great Bend aspect sites are true, but based entirely on a single sherd, reported a century ago. Two more Lower Loup phase vessels, each from a Little River focus Great Bend aspect site, were recently identified in a museum collection. These pots document seventeenth century Pawnee-Wichita interaction and may specifically attest to interaction between South Bands Pawnee and the Wichita
Source Area Analysis of Obsidian Flakes from a Lower Loup Phase Site in Nebraska
Non-destructive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis was applied to obsidian flakes from 25LP8, a Lower Loupphase site in Nebraska. All flakes have the same trace element composition as volcanic glasses of the Cerro del Media chemical type, located in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico.Key Words: obsidiansource analysisLower Loup phase
Spatial Dynamics and Historical Process in the Central Plains Tradition
Little recent consideration has been given to analyzing space/time relations or to modeling the historical processes involved in Central Plains tradition origins, expansion, and demise. Using the currently available radiometric data set, an analysis of space/time relations is conducted by developing and reading a time-series of maps. The analysis shows that the Central Plains tradition originated at the eastern edge of the Central Plains, expande…
A Note On The Quail And The Pawnee
The quail was proposed as a metaphor for the Pawnee people by O’Brien and Post (1988). This proposition is here refuted by outlining problems with the argument as it was presented, proposing alternative interpretations of the few scraps of evidence relating to the quail, and showing that the archaeological evidence believed to support the metaphor requires no special explanation
A Comparison of Contexts of Red Ochre Use in Paleoindian and Upper Paleolithic Sites
Red ochre is one of nine traits common to Paleoindian and Upper Paleolithic complexes. The similarity goes beyond simple presence, however, and encompasses virtual identity of the context in which ochre appears. These include burials, non-mortuary ritual context, and domestic context. Data are assembled here comparing the use of ochre in each context in the Upper Paleolithic and the Paleoindian periods. Particular attention is given to the Upper …
Documentary Evidence For Changes In Protohistoric And Early Historic Pawnee Hunting Practices
Protohistoric Pawnee hunting camps have been identified in recent years, casting doubt on the view that the hunting complex developed after the acquisition of the horse. Identification of such sites, however, does not directly infonn us how old the hunting complex is or how it may have changed over time. Archaeological research will be the primary avenue for evaluating the antiquity of and changes in the hunting complex. The nature of the archaeo…
John Dunbar’s Journal of the 1834-5 Chawi Winter Hunt and its Implications for Pawnee Archaeology
The earliest and most comprehensive account of a Pawnee hunt is contained in a journal kept by the Presbyterian missionary John Dunbar when he accompanied the Chawi on their 1834-5 winter hunt. The journal is summarized and analyzed to define stages, route, number, duration, and circumstances of locational criteria of the hunt. A synthesis of the Pawnee hunt is developed using data from Dunbar’s account and from other accounts or descriptions of …
Lateral Displacement of Artifacts Due to Plowing
Excavations at the Airport site, Springfield, Illinois, recently provided a rare opportunity to examine lateral displacement that has occurred due to plowing. Measurements of relative displacement of sections of reconstructed bifaces are given. These measurements suggest that plow drag may not be as great as is sometimes supposed
A Comparison of Contexts of Red Ochre Use in Paleoindian and Upper Paleolithic Sites
Red ochre is one of nine traits common to Paleoindian and Upper Paleolithic complexes. The similarity goes beyond simple presence, however, and encompasses virtual identity of the context in which ochre appears. These include burials, non-mortuary ritual context, and domestic context. Data are assembled here comparing the use of ochre in each context in the Upper Paleolithic and the Paleoindian periods. Particular attention is given to the Upper …
Spatial Dynamics and Historical Process in the Central Plains Tradition
Little recent consideration has been given to analyzing space/time relations or to modeling the historical processes involved in Central Plains tradition origins, expansion, and demise. Using the currently available radiometric data set, an analysis of space/time relations is conducted by developing and reading a time-series of maps. The analysis shows that the Central Plains tradition originated at the eastern edge of the Central Plains, expande…
Interpreting AMS Radiocarbon Age Determinations from Selected Central Plains Tradition Sites
We report 45 newly-obtained dates for selected Central Plains tradition sites. Of these, 39 dates are from sites assigned to the Smoky Hill phase of central and north-central Kansas; the other six are from sites assigned to the Steed-Kisker phase or south end of the Nebraska phase. All dates were assayed by AMS dating, and all were run on annual plants or residue from ceramics. Before assessing the chronology as reflected by these dates, we consi…
Source Area Analysis of Obsidian Flakes from a Lower Loup Phase Site in Nebraska
Non-destructive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis was applied to obsidian flakes from 25LP8, a Lower Loupphase site in Nebraska. All flakes have the same trace element composition as volcanic glasses of the Cerro del Media chemical type, located in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico.Key Words: obsidiansource analysisLower Loup phase
Source Analysis of Central Plains Tradition Pottery Using Neutron Activation Analysis
We report the results of a study applying instrumental neutron activation analysis (NAA) to pottery from eight sites assigned to the western part of the Central Plains tradition (Upper Republican and Smoky Hill phases) and six components identified as High Plains Upper Republican. Our purpose is to test the feasibility of using NAA to trace interactions among people of the Central Plains tradition and between the Central Plains tradition people a…
Determining Provenance of Shell-Tempered Pottery from the Central Plains Using Petrography and Oxidation Analysis
Late prehistoric sites on the Central Plains contain both grit/grog- (mineral-) tempered pottery and shell-tempered pottery. This appearance of shell-tempered pottery around cal A.D. 1000 has traditionally been explained as a colonization from the Mississippi River valley with further dispersal via trade. As a result, very little is known about the role of this material in the region. We report the results of a provenance analysis of shell-temper…
Documentary Evidence For Changes In Protohistoric And Early Historic Pawnee Hunting Practices
Protohistoric Pawnee hunting camps have been identified in recent years, casting doubt on the view that the hunting complex developed after the acquisition of the horse. Identification of such sites, however, does not directly infonn us how old the hunting complex is or how it may have changed over time. Archaeological research will be the primary avenue for evaluating the antiquity of and changes in the hunting complex. The nature of the archaeo…
The Chronological Position of 14RC410, a Little River Focus Site in Rice County, Kansas, and its Implications
Archaeological site 14RC410, assigned to the Little River focus of the Great Bend aspect, was partially excavated in 2005. The recovered assemblage gave the distinct impression that this was an early Little River focus site. Although more precise temporal placement was uncertain, it was possible that the site was just early enough that calibration of radiometric age determinations might avoid the calibration curve fluctuations that have made it d…
The Effect of the Direct Historical Approach on the Development of Theory in Plains Archaeology
Mark Mitchell's analysis of the legacy of the Missouri Basin Project (MBP) identified the direct historical approach as one discourse that shaped the MBP legacy. While that identification is certainly correct, the discussion is too limited in two ways. First, the use of the direct historical approach for tracing ethnicity was more limited than is generally recognized. Second, and more seriously, the rich documentary and ethnographic record of the…
A Response to Hart and Lovis
Hart and Lovis clearly hold different views than do I about how to view incongruities in age determinations on food residue as compared to those on context dates on other short-lived materials. I explain how I came to the conclusions I drew in my earlier study (Roper 2013a) and suggest that I am evaluating my results, and those of others, by looking for patterns in the incongruities, rather than individually explaining away incongruent dates. I a…
Source analysis of obsidian debitage from two Early Archaic sites in Nebraska
We report results of the geochemical analysis of three obsidian objects from two Early Archaic Logan Creek complex, sites in Nebraska, 25FT376 and 25GY12. These are the only obsidian artifacts of this age on the Central Plains and are the oldest geochemically analyzed obsidian specimens from the region. All are identified to the Malad, Idaho, source area. A brief discussion places the objects in a regional context
Additional AMS Radiocarbon Age Determinations for the Central Plains Tradition
We report an additional 15 AMS age determinations on annual plants or ceramic residue from eight Central Plains tradition sites in Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Age determinations are presented and problems with dating ceramic residue are discussed
Shell-Tempered Pottery on the Central Plains
The Central Plains have not been included in recent coverage of issues related to the use of shell-tempered pottery in eastern North America. It has been known for over a century that this material does appear on the Central Plains. Its spatial and temporal distribution, however, are not well understood, and issues related to its presence and technology have only recently begun to receive needed attention. This paper reviews the status of what we…
Lower Loup Phase Pottery in Great Bend Aspect Sites
Statements that Lower Loup phase pottery is found in Great Bend aspect sites are true, but based entirely on a single sherd, reported a century ago. Two more Lower Loup phase vessels, each from a Little River focus Great Bend aspect site, were recently identified in a museum collection. These pots document seventeenth century Pawnee-Wichita interaction and may specifically attest to interaction between South Bands Pawnee and the Wichita
In situ shallow subsurface reflectance spectroscopy of archaeological soils and features
New AMS Radiocarbon Dating Results for Central Plains Tradition Sites in Kansas and Nebraska
I report 16 new AMS age determinations on short-lived plant materials or ceramic residue from seven Central Plains tradition sites in Kansas and Nebraska. Before showing how these new dates contribute to improving the Central Plains tradition chronology, I assess the accuracy of the dates and provide comments on the effects of sample size on date accuracy, the use of small twigs for dating, and the reliability and accuracy of dates on ceramic res…
A Note On The Quail And The Pawnee
The quail was proposed as a metaphor for the Pawnee people by O’Brien and Post (1988). This proposition is here refuted by outlining problems with the argument as it was presented, proposing alternative interpretations of the few scraps of evidence relating to the quail, and showing that the archaeological evidence believed to support the metaphor requires no special explanation
John Dunbar’s Journal of the 1834-5 Chawi Winter Hunt and its Implications for Pawnee Archaeology
The earliest and most comprehensive account of a Pawnee hunt is contained in a journal kept by the Presbyterian missionary John Dunbar when he accompanied the Chawi on their 1834-5 winter hunt. The journal is summarized and analyzed to define stages, route, number, duration, and circumstances of locational criteria of the hunt. A synthesis of the Pawnee hunt is developed using data from Dunbar’s account and from other accounts or descriptions of …
Regional Conflict, Ceramic Senescence, and Pawnee Raw Material Choice in the Late Contact Era
Here, we consider the last decades of ceramic manufacture among the Pawnee in the Central Great Plains, using petrographic analysis to explore raw material availability and use at the Kitkahahki Town site (14RP1). Historical documents reveal tremendous regional pressures and conflicts in the Kitkahahki Town area during its occupation in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries-processes that could have altered or restricted the movement…
Evaluating the Reliability of AMS Dates on Food Residue on Pottery from the Late Prehistoric Central Plains of North America
Age offsets of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) assays on food residue taken from pottery vessels are well-documented in Europe and Asia in cultural contexts were freshwater aquatic products are attested, but are less well studied in North America. The present study examines a series of residue dates from the late prehistoric Central Plains of North America, comparing them with context dates run on annual plant remains. At least 13 of 23 assay…
The Macy Site (14RY38)
Salvage excavations were conducted at the Macy site (14RY38), a multi-component campsite on a terrace remnant of an unnamed second-order stream that drains into the Kansas River near Manhattan, Kansas. Five Early Ceramic (Plains Woodland) cultural components were defined using a variety of data sets. The lower four components date to A.D. 2-654, based on calibrated radiocarbon age determinations, while the upper component is a mix of Early and Mi…
The Role of Graphic Analysis of Quantitative Data
Breakage Patterns of Central Illinois Woodland Projectile Points
In most projectile point assemblages, it is common to find a large proportion of broken specimens. Assuming most broken specimens were broken prior to deposition in the archaeological record, three possible factors correlating with breaks are examined: (1) blade proportions, (2) major functional category, (3) haft morphology. Hypotheses for the role of each factor are framed and tested on a group of specimens from central Illinois. Use category a…
A Trend-Surface Analysis of Central Plains Radiocarbon Dates
For the past several decades, students of the Central Plains tradition have postulated a south-to-north trend of movement by the bearers of this tradition. Such a pattern should be detectable by means of a trend-surface analysis of the available radiocarbon dates. This paper reports such an analysis. The trend is found to be largely supported by the chronological evidence
Nominal Data And Factor Analysis
Use of nominally coded data in a factor analysis is incorrect. This paper first critiques a recent Plains Anthropologist article incorrectly using nominal data, and then provides a comparative example to illustrate the problem. Several alternatives are discussed briefly
Lateral Displacement of Artifacts Due to Plowing
Excavations at the Airport site, Springfield, Illinois, recently provided a rare opportunity to examine lateral displacement that has occurred due to plowing. Measurements of relative displacement of sections of reconstructed bifaces are given. These measurements suggest that plow drag may not be as great as is sometimes supposed
A Trend-Surface Analysis of Central Plains Radiocarbon Dates
For the past several decades, students of the Central Plains tradition have postulated a south-to-north trend of movement by the bearers of this tradition. Such a pattern should be detectable by means of a trend-surface analysis of the available radiocarbon dates. This paper reports such an analysis. The trend is found to be largely supported by the chronological evidence
Breakage Patterns of Central Illinois Woodland Projectile Points
In most projectile point assemblages, it is common to find a large proportion of broken specimens. Assuming most broken specimens were broken prior to deposition in the archaeological record, three possible factors correlating with breaks are examined: (1) blade proportions, (2) major functional category, (3) haft morphology. Hypotheses for the role of each factor are framed and tested on a group of specimens from central Illinois. Use category a…
A Paleo-Indian Point From Henry County, Missouri
A Paleo-Indian point, probably assignable to the Plano Tradition, was recently collected in Henry County, Missouri. Although unfluted, it otherwise compares favorably both morphologically and technologically with several published samples of PaleoIndian points. The upland location also compares . favorably with known Paleo-Indian site locations; however, geomorphic processes may have biased recording of Paleo-Indian sites
Publishing Plains Anthropology
The Plains anthropological community has recently grown and its composition changed. Some concern has been expressed, however, about the performance of professionals outside academia. Actual, rather than perceived, performance of members of all sectors of the Plains community was studied through compilation of affiliations of authors whose investigations of Plains anthropology were published in national, regional, and state journals during the pe…
The Role of Graphic Analysis of Quantitative Data
John Dunbar’s Journal of the 1834-5 Chawi Winter Hunt and its Implications for Pawnee Archaeology
The earliest and most comprehensive account of a Pawnee hunt is contained in a journal kept by the Presbyterian missionary John Dunbar when he accompanied the Chawi on their 1834-5 winter hunt. The journal is summarized and analyzed to define stages, route, number, duration, and circumstances of locational criteria of the hunt. A synthesis of the Pawnee hunt is developed using data from Dunbar’s account and from other accounts or descriptions of …
A Comparison of Contexts of Red Ochre Use in Paleoindian and Upper Paleolithic Sites
Red ochre is one of nine traits common to Paleoindian and Upper Paleolithic complexes. The similarity goes beyond simple presence, however, and encompasses virtual identity of the context in which ochre appears. These include burials, non-mortuary ritual context, and domestic context. Data are assembled here comparing the use of ochre in each context in the Upper Paleolithic and the Paleoindian periods. Particular attention is given to the Upper …
Documentary Evidence For Changes In Protohistoric And Early Historic Pawnee Hunting Practices
Protohistoric Pawnee hunting camps have been identified in recent years, casting doubt on the view that the hunting complex developed after the acquisition of the horse. Identification of such sites, however, does not directly infonn us how old the hunting complex is or how it may have changed over time. Archaeological research will be the primary avenue for evaluating the antiquity of and changes in the hunting complex. The nature of the archaeo…
A Note On The Quail And The Pawnee
The quail was proposed as a metaphor for the Pawnee people by O’Brien and Post (1988). This proposition is here refuted by outlining problems with the argument as it was presented, proposing alternative interpretations of the few scraps of evidence relating to the quail, and showing that the archaeological evidence believed to support the metaphor requires no special explanation
Spatial Dynamics and Historical Process in the Central Plains Tradition
Little recent consideration has been given to analyzing space/time relations or to modeling the historical processes involved in Central Plains tradition origins, expansion, and demise. Using the currently available radiometric data set, an analysis of space/time relations is conducted by developing and reading a time-series of maps. The analysis shows that the Central Plains tradition originated at the eastern edge of the Central Plains, expande…
Source Area Analysis of Obsidian Flakes from a Lower Loup Phase Site in Nebraska
Non-destructive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis was applied to obsidian flakes from 25LP8, a Lower Loupphase site in Nebraska. All flakes have the same trace element composition as volcanic glasses of the Cerro del Media chemical type, located in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico.Key Words: obsidiansource analysisLower Loup phase
Lower Loup Phase Pottery in Great Bend Aspect Sites
Statements that Lower Loup phase pottery is found in Great Bend aspect sites are true, but based entirely on a single sherd, reported a century ago. Two more Lower Loup phase vessels, each from a Little River focus Great Bend aspect site, were recently identified in a museum collection. These pots document seventeenth century Pawnee-Wichita interaction and may specifically attest to interaction between South Bands Pawnee and the Wichita
The Macy Site (14RY38)
Salvage excavations were conducted at the Macy site (14RY38), a multi-component campsite on a terrace remnant of an unnamed second-order stream that drains into the Kansas River near Manhattan, Kansas. Five Early Ceramic (Plains Woodland) cultural components were defined using a variety of data sets. The lower four components date to A.D. 2-654, based on calibrated radiocarbon age determinations, while the upper component is a mix of Early and Mi…
Medicine Creek
The Marion Great Bend Aspect Sites
The settlement pattern of the Great Bend aspect site group at Marion, Kansas includes both floodplain and upland sites and has always been considered something of an enigma. Recent studies show that sites are linearly arranged and are strung along a natural levee and bluff edge where the bluff is near the river. Access to large expanses of soil suitable for cultivation with a bone hoe technology is the key to understanding the settlement pattern,…
Source Analysis of Central Plains Tradition Pottery Using Neutron Activation Analysis
We report the results of a study applying instrumental neutron activation analysis (NAA) to pottery from eight sites assigned to the western part of the Central Plains tradition (Upper Republican and Smoky Hill phases) and six components identified as High Plains Upper Republican. Our purpose is to test the feasibility of using NAA to trace interactions among people of the Central Plains tradition and between the Central Plains tradition people a…
The Effect of the Direct Historical Approach on the Development of Theory in Plains Archaeology
Mark Mitchell's analysis of the legacy of the Missouri Basin Project (MBP) identified the direct historical approach as one discourse that shaped the MBP legacy. While that identification is certainly correct, the discussion is too limited in two ways. First, the use of the direct historical approach for tracing ethnicity was more limited than is generally recognized. Second, and more seriously, the rich documentary and ethnographic record of the…
Frederick H. Sterns and the Portrayal of Variation in Central Plains Pottery
Lyman et al.’s recent history of graphic depictions of culture change attributes the first use of bar graphs to James Ford in 1935. Ford, though, was anticipated in 1915 by Frederick Sterns, working with pottery from 27 late prehistoric Nebraska phase lodge sites in eastern Nebraska. Sterns used both tabular data summaries and divided bar graphs to show ordered variation over space in vessel neck diameter, types of appendages, and type of decorat…
Determining Provenance of Shell-Tempered Pottery from the Central Plains Using Petrography and Oxidation Analysis
Late prehistoric sites on the Central Plains contain both grit/grog- (mineral-) tempered pottery and shell-tempered pottery. This appearance of shell-tempered pottery around cal A.D. 1000 has traditionally been explained as a colonization from the Mississippi River valley with further dispersal via trade. As a result, very little is known about the role of this material in the region. We report the results of a provenance analysis of shell-temper…
Shell-Tempered Pottery on the Central Plains
The Central Plains have not been included in recent coverage of issues related to the use of shell-tempered pottery in eastern North America. It has been known for over a century that this material does appear on the Central Plains. Its spatial and temporal distribution, however, are not well understood, and issues related to its presence and technology have only recently begun to receive needed attention. This paper reviews the status of what we…
The Chronological Position of 14RC410, a Little River Focus Site in Rice County, Kansas, and its Implications
Archaeological site 14RC410, assigned to the Little River focus of the Great Bend aspect, was partially excavated in 2005. The recovered assemblage gave the distinct impression that this was an early Little River focus site. Although more precise temporal placement was uncertain, it was possible that the site was just early enough that calibration of radiometric age determinations might avoid the calibration curve fluctuations that have made it d…
Interpreting AMS Radiocarbon Age Determinations from Selected Central Plains Tradition Sites
We report 45 newly-obtained dates for selected Central Plains tradition sites. Of these, 39 dates are from sites assigned to the Smoky Hill phase of central and north-central Kansas; the other six are from sites assigned to the Steed-Kisker phase or south end of the Nebraska phase. All dates were assayed by AMS dating, and all were run on annual plants or residue from ceramics. Before assessing the chronology as reflected by these dates, we consi…
Additional AMS Radiocarbon Age Determinations for the Central Plains Tradition
We report an additional 15 AMS age determinations on annual plants or ceramic residue from eight Central Plains tradition sites in Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Age determinations are presented and problems with dating ceramic residue are discussed
Archaeology (28 obras) · Geography (26 obras) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (22 obras) · History (16 obras) · Geology (15 obras) · Geology (14 obras) · Archaeology and Natural History (11 obras) · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies (10 obras) · History (8 obras) · Pottery (7 obras)