Smithsonian miscellaneous collections

(1)

VOLUME

95. NUMBER10

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FOLSOM COMPLEX

REPORT ON THE SECOND SEASON'S INVESTI-

GATIONS AT THE LINDENMEIER SITE IN NORTHERN COLORADO

(With 12 Plates)

BY

FRANK

H. H. ROBERTS, JR.

Archeologist, Bureau of American Ethnology

CITY OF

WASHINGTON

PUBLISHED BY

THE

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION JUNE20, 1936

(2)

(3)

SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS

VOLUME

95,NUMBER10

REPORT ON THE SECOND SEASON'S INVESTI-

GATIONS AT THE LINDENMEIER SITE IN NORTHERN COLORADO

(With 12 Plates)

BY

FRANK

H. H. ROBERTS, JR.

Archeologist, Bureauof American Ethnology

^

(Publication 3390)

CITY OF

WASHINGTON

PUBLISHED BY

THE

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

JUNE

20, 1936

(4)

BALTIMORE,MD.,0.S.A,

(5)

TEXT FIGURES

1. Cross-sectionsoftrenchwalls,face ofdeeppit,andsides ofbisonpit. ... 6

2.

Yuma

point,cross-sectionandbase types 21

3. Side scraperswithconcave cutting edges 23

4. Nodule scraper 25

5. Choppers 28

MAP

Map

I. TheLindcnmeiersite (Frontispiece)

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1

(7)

(8)

(9)

Report on the Second

Season's Investigations

at the LiNDENMEIER

SiTE IN

NORTHERN COLORADO

By

frank

H. H.

ROBERTS,

JR.

ArcJieologist,BureauofAmericanEthnolflfjy

(With

12Plates)

INTRODUCTION

Duringthe

summer

of 1935 further investigationswere conducted attheLindenmeier sitein northern Colorado. It

was

at thislocation that the first definite complex of stone implements attributable to

Folsom man was

foundin situinthe

autumn

of 1934.'

From

thefirst of June until early Septemberthe writer and a group of associates carriedonaseriesof excavationsinaneffort toobtain

more

informa- tiononthislittle-known phase of

American

archeology.

The

^results weregratifyingin

some

respectsbut in others fellshort of expecta- tions.

The

digging yielded 750^artifacts,large quantities of chipper's debris

—

innumerable fragments of stone forminga byproductof the tool-making industry

—

and several deposits of bones

from

animals

whose

flesh or skins had been used by the one-time dwellers at the site.

No human

skeletal material

was

found. This

was

disappointing, inasmuchas all interestedin the subject are anxious to

know

what thepeople arelike

who made

theimplements. Fragmentsof charcoal and ^scatteredashes wereplentiful,butno indications of ashelter or habitation were observed.

The

presence of hammerstones accompa- niedbychipsandflakes

was

notedata

number

ofplaces. Thesesug- gested thatoneor

more

individualshad beenseated there while shaping tools out of rough stone nodules. Pieces of several projectile points,aswellas otherimplements,thathad been brokeninthe

making

wereobtained

from

one suchspot.

By

fittingthe fragmentstogether andrestoring theflakesitispossibletogaingoodevidenceconcerning thetechniqueused inmanufacturingthetools.

Dr. Kirk Bryan, of the division of geology,

Harvard

University, assisted by Franklin

McCann

and JohnT. Hack,spent the

month

of

Roberts, 1935.

Smithsonian MiscellaneousCollections, Vol.95, No. 10

(10)

THE UNDENMEIER SITE

SEC. 27,T.12 N.,R.69W.,61^!P.M.

LARIMER COUNTY. COLORADO Fohomcampsite/nvestigatedbyexpeditionfrom Bureauof^AmericanEthnology, SmithsonianInstitution,

underdirectionof^Frant<^H.H. Roberts,Jr.

(11)

(12)

2

SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 Julyinstudying thegeologyof the^district.

As

a part oftheir investigations they prepareda

map

of a portion of the terrain lying to the eastof the archeologicalsite.

To

facilitatetheirwork,alevel

was

run

from

a United States Geological Survey bench-mark(located on the linebetween sec. 19, T. 12 N.,R. 68

W.,

and sec. 24, T. 12 N., R.

69

W.,

sixth principalmeridian) and anaccurate bench-mark based on

mean

sealevel

datum

establishedatthesite. E. G. Cassedy,illustra- torfor the

Bureau

of

American

Ethnology,joined thepartyin

August

and

made

asurvey of thesite proper,and

some

of the outlying area not

mapped

by Bryan.

Mr.

Cassedy has combined his and Bryan's surveysina

map

showing the general topographical features of the site

and

adjacent region.

The announcement

of thefinds

made

attheLindenmeier^siteinthe

autumn

of 1934^attracted wide-spreadattention and arouseda lively interest in the subject.

As

a result there were

many

visitors while

work was

under way.

The numerous

groupsincluded anthropologists, paleontologists, geologists, geographers, andvarious scientists

whose

fieldsof research are notcloselyrelatedtothe presentinvestigations.

Among

the anthropologists attractedtothesite duringthe

summer

of 1935 were^: A. V. Kidder andE.

H.

Morris, of the Carnegie Institu- tionof

Washington;

E.

W. Haury

andE. B. Sayles, of Gila Pueblo, Globe, Ariz.;

Donald

Scott, of the

Peabody Museum,

Cambridge.

Mass.; L. L.Leh,of theDepartmentofAnthropology,University of Colorado;R. L. Zingg, of the University ofColorado

Summer

School, andhis class inanthropology. Dr. E. B.Renaud,of theUniversity of Denver, visitedthe sitea

number

of times priorto1935,and

W.

^D.

Strong, of the

Bureau

of

American

Ethnology, spent 2 days there while the writer

was

at M-ork in the

autumn

of 1934. Geologists, paleontologists, and geographers present during the

summer

were

:

Paul MacClintock, Princeton University; Erederic B. Loomis,

Amherst

College;

Wm. Van Royen

and A. L. Lugn. University of Nebraska;C. Bertrand Schultz,of the NebraskaState

Museum.

Members

of the party engaged in the actual archeological

work

duringthe 1935seasonwere:

W.

C. Beatty,Jr.,Denver,Colo.;C. T.

R. Bohannon, Washington, D.C.; A. L. Coffin, Fort Collins, Colo.

;

L. C. Eiseley, Lincoln, Nebr.; II. L.

Mason,

Silver Spring,

Md.

;

Carl E. Miller,Tucson,Ariz.;

Roger

Mixter, Boston, Mass.;

Wayne

Powars, Greeley, Colo.;and GeorgeL.McLellan, Locli,Calif.

The

Lindenmeiersite,as described inthe preliminarypaperissued inthespring of 1935,'islocatedon anold valley bottom, which,

owing

Roljerts,1935.

1

(13)

XO. lO

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

ROBERTS ₃ to the eroding

away

of the ridgeswhich once bordered italong one side,

now

constitutes a terrace above an intermittent tributary to a seriesof streams whichultimately join the South Platte River.

The work

in1934

was

mainlyconfinedtoadeepdepositof

midden

material exposedinthesideof a ravine that cuts across the terraceinthezone of former occupation, but traces of the cultural stratum were also notedatseveral pointsalong theedgeof theterrace.

The

plan of procedure in 1935 ^called for the digging of

two

largetrenches between theedgeof the terraceandthebankof the ravine (pi. i,fig. i).

The

trencheswerestartedseveralhundredfeetapartatplaceswhere bones andstone chipshad been foundthe previous

autumn

butweredirected so thatthey

would

converge at thepit

where

mostof the specimens wereobtained. This

method

of digging

was

adopted for thepurpose of exposing a complete cross-section of the fill overlying the old

\alley bottom and of determining, if possible, where the artifacts foundinthedeepdeposithadoriginated.

The

expedition did

some work

near the location of the original Coffinfinds.

The

preliminary reportoninvestigationsat the^site discussed its discovery by Judge ^C. C. Coffinandhis son A. L.Cofifin,

andthe subsequentreporting ofits existence tothe Smithsonian In- stitution by Maj.

Roy

G. Coffin, professor of geology at Colorado StateCollege.'

The

paperalsopointed out that the material described in it

came from

aplace a quarter ofamiletothewestof that

where

the first Cofifin finds were made. In discussing the latter the writer mentionedthe fact thatmost of the Cofifinartifacts had beenpicked

up from

the surface, whichis the top of a hard, compact,tufaceous layer,an Oligocene deposit,whichunderlies theentiresite.

The

arti- factshad undoubtedly beenintop-levelmaterial thathad been eroded

away

by

wind

and water. Because of their weight the implements remained until picked up. Portions of the sand, gravel, and nodule layerwhichhadoverlain thecompactdepositremainedin

some

places, and the Coffinshad founda fewobjects onthe contact linebetween the two. After an inspection of the location the writer

was

dubious about thepossibilities of getting

more

information than that already obtainedby Judge and

Major

Cofifinbuthaddiscussed a tentative plan ofprocedure withA. L.Cofifin.

When

thedeeplyburied deposit

was

discovered in the ravine l)ank, indications were that it

was

a

more

likely place for obtaining specimens

from

undisturbed layers, and activitieswere concentrated at that point.

Duringthewinter andearlyspring following the writer's firstex- cavations, the Coffins visited the ^site a

number

of times, and in

"Roberts,1935, pp. 1-3.

(14)

4 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 scratchingaround the remaining ^"islands^"of top-layer earth A. L.

Coffinand

Major

Coffinuncovered

some

bonesattheoriginal location.

On

the strength ofthisevidence, trencheswere

dug

througha portion of the area

where

erosive action had not completely uncovered the basic stratum. This

was

a fortunate procedure because, contraryto the impression of the preceding autumn, there

was

evidence still in situ.

A

bone pile comprising the remainsof several individual bison

was

locatedthere.

Some

of the skeletons were partially articulated and,in

common

withamajorityof the separate bones,wereinagood stateof preservation. Althougha

number

of thebones

had

beencut

and

split,the material as a whole

was much more

satisfactory

from

the standpoint ofthe paleontologist thanthat obtained in the earlier work. It

made

lessdebatable theidentificationof the species of bison presentatthe site

and

corroborated the conclusionreachedthe previous year

from

very scrappyevidence.

Besides animal bones,a

number

of invertebrates were obtainedat the site. Identification of the

moUusks

contributes further to the knowledgeofgeneral conditionsatthetime of occupation.

Fragments

of charcoalwere savedinthehopethat the

wood

couldbeidentifiedand contributestill

more

evidenceonthephysiographicenvironment. This materialisbeing studiedby Dr. Ralph

W.

Chaney,of the University of California, butnoreportonit hasbeen received. Samplesof the soil in whichthe remains were found weretested for possible fossil pollens in a further effort to broaden the picture. This

work was

done by Margaret Kaeiser, of the University of

Oklahoma,

under the direction of Dr. Paul B. Sears,headof thedepartmentofbotany atthatinstitution. Unfortunately, there

was

no evidence of pollenin the dirt. Dr. Paul S. Conger, custodian of diatoms, United States National

Museum, examined

earthsamples forfossil diatoms, micro- scopic unicellular algae that inhabit fresh and saltwater, but found none.

He

noted fragmentsof spongespicules,althoughtheyweretoo disintegrated foridentification.

Inadditionto the

work

done bytheSmithsonian Institution's field party, investigationswere conducted at the Lindenmeier site by the Colorado

Museum

of Natural History, Denver. Their excavations extended

from

June14toSeptemberi. JackCotter,HarleyGoettsche, and Robert_J.

Lanberg

comprisedthe

Denver

expedition. _J. D.Fig- gins, at that time director of the

Denver Museum

and

now

with the

Bernheim

Foundationnear Louisville, Ky.,visitedthesite a

number

of times while his

men

were at

work

there.

Mr.

Figgins and

Mr.

Cotter

made

available tothepresentwriter, for study,allthematerial

(15)

NO. 10

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

ROBERTS ₅ obtained

from

theirexcavations,and

Mr.

Cotteralso furnished acopy of themanuscriptthathesubmittedas a reportonthework.

The Denver Museum

party

dug

aseriesof 15testpits. These were spaced at intervals extending

from

the area of the original Coffin finds to

some

distance beyond the

main

Smithsonian trenches.

The

pitsgave agood samplingofthe character of the deposits across the portion of thesitelyingbetweenthe terraceedgeandtheravinebank on alineapproximately at right angles tothe trenches.

One

of the test holes west of the large trenches penetrated the artifact-bearing stratum at

what

appearedto be alikely spot.

With

thisas a starting pointanarea30feetby 30feet

was

laidofifandcompletely excavated.

Thislargepit

(map

i) yieldedmostof thespecimensobtainedbythe

Denver

group.

THE MAIN TRENCHES

As

previouslystated,the

major

part of the 1935

work

consisted in driving

two

large trenches

from

the edge of the terracetoward the deeppit

where

the 1934activitieswerecentered.

The

trenches were

dug

in lo-footsections. Theirbottomsfollowed the top of thelight- coloredsubstratum justbelowthe oldsoillevel which

was

thesurface of the

ground

atthe time

when

the site

was

inhabitedbythemakers of thetoolsfoundthere. Detaileddrawingswere

made

of the facesand side walls ineach section,and these give a minute record of events involvedinthegrowthof the valleyfill. All of the material obtained fromeach section

was

so designated,andinaddition the positions of specimensinthe section werecarefully noted.

Only

onetrench

was

carriedthroughtocompletion (pi. i, fig.2).

The

other

was

stopped

when

it

became

apparent that the evidence

from

it

would

largely duplicate that

from

the first.

The

completed trench

was

270 feet (82.296

m)

long, 10feet (3.048

m)

wide,andsloped

from

adepthof 3feet (.914

m)

attheedgeof the terraceto 17 feet (5.182

m)

inthe bankof the ravine.

When

the

work

had been completed, the section drawingsof the sides of the trenches were combined into one long diagramfor each wall (fig. i).

A number

of interesting factors are broughtoutbythese diagrams.

The numbers

extendingacross the top of the drawing (fig. i) indi- catethepegswhich

marked

offthecourses of the trenches.

They

were set every 10 feet (3.048

m).

References to specificsections in the ensuingdiscussionwillbeby number.

For

example,section iconsists of that portion lyingbetween pegsi

and

2,section2between2and3,

andso on. Neithertrenchhadacompletezerosection.

As

therehad already been

some

digging atthe terraceedge,

when

the presence of

(16)

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95

(17)

NO. lO

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

ROBERTS ₇ bonesandartifacts

was

noted the previous year, the ^initialpegs were seta^sliortdistance

from

the old excavations. Loosedirt

was

cleared

from

the pits and the walls were straightened to correspond to the linesof theproposedtrenches.

The

remainingearth

was worked

out up to the

number

i pegs. This

made

possible the starting of each trench with a clear-cut

number

i face. Objects found in the zero sections were so recorded, but the careful drawing of section sides andfaces

was

startedwithpeg i.

At

thelowerendoftrench

A

^there

is nodrawing of thedetail of thefillbetween pegs 26 and^28. This

isduetothefactthatthe material inthose sections

was worked

back on a48-foot (14.630

m)

face

from

thedeep pit in the ravine bank, andthe walls of the bigpit did not correlate properlyw^ith those of thenarrowertrench in

making

acomposite diagram. There

was

little change,however, inthelast20feet (6.096

m). The main

difit'erence

was

inthedeepeningof thedarkearthstratuminwhichthe archeological objects are found.

The method

followed in digging

was

that of stripping off thede- posits layer by layer,

from

top to bottom, in a single section.

The

upper strata were

removed

by the use of pick and shovel. Careful checkatvarious placesaboutthesitehad demonstratedthatthe higher levels weresonearlysterile,

from

the standpoint of artifacts,that it

was not necessary tosubject

them

to the

same

careful kind of excavation as thatemployedinthespecimen-bearingstratum.

The

^latter, which^rested

upon

thetop of the hard Oliogocene clay,

was dug

with small tools, bent awls,

hand

trowels, etc., and all the earth sifted throughscreens (pi. 2, fig.i).

The

slow, meticulous

method

ofdigging had several advantages. There

was

littledangerofbreakage,it

made

possiblea careful checkof the provenienceof each specimen (pi. 2.

fig.2),anditfacilitated following the top of the clay bed.

A

different

method was

adopted forthelastfive sectionsin trench A. This

was

necessitatedboth by theincreaseinthe

amount

ofoverburdenand by theshortening of thetime available for thework. In these sections the upper layerswere

removed

bytheuse of a team, plow,andscraper.

The

lowerlevels, however, were subjectedtothe

same

careful

hand

techniqueused throughout most of thework.

The

chief

drawback

to theuse of theplow andscraper

was

inthe fact thatitprevented the drawingofdiagramsof each section face.

Some

information

was

no doubtlost because of this condition, but inasmuch as the side walls were diagramed, most of the essential evidence on changing condi- tions inthe valley ^fillingprocess

was

obtained

from

thesections.

In drawing and recording the depositsin each section, all of the animal burrows were noted.

Even

though

many

of

them

had long

(18)

8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 beenabandoned

and

werecompletelyfilledwithcompactmaterial,they were easily seen.

Wherever

they occurredin the side walls or faces of the sections,they were included in the diagram.

They

have not beenindicatedinfigure i becausethey are not

deemed

essential tothe discussion of the valley fill.

One

interesting fact

came

out of the checkontheanimalburrows, however. It has beena

common

prac- ticeonthe part of

many

to discountall finds

made

incomparatively deep deposits by attributing their location to the

work

of animals.

They

explain that the specimens were either carried

down

by such creatures or fell into holes

made

by them.

Out

of a total of 983 burrows, only i containedan implement.

When

it .isborne in

mind

that 750 implements wererecovered, theextremely small percentage for suchan occurrencebecomes apparent. Furthermore, indications were that the animal concerned had been attempting to

remove

the stone

from

the

burrow

andthat ithad been unableto do so.

Those who

have excavatedinthe Southwest,

where

sitesriddled byprairie dogsare a

common

feature, have frequently noted that the animals will bring objectsto the surfacebut thatitis extremely rareto find specimenscarried

down

into thelowerreaches of the burrows.

The

figures

from

the Lindenmeier ^site certainly

show

that the ^"animal

burrow argument

^"against the authenticity of finds inlow levels has beenconsiderably overemphasized.

Trench

A, thecompletedone, didnot exhibit as

many

complicated featuresinitsupperorshallower sections as did trench B. Neverthe-

less,therewereseveralworthyofcomment.

The

dark, artifact-bearingstratum disappearedtowardthe end of section

4

anddid not ap- pear again until the

work had

penetrated into section 9.

The

^soil coveringoverthetufaceous base had been

removed

by

some

agency, presumablywind, priortothe deposition of theupperlayers. Despite evidences of a smallstream channel cutting across sections6

and

_7.

theerosiondoesnot

seem

tobeattributabletowateraction.

The

top of the clay bed gave

more

theappearanceofawind-scoured surface.

As

amatterof factthebottomof the trench followed across the

sum-

mit of a ridgeinsections_{5 to 9.} Thisridgehad runatanangletothe lineof the present valley

and

isquiteapparentinthebankof theravine

down

stream

from

the pit

where

trench

A

cut into the gully. Test holeswere sunk inthe floorof the trench in these sectionsto

make

certain that the blackstratum did not go belowthe clay

and

thatthe latter

was

actuallythetop of a ridgeand not a lens laid

down

subsequent tothe deposition of the specimen-bearing layer.

The

fewarti- factsand stonechips foundin this part of thetrench were lyingdi- rectlyontop of the basic stratum.

As

a furthercheck onthesituation

(19)

NO. lO

SECOND

REPORT

ON EOLSOM

COMFM-EX ROBERTS 9 asmallertrench

was dug

throughtheareaeastof sections 3to5. This

work

revealed that the artifact-bearing layer there

was

on a slope dropping

away from

theridge.

The

black layer appeared again in section 9 and continued un- broken, though varyinginthickness

from

section to section, through totheravine.

At

firstit

was

thoughtthatthe greaterdepthof thecul- tural layer in sections10 to 13

was

duetothewashing

down

of

ma-

terial

from

the areaabove. Evidenceofwateraction

was

not apparent, however.

There

undoubtedly

was some

drift

from

the higherground but not in sizeable quantities,and the increaseinthickness

may

pos- siblybe explainedbythe factthat the blackstratumoverlay aslight declivity inthetop of the old claybed insections11 and 12.

The

lowersectionsintrench

A

demonstrate clearlythe factors in- volved in the fillingof the old valley andthe raising of the surface level

from

thatoccupiedbythemakersof the implementstothe present top of theground. Thereare

numerous

layersof water-deposited material and evidences of the shifting of intermittent stream beds.

Various soil lines indicate intervals

when

conditionswere static

and

vegetation flourished

unhampered

bymaterial carried

down from

the higherslopes. In theupperlevels of sections 17 to22an oldstream bed is clearly shown. It

was

cut, thewater course shifted, and the channelfilledbefore the present ravine

became

a feature of theterrain.

Despite thefactthat conditionsinthe

West

aresuchthat cuttingand

filling

may

take place at a rapid rate, considerable time is probably representedby theaccumulationinthe valley bottom.

A few

interestingthings

may

benoted regardingtheoccurrence of specimens.

The

mostprolificsectionsintheyieldofimplementswere 12to 16, the greatest

number coming from

16.

The

largest

amount

of chipper's debris centeredin 13, 14,and 15. In section 15oneseries offlakestotallingiii

was

foundina 4-inch (10.16

cm)

radius, with 78of the chipsinasinglepile.

Nearby

were

some

hammerstones,and severalbroken implementsoccurred inthe material

from

the section.

All the fragments

from

theseimplements were obtained, and it

was

possibletorestorethem. In thelot

was

a

Folsom

pointrepresentedby

two

pieces found 4 ^feet (1.2 19

m)

apart. Section 14 yielded the only definitely

worked

piece of bone, a thin diskwith aseries of linescut around tlie edge.

The

percentage of implements by ^sections is as follows: I, 3.6 percent; 2, 5.3; 3, 2.5; 4, i.i; 5, i.i; 6, o; 7, 0.4;

8, 0.4; 9, 1.8; 10, 3.6; II, 3.6; 12, 7.8; 13, 10.6; 14, 7.5; 15, 8.5;

16, 14.5; 17, 3.6; 18, 3.1; 19,3.6; 20, 0.4;21, I.I;22, 0.4;23, 2.1;

24, 2.1;25, 6.7^;26, 4.6.

The

material

from

thedeeppitinthe ravine bankisnotincluded inthese figuresbecausethe

work

donethere

was

(20)

lO

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 not on a comparable basis.

However,

the yield per square foot in trench

A was

greater.

The

proportions average i specimen to 0.9 square foot for trenchA,andispecimen_{to 6.5}squarefeetforthepit.

Cut

and

split animalbones occurred in sections i, 10, 11, 12, and ]6.

Those

in lo, ii, and 12 did not constitute acontinuous deposit throughthethreesections. In 10 thebonesextendedacross the trench

from

themiddle of the section towithin a fewinches of the face of

number

11. In the latter they werealong the west wall inthe half towardsthe face of 12.

Those

present in thebottomof 12 started i

foot (30.48

cm)

beyondthe face of the sectionand continued for

6

feet(1.828

m)

alongtheeast wall.

The

lensextendedintothetrench 2 feet (60.96

cm) from

the east wall.

The

bones

from

the first sections were very fragmentary and in apoor stateof preservation.

Those

in 10 were in better condition and indicated that they

came from

several

young

bison.

The

^implementsandchips of stone inthe sectionwereintermingledwith the bones. In section11were

numerous

small fragments, most of which

show

the effects of burning or at least are partially charred,

and

a

number

of bison foot bones which had been split. Several largestones,

hammers

andchoppers, accom- paniedthebones.

The

materialin12 consisted of exceedinglyscrappy fragments, presumably bison but too shattered for identification.

Section 16contained a

few

scattered pieces w^hich appearto befrom thelegbonesofa bison.

The

bottom of trench

B

had a

more

gradual slope than did the bottomof A,

owing

to thefactthat the ridgewhichcrossed

A

in its sections_{5 to}9

was

notpresentinB.

Trench B

rangedin depth

from

3^feet (.914

m)

attheupperendto 7^feet6^inches (2.298

m)

atthe faceof section 16,where

work was

stopped. Sections i to7 ^(fig. ^i), trench B,gavedistinctevidences of thechannelof a smallstreamthat formerly

meandered down

the slopesacross that portion of theterrain.

The

flow

was

probably intermittent, water being present only afterheavyrainsor

when

the

snows

of winterweremelting,andcon- sistedof the run-off

from

the higher

ground

abovethesite.

The

run- lethad changed its course and size several times. Originally it had

swung

inaslightcurve

from

westtoeastthroughsection2tosection

I.

Owing

tosubsequentfillingandwidening,it

moved down

the slope tosection3.

where

itscourseturnedtosuchanextent thatitfollowed the direction of the trenchthroughsections_4, _5, and6. In section 7

it

swung

oft'towardthe westagainandpassed beyondthebounds of the trench. Considerable quantities of clay were deposited in the channel, and after it had

become

appreciably shallower the water againbeganto cut,although it

formed

a

much

smallerbedalong the

(21)

NO. lO

SECOND

RKPOKT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

ROBERTS II course of the older one. These features donot

show

as well in the diagramsof thetrench walls as theydointhedrawingsof the^section faces,whichare notreproducedinthis report,but study of sections 2 and3,figureI,will

show

theirbeginnings as theyappearedinthewalls.

The

significance of this old stream is that its original channel

was

cut after the deposition of the soil layer which contains

man-made

objects

and

thatit

removed

thisdark stratuiji asit progressed. Fur- thermore, thechanneland itshistory asbriefly sketched provideevi- dencethat there

was

a higher and

more

extensive ridgeabovethesite than that of the present day.

Now

thereisnotsufficient run-ofif,even after the heaviestrains, to

form

sucha course.

Numerous

^{sand and} gravel lenses scattered along the length of the trench demonstrated the occurrence of subsequent washes which carried material

down

from the higher slopes.

With

the exception of sections 13-15 there were no clear-cut channels, however.

Those

sections

showed

that a wide, shallowstreamhadcrossed that point after considerable

ma-

terial had beendepositedabovethe old occupation level.

In trench

B

the largest showing of specimens

was

in sections 7 through 10, although i through ₅

had

a consistent yield.

The

per- centagedroppedin6 andthen

swung upward

to thepeakwhich

was

reached in 9. It then dropped ^ofif to section 12 which containedno implements, although

some

chips andflakes were found^there.

From

thispoint to theendof the trench there

was

a gradual increasein re- turns,but theyield

was

not asgoodasintheearlier sections. Insec- tion 5 theblack layeroneither sideof thechannelcontained a

number

of largenodulesand flakes.

None

were found inthe channel,

how-

ever.

On

the west sideof the trenchat thelower end of section 12, just below peg 13,

was

a shallow, saucer-shaped depression in the top of the old clay bed.

The

concavity held a quantity of charcoaland suggested that it might have been a shallow fire pit, although the underlyingclay

showed

nosigns of the effectsof heat. Itispossible thata small^fireburningfora short timeinsuchapit

would

not cause sufficient discolorationto remain over a long period of years or that suchreddeningas did take place

was

subsequently leachedout.

There

were

some

small fragments of burned bones in the charcoal and aroundthe borders of thebasin.

The

^lens of charcoal extendedinto section 12a distance of 2feet6inches (76.20cm). Itdid notappear insection 13. It projected into the trench for 2 feet (60.96

cm)

in section 12.

The

percentages ofimplements forthe various sectionsⁱⁿ trench

B

are asfollows: o, 1.7percent; i, 7.9^;2,6.2;3,5.2;4,7.1;

5,6.2;6, 1.7;7,7.9;8, 15.8;9, 17.5;10,9.7; ^II,

44;

^12, ^{o; 13,0.9;}

14,2.6; 15,^5.2.

(22)

12

COLLECTIONS VdL. 95

Bone

fragments were not as plentiful in trench

B

asintrench

A

;

also, the pieces found wereas a rule smaller and

more

fragmentary.

Material of this type

came from

sections i, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, and 15.

Sections 7 and 12 contained

numerous

burnedand partiallycharred pieces.

An

interesting correlation is suggestedby the occurrence of the

many

burned fragments in trench A, section 11, and trench B, section 12.

These two

sections werelocated alongthe

same

contour

line,andtheirbottoms, the old occupationlevel,

had

only aslightslope so that the original surface

would

have provided acomparatively flat area,a placesuitablefor

camping

purposes.

The

presence of charcoal intheconcavityinthe old surface insection B-12, theburned bones inbothB-12 and A-ii togetherwiththe large stones and choppersin the latter

—

^as^noted ⁱⁿ ^the ^discussion ^of ^trench

A —

^constitute ^good

evidence that themakersof the

Folsom

pointshadactually tarried for atime alongthatportion of the slope. If thetrenches did not cross a portion of therealcampsite, theyat leastbordered

upon

it. Thisis

further substantiatedbythe factthat subsequent sections in

A

were those

from

whichthemost specimens came.

In discussing the bigpit in the ravine

bank

inthe preliminaryre- port, mention

was made

of evidence indicating that small ponds or

marshy

placeshad been scatteredover the old valley bottom.* It

was

suggested that the deep level seemingly constituted the peripheral vestigesofone suchspot,the

main

portion ofwhich

was washed away when

thepresent ravine, possiblyan olderonealso,

was

formed. In- formation gleaned

from

thelower sections of trench

A

corroborates thatconclusion as well as the suggestion that the archeological objects obtained there represent

midden

material that

was

depositedalongthe edges of ashallow

pond

or slough.

Some

of thespecimens no doubt drifted

down from

thehigherlevels andothers

may

have beentossed outtosinkthroughthemiretothetop of the claystratum

where

they are foundtoday.

They

were notdropped on an occupationlevel, as werethose

from

sections 12-16, because

from

section 23 throughto the ravine the black stratumgave everyindication of an underwater deposit of thekindgenerally associated withbogs.

The

valleyfill, as revealed incross-section bythe trenches, shows that the oldlevelofoccupation consisted of asoillayer,severalinches in thickness, resting

on

a tufaceous substratum, a Tertiary deposit dating

from

theOligocene.

The

soil layerprobably

was

produced by thenaturaldecay

and

break-upof the top of the Oligocene bed and subsequentgrowthofvegetationover thearea.

There was

noevidence

Roberts, 1935, pp. 11, 14.

(23)

NO. lO

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

ROBERTS IT,

of depositionbywater.

No

information

was

obtainedtoindicatewhat agency

was

responsible for the original scouring of the valley and removal of material

down

to the Oligocene stratum or

when

such actiontookplace. Afterthe

abandonment

of the locationbyits

human

inhabitants, material

from

thehigherlevels

was washed down

across thesite.

The

^firstlayertobe deposited consisted of stainedsandand earth, presumably occupation level material

from

the upper slopes.

Thisinturn

was

coveredbysand, gravel,andbouldersswept

down

into the valley

from

its bordering hills.

Then

the alternating periods of erosionandbuilding

up

setinasdemonstratedinthelowersectionsof the trenches.

As

previously stated,allof this change could nothave been extremely rapid herebecause ridges whichcontributedto

some

of the valley fill havesince completely disappeared, beingweathered

away

in theopposite direction. Furthermore,there are good indications thatthe centralportion of the valley,whichliesto the north of theravineandthe archeologicalsite

(map

i),

now

consists ofsecon- daryfill.

The

materialwhichraised the oldbottomtothelevelrepre- sentedbythatabovethedeeppit

was

subsequently

washed away

and the area againbuiltupwith sand,gravel,androcks carried

down from

the ridges to the west and north of the site. Thatthe original fill,

represented bythedepositabovethedeep pitandtheartifactbearing stratuminthe area crossedbythe trenches,

was

notdisturbed

may

be attributed tothe fact thatit

was

far enough

up

the opposite slopeto escape forcesat

work

onthefloorof thevalley. Thisfeature is one, however,whichbelongs

more

properlyinDr.Bryan'sdiscussionof the geology of the site and willnot be considered further at this point.

The

geologic reportwillappear in a later publication on the

work

at thesite.

THE BISON

PIT

The

excavation

where

the bison bones were uncovered measured 20feet (6.096

m)

by 47^feet (14.326

m) (map

i).

Owing

toerosion by

wind

andwater, asmentionedinanearlierparagraph, thedeposit

was

not as deep as in the area

where

the trenches were dug.

The

bonesrangedindepth from 1O7inches (26.67

cm)

attheupperside ofthepitto 3 feet (.914

m)

belowthesurface alongthelowerside.

The

position of the stratahere differed slightly from that observed in the

main

trenches.

The

object-bearing layer did not consistently follow the clay substratum. It rested

upon

a ^l)ed of stained sand andearthwhichinturnlay directlyontheclay.

A

whollysatisfactory explanation forthiscondition

was

notobtained

from

thedigging.

The

bestsuggestionwhichcan be offeredat thistime isthatthei)articular 2

(24)

14

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 animals were killed before a definite dark soil layer had beenbuilt up.

Some

of thebonesextended

down

intothe stainedstratum.

Ex-

posureofa larger sectionin thisareaisprobablyessential toan under- standing of the various factors responsible for the situation.

The

depositabovethebones

was

similartothatintheupperlayers of the trenches, namely, sand, gravel, and

some

boulders, with a thin soil lineatthepresent surface.

At

leastnine individual bison are representedinthecollection

from

this location.

Many

of the bones, including several legs, were still

articulated

when

uncovered (pi.3,fig. i).

The

remainsof onecrea- turewere found with a forequarter,mostof theribs

from

one side, andthe vertebral

column

stillintact.

The

skull,ina

somewhat damaged

condition,

was

nearby. Portions of other skulls were obtained, but they arealltoofragmentarytobe of material assistanceintheidenti- ficationof thespecies.

The

moststrikingfindconsisted ofa vertebra with the tipendof aprojectilepoint inplaceinthe foramen for the spinalcord (pi. 3, fig.2). Thisbone

was

inpositioninthe centerof a group of articulated vertebrae, and

when

^it

was removed from

the ground and

was

beingcleanedbyL. C. Eiseley,graduatestudent

from

the University of Pennsylvania, the point

was

discovered. Hafted on eitheran arroworspearshaft, ithad apparently been driveninto theanimaland thenbrokenofifattheend of the longitudinal groove.

The wound may

nothave been directlyresponsible for the creature's death, but^it

would

have crippled it to such anextent that a killing blow could easily have been administered. This

was

not the only implement

from

the pit, however, as 33 additional specimens of the stone chipper's

work

were foundinassociationwiththebones. These objects consistofpoints,portions ofpoints,various types of scrapers, blades, flakeknives, and gravers. Tavo flakes with chipped cutting edges accompanied the bison skull,

and

several fragmentary points were lying between components of articulated segments in such a

way

astosuggestthattheyhad beeninthefleshof the animals.

The

assemblagein the bison pit recalled in

some

aspects features ()l)served atthe quarry

where

theoriginal

Folsom

findswere made.' Evidenceatthe latterplace indicated the culmination of a hunt and thekillingofanimalsaround awaterhole or

marshy

spot. Afteras

much

of thefleshas couldbe carried

away

had been

removed from

the carcasses, they

were

left tosink inthe mire.

Through

the course of time natural agencies drained the

swampy

ground and covered the site with earth

washed down from

higherlevels in the vicinity.

No

°Cook, 1927; Figgins, 1927.

(25)

NO. 10

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX —

^ROBERTS I5 traces of an occupation level or

camp

were found at

Folsom —

^only

the signsof the kill. In this respectit

was

like the bison pit. Since mostof the material scattered over theLindenmeiersite issoscrappy in its nature, the discovery of partially articulated skeletons and

numerous

whole bones

was

fortunate. Just

why

the

dismemberment

of theseanimalshadnotbeencarriedtocompletioncanonlybe postu- lated.

They may

have beenkilledshortly before thegroup

moved from

thesiteandonly suchportions takenas could be disposed of

imme-

diately.

The camp

possibly

was

oversupplied withmeat andasa con- sequenceonly the hides andchoice cuts were removed.

Then

again, they

may

representa winter kill

when

peltswerethe chiefobjective, thewinter coat being superior for robes orblankets."

Thereisnoevidenceto

show

the

manner

of huntingormethodsof butchering. ^It mustbe borne inmind, however,thatthe period here represented long antedates the era of the horsein

North American

Indian culturesandthat the chasehad tobe conducted on foot, the practiceinvogue

among

laterpeoples

when

encountered by the first

Spanish explorers in the Southwest.' This custom probably called for greater cunning and skill, if not actual bravery, than did the

method

of huntingafter the horse

became

a prominent accessoryin the Plains cultural pattern. It

was

necessary for the hunter to get closeenoughtothe bisontousehisstone-tipped

weapons

withsuccess.

By

analogy, onthe basis of later customs, it

may

be suggested that

Folsom man

erected brush-shelters or blinds close tothe ponds and wateringplaces frequentedbythebisonand baggedthe creatures

from

ambush. Vicentede Saldivar

Mendoca

observedsuch a practice

when

hevisited thebufifaloplainsin 1598as sargento

mayor

of the Onate expedition.' It is also possible that the hunters camouflaged themselves in a

manner

similar to that reported ata

much

later date by Catlin.

He

described the

way

in which Indians covered themselves with wolf skins and crawled on hands and knees ^{to within} ^a ^short distance of the desired

game

andthenkilledit."

Wolves

were

numerous

and

commonly

followed the herds of buffalo,the latter paying little attention to their presence.'"

Bones from

thewolf were found here, sothathuntinginthatfashion

was

notbeyondtherangeofpossibility.

Butcheringan animal thesizeof those representedl)y the material fromthebison pit

would

not be aneasytask. It seemsobvious that

'Catlin, 1841,vol. i,pp.253-254.

'Espinosa, 1933,p.137.

*Bolton,1916,p.230.

"Catlin,1841, vol.i,p.254.

"_Winship,_1896,_p._528.

(26)

l6

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 the skinningand cuttingup of themeat must Imve been clone

where

the slaughtertookplace, in thisinstanceatnogreat distance

from

the camp.

The

situation atthetime ofoccupancy

would

have beenfavor- abletothebrush-blind type of hunting.

A

^{slough or}

marshy

spothad existedinthe old valley floornot far

from

the point

where

thebones were found

—

^this

was

demonstrated in one of the

Denver Museum

test pits.

A

screen placed on the slope above

would

have

made

an ideal placeto await the

coming

of thebison.

The

nature of the soil layerindicatedthatthere

was

fairlyheavyvegetationaroundthewater hole,probably coarse grassand reeds,which would protect the meat fromdirtand sand duringtheprocess of skinning

and

cutting

up

an animal killed at this place.

The

handling of the carcass no doubt presented aproblem of

some

difficulty, asthere were no mechanical

means

for transporting it or to facilitate turning and lifting.

Such work

hadtobedone by

manpower

alone.

The

onlytools available for thedismemberingoperationwerethose of stone orperhapsbone.

The

nearest approximation to the description of such an under- taking is probably that by Castaneda.

The

latter

was

the chronicler for the

Coronado

expedition, which penetrated intothe bufifalo area in 1540.

Members

of that party had an opportunity to observe the Indiansunderconditionscomparabletothose ofearliercenturies. In hisaccount of the skinning of the bison Castanedasaid: "

They

cut thehideopenatthebackandpull itoff atthe joints,using aflint as large asafinger, tied inalittlestick,withas

much

ease asif working withagoodirontool.""

Other documents, one attributed to a friar accompanying the

Coronado

party," one by Luxan,"

and

Fray

Juan

Augustin Morfi's History of Texas,"give good accounts of the use to which various parts of theanimalwereput.

The

skinswere employedinthe

making

of tents,clothes,footgear, and ^rope.

The

sinewswere used to

make

thread for sewing their clothes and tents, and for wrapping shafts.

The

stomachs served as pitchers and vessels, the intestines as con- tainersof fatandof

marrow. Awls

were

made from

the bones.

The

horns were cut into spoons, cups, and ornaments.

The

hoofs were converted into glue to aid in fastening projectile points in shafts.

The

brainswere usedintanningandsoftening thehides. Inviewofall this, it is little

wonder

that the bulk of the bone material

from

the site consists of scraps and splinters.

Even

in the bison pit, which

" Winship, 1896,p.528.

"_Winship, _1896,_p._570.

"

Hammond

andRev, 1929,pp.

" Castaneda, 1935,p. 67.

(27)

NO. lO

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

ROHERTS ₁₇ contrastedsharply with other portions of thesite,

many

of thebones were cutand spHt. and several of the skullshad been battered and choppedinto small pieces.

The

bones

from

thebisonpit were submitted to Dr. C. L. Gazin, assistantcurator of paleontology, United States National

Museum, who

kindly furnished the following notes

:

TheFort Collins material represents anextinct species ofbison and should probably be referredto Bisouiaylori. Thehorns oftheskullare veryincom- plete,but fromthe sizeof theproximal portionsofthe horns, thebreadth of thecranium,andthelength of therostrumitisclearly not a living type.

Comparisons are handicapped by lack of comparable fossil material in our collections outside of Alaska and Minnesota. It has been necessary to rely largelyonpublishedillustrationsanddescriptionsofthenumerous bisonwhich have been designated as distinct species. It is obvious that too many names have been appliedto North American bison and some of theolder types are hardly adequatefor clear diagnosis. Severaloftheknownspeciesare eliminated in comparisons, however. The Fort Collins material apparently could be referred with equal readiness to Bison occidcntalis. Bison faylori, or Bison olivcrhayi,amongthosewhichremain,andthereseemstobesomedoubtas to the validity ofone ormoreofthese.'"

Theskullresembles, and approximatesin size,a skullfrom Kansasidentified by Lucas as Bison occidentalis, which wasthe first reference to this Alaskan species ofmaterial fromtheUnitedStates proper. Thisdetermination byLucas probably furnishedthe basis forcontinued recognitionofthespecies inthe middle western region. The Fort Collins skull is intermediate between the types of Bison taylori and Bison olivcrhayi from Folsom, N. Mex., in breadth ofthe craniumatthepostorbital constriction,but theentire length of theskull is as greatas,or perhapssomewhatgreaterthan, that ofBisonfaylori. Unfortunately, the incompleteness ofthe horns obviates detailed comparisons of these struc- tures; however, the greatest diameter of the basal portionofeither hornabout equals that inBison taylori. Characters oftheteeth which have been used to distinguishspecies ofbison areofdoubtfulvalueand donot help inthepresent case.

The proportionsofmostofthe limb elements are slightlylessthanthe mea- surements givenby

Hay

and Cook for Bisontaylori,although afewofthefoot bones are largerin theirrespectivemeasurements. Thevariouslimbbones and vertebrae, otherthan indicating an animal of distinctly large size, are of little orno diagnostic value indeterminingthe species.'"

ARTIFACTS

The

specimens collected

from

the excavations consist of points, scrapers, gravers, chisel-gravers, choppers, large blades, flakeknives,

"The scrap bones secured in the autumn of 1934 were identified by J. D.

Figgins as beingfrom both Bison taylori and Bison olivcrhayi. See Roberts, 1935,p.31-

" Fora discussionof Bisontayloriand Bison olivcrhayisee Hay andCook, 1930, Figgins,1933.

(28)

l8

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 hammerstones and rubbing stones, and

worked

bones. Pieces of hematite

show

theeffectsofhaving been rubbed forpigment. There are

numerous

flakes, too nondescriptin character tobecalled implements, whichexhibit signs ofworkmanship.

The

collectionalsocon- tainsa large

number

of channelflakes,thelongspalls

removed

inthe flutingof the projectile points. Varieties of stone representedin the implementsare jasper,chert,chalcedony, moss-agate,quartzite, petri- fledwood, geyserite,limonite. granite, quartz, and sandstone.

Most

of the chipped tools, the cutting and penetrating implements, were

made from

^thechalcedony,chert,jasper,moss-agategroup, the^"flint"

of theamateurcollectors. Thistype of material is welladapted for useintoolsand whereveravailableconstitutedthepreferred stone of the implement fashioners.

The

harder quartzite and petrified

wood

were employed but, in addition to being

more

difficult to work, did notproduceasgoodfinishedproducts.

On

theother hand,theywere better for

hammers

and mauls, and

numerous

examples

show

that they,as wellas thequartz andgranite boulders, were used for that purpose. Sandstone is suitable only for rubbing, polishing, and sharpening bonetools and

was

soemployed at this site.

The

percentages of specimens found at the various places where excavationswere

made

isas follows:

Trench

A,37.6 percent^;trench B, 15.2; the big pit inthe ravine bank, 17.5; the bisonpit, 4.4; the smalltrencheastof sections3-5,trenchA, 10.7; miscellaneous,scattered surfacefinds

and

specimens scratched out in prospectingalong terraceedge and ravinebank, 14.5.

There

is an interesting range in the size and ^variety of points (pi.4). Thisgroup constitutes 11.3 percent of the specimens inthe collection.

The

predominant type of point is the characteristically fluted

Folsom

initstwoforms, the longandslenderone withtapering tip, and the short, broad style with the

maximum

breadth of blade occurring close tothetipend." Although most of the specimensare fragmentary examples, there is sufficient material to

show

that the two forms were aboutequalinnumber.

The

short,stubby examples, designated

form A

in thepreliminary paper, range in size

from

one with a length of 22.5

mm,

breadthof 14

mm,

andthickness of3.5

mm,

toone witha length of 70

mm,

breadth of 35

mm,

and thickness of 6

mm. The

long, slender specimens, the

B

form, have a range between one witha length of 23.5

mm,

breadth of 13

mm,

and thickness

"Roberts, _1935,_pp.15-16,fig.2.

(29)

NO. TO

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

ROBERTS IQ of 2

mm,

and one with a length of 60

mm,

])rea(lthof 23

mm

and thicknessof4

mm.

The

preponderance of broken specimens found at most sites has beenpointed out by

numerous

writers. In the 1935 ^series

from

the Lindenmeier ^site the situation remains unchanged, as 87 percent of the pointsare onlyfragmentary examples. In generalthis condition

may

be attributedtothebrittlenesscausedbythefluting.

The

^removal of the longitudinal flakes

from

each face so thinned the points that they

became

extremely fragile.

At

the present site, however,

two

other factors must be considered, namely, that

many

points were broken in the making, and that the collection contains specimens which were never completed.

The

^purpose of the grooves is not known,although a

number

of explanationshave been

made

toaccount for them. It has been suggested that the fluting

was

to facilitate hafting,thesplitendof the shaftfitting

more

snuglyintothegrooves than it

would

ifthe point had a convexbasal surface. Other inter- pretations are that it

was

to improve the penetrating qualities, to permitthehead tobreakoff in the animal, to allow theheadto slip out of the foreshaft,to promotebleeding, andto reduce the weight.

No

^doubta

number

ofsuch ideas influenced thedevelopmentof this typical feature.

The

most important, however, inthe opinion of the present writer pertaintothe qualityof penetrationandthe hafting.

The method

of shapingandchipping

Folsom

points

was

discussed at

some

length inthe previous report and need not be described in detail in thispaper." Itwill sufifice tosay that theevidence

from

the recent

work

substantiates that of thepreceding season andcorrobo- rates conclusions

drawn from

it. These conclusions were that the pointswere first shaped, then thechannel flake

was removed

by in- direct percussion applied to a nubbin or small " seat " left in the centerof the concavity

when

thebase

was

chipped. Finally,theedges wereretouched.

The

1935materialadds one significant factor,

how-

ever,which

was

suggestedbytheearlier specimens, but the evidence

was

not conclusive

enough

to warrantits mention inthe preliminary report. This factoristhatthetip

was

leftinaroughlyroundedstate, not pointed, untilafter the channel flake

was

removed. Its shaping constituteda part of thesecondarychippingbywhichtheedgeswere refined. Several specimens in the

new

series definitely

show

this to have been the practice.

Two

examples, both broken into several pieces in the process of manufacture and tossed aside uncompleted, clearlydemonstrate the feature.

Roberts, 1935, pp. 18-21.

(30)

20

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95

The

broken material

from

the 1935

work

contains

more

tip ends thanthat of 1934, althoughthe butt ends stillcomprise a large percentage of theseries.

Most

of thetip ends

came from

the bisonpit,

andthe inferenceis that theyhad been

embedded

intheflesh of the animals

whose

bones

were

foundthere. In discussing the prevalence of buttendsinthepreviousfindsit

was

suggested that the circumstance could be attributedto the replacing of

damaged

points.

Many must

have snapped ofif in the killing of game. This is illustrated by the tipsinthebisonpitand bytheoneinthe vertebra.

Undamaged

shafts were no doubtretrievedandcarriedbackto

camp

tobefittedwith

new

points.

The

fragmentof the oldone remaininginthe shaft

would

be the butt end, andinthe remountingprocess it

would

be tossed aside to remain in the debris of accumulation.

Such

an explanation, of course, refers only to fragmentswhich

show

that they formed part ofacompleted point;it

would

notapply tobutts

from

thosebroken in themaking.

The

basal portions

were

not always discarded,

how-

ever,asexamplesinthecollection

show

thatit

was

notan

uncommon

practice to take a buttwhich had lost its tipand rechip it so that it

again had a point capable of penetration. Specimens in this group are extremely stubbyand flat-pointed.

Thereare a

number

of pointsinthecollectionwhicharenot of the characteristic

Folsom

form.

One

type in the variant groupconsists of small points

made from

fortuitous flakes,often

from

portions of channel flakes.

None

of these has the fluting;as a matter of fact, they are too thintopermittheremovalof asidespall.

They

definitely belongintheimplement complex, however, and their outlinesclosely follow the general

Folsom

pattern.

The

other type of pointis representedby fragmentsonly,but the pieces are sodistinct intheirnature that they

must

be considered as representative of a

form

found in the

West

which is frequently linked with the Folsom. This is the so-called

Yuma. The

fragmentsare

from

the true

Yuma,

not

from

anyof the multitudinous subtypevarieties.

The

typical

Yuma

point, inthe conceptionof the writer,isonewhichislongandslender.

The

edges extend approximately parallel

from

the base

—

in

some

cases thereisan almostimperceptiblenarrowing towardthe butt

—

forabout two-thirds of the lengthand then taper toa sharp point (fig. 2). It isoval incross-section (fig. 2, b).

The

base

may

bestraight across, slightly concave, ordeeply concave. Sporadic examples have a small shoulder on one or both sidesnear the base, thus forming a slight tang(fig. 2,/). In theshapingprocess the

main

flakeswere

removed

so that the facets extend completely across the face of the blade, usuallyataslightangle directedtowardthetip.

The

edgeswerethen

(31)

NO. lO

SECOND

REPORT

ON FOLSOM COMPLEX

^ROBERTS 21 refined bya retouchin which minute flakeswere removed,a process comparable tothesecondarychippinginthe

Folsom

group.

A

^large ^variety of bladesand pointshave been grouped under the

name Yuma,

and atthe present time thereis considerable confusion as towhatconstitutessuchapoint. In factit seemsthat thetendency

is to callanything

Yuma

that is not a true

Folsom

or a barbed and tanged arrowheadof the recent Plainstype. Dr. E. B.Renaud,of the University of Denver,

was

the first to describe the

form

and gave

it the

name Yuma.

His discussion and classification, including his several subtypes,

may

befoundin hisvarious publications." Dr. E. B.

Howard

considers the Folsom-

Yuma

problem at

some

length in his

"Evidence of Early

Man

in North America,"^'" and _J. D. Figgins has written a

number

of articles on the subject."

As

the situation

.^^J:I%^^k^^j,^''Tih4^iJ^.

:.^M%ffMMi''

?"PA^Iff:

t^£'m

<ci> bed LJ UJ UJ ^ f

Fig.2.

— Yuma

point,a: Cross-section,^/>,•andbasetypes,c-f. (Actualsize.) Stands today, it seems essential to reach an agreement on what ^is meant l)y

Yuma

and that its use be restricted to something

more

specificthan itspresentcatch-all connotation.

The

importance of the fragments

from Yuma

type points found atthe Lindenmeier site lies intheevidence bearing ontheir position in the sequence.

One came from

the latest old stream channel in section B-3. Itsposition distinctly indicated a later deposition than theblack stratumcontaining the

Folsom

points.

The

otherspecimen

came from

the blacklayer. This

was

inA-23.

where

indicationswere thatthe layer

was

thebottom of a

swamp

orbogdeposit.

The

exact positionof thisexample

was

not obtained, as the point

was

foundin the screenand notin situ. Indications were that it had been inthe black fairly highabovethecontact. Sincethiscannot be established withcertainty,itwillbe considered as beingonalevelwith the

Folsom

'"Renaud,1931,1932,1934.

^^Howard, 1935.

='Figgins, 1934, 1935.

(32)

22

COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 material. Portions from twootherpoints,nottypicallythe true

Yuma

type as described in thispaper but of a

form

usually called

Yuma, were

also obtained.

One was

above the black layer in section B-8.

The

other

was

abovetheblackintheareajust eastofA-4.

The

situation

may

then be

summarized

as follows^:

Out

of four specimens attributed to the

Yuma

group, one

was

in a position that

may

be regarded as evidence for contemporaneity with the Folsom, and threewerelater.

The Denver Museum

party obtained,initslargepit,fourspecimens whichinabroad sense of the

word

mightbecalled

Yuma. Two

of these were

from

the contact line between the black and the basic substratum.

The

others were

from

a higher level in the black.

The

situation in the deposit

where

these were found

was

similar to that intrench

A from

section23 throughtothedeeppit.

As

aconsequence thereisthe possibilityof

somewhat

later material sinkingto alower

level.

The

only conclusion which can be

drawn from

the evidence asit

now

standsisthatthere

was

atbestonlyalate contemporaneity between

Yuma

and

Folsom

Smithsonian miscellaneous collections - Smithsonian Institution

SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS

CITY OF

WASHINGTON

PUBLISHED BY

SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS

CITY OF

WASHINGTON

PUBLISHED BY

CONTENTS

TEXT FIGURES

INTRODUCTION

Harvard

mapped

Summer

Roger

some work

number

work was

Denver

The numbers

was worked

method was

Wherever

work had

There

amount

cm) from

ground

swung upward

came from

was made

abandonment

THE BISON

column

Through

manner

mayor

would

Coronado

ARTIFACTS

number

form A

drawn from

embedded

number

name Yuma,

One came from

summarized