Mystery in Grapevine Canyon: Gender and Ethnicity in a Historic Period Site.

Summary

The Grapevine Archeological District in Death Valley National Park contains evidence of prehistoric and ethnohistoric occupation. The district also overlaps with the Death Valley Scotty Historic District. A road realignment project in 2014 led to the discovery of a historic period site that appeared to be a mining camp with features and artifacts typically associated with tasks performed by men. Surface features and artifacts included a forge and hand-forged axes; a mining claim cairn marked the eastern boundary of the site. Excavation conducted for mitigation of adverse effect revealed artifacts that hint at the presence of women and children and also raise issues of ethnicity. These artifacts include a thimble, doll’s leg, metate fragments, and knapped glassware.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Archeological Stewardship and Science in the National Park Service

Keywords

Spatial Coverage