Archaeological Data Recovery at CA-SOL-313 Within the Proposed Travis Air Force Base Medical Facility, Fairfield, Solano County, California

Summary

During an intensive survey of a 100 acre parcel of land on the western perimeter of Travis Air Force Base, Fairfield, Solano County, Archaeological Resource Service identified two areas containing prehistoric lithic artifacts. Both of these resources consist of non-local rocks whose distribution is non-random and patterned, lying in direct association with vernal wetlands developed as a result of the shallow alluvial soils within the general project region. These sites have been issued the official designations Ca-Sol-313 {ARS-84-28-2) and Ca-Sol-314 (ARS-84-28-1). Sol-313 was found to be eligible to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion "D", for its ability to yield answers to important research questions on regional prehistoric subsistence patterns and cultural geography of a poorly known tribal area. Sol-314 was determined to be ineligible to the National Register because of its poor state of preservation.

Since the proposed construction of the new Travis Air Force Base Medical Facility would adversely impact Sol-313, and avoidance during construction was not possible or practical, a research design was prepared, and a full scale data recovery program was implemented. The procedures carried out have demonstrated that the lithic component of Sol-313 could not have occurred as a result of natural causes. The sources of important lithics have been determined, and the information interpreted in light of ecological data. It has been clearly demonstrated that Sol-313 has resulted from the seasonal exploitation of vernal wetlands.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Travis Air Force Base Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management Archive - Documents, Images, and other Data   •
• Department of the Air Force Cultural Resources Archive   •
• National Archeological Database (NADB)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Travis Air Force Base

Contributor(s): Jeff Parsons; Larry Silva

Sponsor(s): Headquarters, Military Airlift Command

Prepared By(s): Archaeological Research Service

Record Identifiers

NADB document id number(s): 1191032

NADB citation id number(s): 000000158491

Purchase Order No.(s): PX8000-4-0572

File Information