Geological Study Samples

Part of the Dolores Archaeological Program project

Year: 1985

Summary

The sediments dataset is a catalog of the geological samples used in a study of the physical and chemical properties of local soils. The chemical and granulometric analyses conducted on these samples contributed to an evaluation of potential for successful dry-land agriculture in the Dolores Valley. Soils in the project area are generally derived from eolian parent material and exhibit a loamy texture that indicates their suitability for agricultural production (Decker and Petersen 1987). Constraining factors on soil productivity include macronutrient and macronutrient levels, percentage of organic matter, electrical conductivity (EC), and alkalinity (pH). These variables are used to identify the quality of soils based on the relative amount of nutrients available for plant growth; they are also useful in determining which areas are unsuitable for agricultural development due to their alkalinity or salinity. The sediments dataset provides the alkalinity of each sample with a two digit number; a decimal is assumed between the digits. A logarithmic scale is used to describe sample texture; seven variables in the dataset indicate grain size at fixed percentage points on a cumulative curve, each denoted by the phi prefix. The dataset also includes each sample's Munsell color, the percent of organic matter lost on ignition, phosphate levels, and reaction to hydrochloric acid.

Variables for the sediments dataset have been described by Wilshusen et al. (1999); see especially the section "Samples" by Josh Torres in Chapter 4. In most cases, his descriptions are suitable for use as metadata and have been repeated almost verbatim here. See also Chapter 7, "Resource Studies," by Kenneth Lee Petersen, in the Final Synthetic Report. Selected resources from the collection of published and unpublished DAP reports may have been used for clarification in some cases and will be appropriately referenced.

Cite this Record

Geological Study Samples. 1985 ( tDAR id: 6246) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8QJ7FG3

Data Set Structure

Measurement Column
Count Column
Coded Column
Filename Column
Integration Column (has Ontology)

Table Information: dap-seds10

Column Name Data Type Type Category Coding Sheet Ontology Search
cobjectid The Anasazi Heritage Center (AHC) has given each specimen several unique codes, including cobjectid, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. Since this value is used in association with the AHC ARGUS database for tracking the location of a record, it is important for any researcher requesting objects from the curator.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
site Site number refers only to the sequential position of a site within a single Smithsonian state and county designation. To obtain a full site number for any entry, this value must be appended to the Smithsonian state and county designation.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Horizontal Location none none true
phi75 This variable indicates phi at 75%
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
caccnid The Anasazi Heritage Center has given each specimen several unique codes, including caccnid, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. The first digits of this value indicate the year that it was accessioned.
DOUBLE  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
cdept The Anasazi Heritage Center has given each specimen several unique codes, including cdept, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. This value specifies the tool department to which each record belongs.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Lookup : Description none none true
fs The most basic type of provenience data recorded for all information obtained during DAP fieldwork is the field specimen number. These values are sequentially assigned to unique vertical and horizontal locations within each site.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
loss The percent of organic matter lost on ignition is noted by this variable.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
phi16 This variable indicates phi at 16%
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
phi25 This variable indicates phi at 25%
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
phi5 This variable indicates phi at 5%
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
phi50 This variable indicates phi at 50%
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
phi95 This variable indicates phi at 95%
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
stco This variable refers only to the state and county portion of the Smithsonian Trinomial; To obtain a full site designation for any entry, append the Smithsonian site number to this variable.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Horizontal Location none none true
color The Munsell color rating of each sample is indicated by this variable.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
hcl Each sample's reaction to hydrochloric acid will be indicated by this variable.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
csiteid The Anasazi Heritage Center has given each specimen several unique codes, including csiteid, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. This value denotes the entry's corresponding Smithsonian site number.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Horizontal Location none none true
ph This variable is used to describe the alkalinity of each sample. A decimal should be assumed between the two digits of these values. A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral; values below this mark are increasingly acidic; higher values are basic.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
phi84 This variable indicates phi at 84%
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
phos This variable indicates the edit spot phosphate value, qualitatively ranked from no phosphate to high amounts of phosphate.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value uncategorized none none true
runnum Run numbers were consecutively assigned to each sample during analysis.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
sstype The special specimen type indicates whether items were recovered as isolated finds, or while processing samples such as bulk soil collections. Only source samples, monoliths, or bulk soil collections are applicable to items in this dataset.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Lookup : Description none none true

Keywords

Culture
Ancestral Puebloan • Archaic • Numic and Late Pueblo • PaleoIndian

Site Type
Artifact Scatter • Hamlet / Village • Hearth • Isolated Artifact • Isolated Feature • Kiln • Kiva / Great Kiva • Midden • Military Structure • Pit • Pit House / Earth Lodge • Plaza • Post Hole / Post Mold • Rock Alignment • Room Block / Compound / Pueblo • Water Control Feature • Wattle & Daub (Jacal) Structure

Investigation Types
Environment Research

General
Agriculture • Granulometric analysis • Sediments Analysis • Soil quality • Soil texture

Geographic Keywords
Dolores River Valley • Mesa Verde Region • Southwestern Colorado

Temporal Keywords
Ancestral Puebloan • Archaic • Basketmaker I • Basketmaker II • Basketmaker III • Protohistoric • Pueblo I • Pueblo II • Pueblo III

Spatial Coverage

min long: -108.59; min lat: 37.47 ; max long: -108.5; max lat: 37.57 ;

Source Collections

DAP collections are curated at the Anasazi Heritage Center, Dolores, CO.

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
dap-seds10.csv 90.98kb Jul 30, 2012 2:46:50 PM Public
  • Translated version dap-seds10_translated.xls (238.50kb)
    Data column(s) in this dataset have been associated with coding sheet(s) and translated: