Dolores Archaeological Program Technical Reports, DAP-012: Archaeomagnetic Sampling Program

Summary

An archaeomagnetic sampling program was executed by Dolores Archaeological Program personnel during the 1978 field season. Currently, project investigators view archaeomagnetic analysis as a primary dating method and as an important complement to dendrochronology. During 1978, University of Colorado field crew members collected 37 archaeomagnetic samples from 6 prehistoric sites. The expected dates for the samples range from A.D. 680 to A.D. 1130; this is well within the extremes for accurate dating established for the American Southwest. Archaeomagnetic results from these samples are appendixed in the individual site reports. Approximately 45 percent of the samples provided Dolores Project archaeologists with temporal estimates of prehistoric contexts based on the samples paleopole position relative to the current southwest virtual geomagnetic pole curve.

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 680 to 1130

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): David A. Breternitz

Record Identifiers

Bureau of Reclamation Contract No.(s): 8-07-40-S0562

Notes

General Note: As of March 2015, this and additional reports are hosted on the US Bureau of Land Management, Dolores Archaeological Program website; http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc/dolores_archaeological/dap_technical_reports.html

General Note: Editors Preface: This report describes the archaeomagnetic sampling program conducted during the initial season of operation of the Dolores Archaeological Program. The preparation of this report occurred before the analysis of samples was completed and the results of the analysis were included as appendixes to the individual site reports once those results became available. One concern of the Bureau of Reclamation archaeologists in reviewing this report was that the type of magnetometer used in analysis of samples was not indicated in the text. Since this report discusses only field techniques, the theoretical basis for archaeomagnetic dating, and the sites sampled during the 1978 field season, there was no place to insert information about the specific type of analytic equipment in the text. The analysis procedures and equipment are described in detail in the 1979 report on the archaeomagnetic program which states that a spinner magnetometer was used in the analysis procedure .

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