Playa Vista Archaeological and Historical Project, Volume 1: Research Design

Jeffrey Altschul; Richard Ciolek-Torello; Jeffrey A. Homburg; Mark T. Swanson

Playa Vista Archaeological and Historical Project, Volume 1: Research Design

Author(s): Jeffrey Altschul; Richard Ciolek-Torello; Jeffrey A. Homburg; Mark T. Swanson

Year: 1991

Summary

The Playa Vista Archaeological and Historical Project is a multi-step comprehensive approach designed to achieve compliance with applicable Municipal, State, and Federal laws and regulations protecting cultural resources. This document represents the first step: the completion of a project specific research design that presents current knowledge of the cultural resources in the project area and outlines future steps to mitigate potential impacts of the proposed project.

To complete the research design two tasks were undertaken. First, a thorough archival search was conducted. Background information on the environment, prehistory, and history of the area was collected and synthesized. In addition data on six previously recorded prehistoric and several historic locations were obtained from knowledgeable individuals, published and unpublished reports, and historic maps. The background information provides the framework for the development of historic contexts from which the potential eligibility for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places for each particular resource is assessed. The historic contexts developed for Playa Vista are (1) man-land relationships, (2) culture history and cultural dynamics, and (3) historic development of the Ballona.

The second task completed for the research design was a pedestrian survey of the 1,087-acre Playa Vista project area. Seventeen temporary site numbers and five isolated find designations were assigned during the survey. Of the 17 sites, 4 appear to be composed of redeposited historic material and 4 others, consisted solely of dark soil with shell remains. The remaining 9 sites consist of 3 historic sites and 6 prehistoric sites, 3 of which had been previously recorded. Because much of the surface in the project area is either obscured by fill or disturbed, it is possible that the pedestrian survey may not have located all the sites, especially prehistoric sites. Recommendations are made to continue the inventory using subsurface probing.

The report is organized in two parts. Part I, which consists of Chapters 1 through 6, presents background information on the prehistoric and historic occupations of the project area, identifies appropriate historic contexts through which the potential eligibility of properties for inclusion in the National Register is assessed, and describes the current knowledge of cultural resources in the project area. Part II, contained in Chapters 7 and 8, focuses on National Register evaluation and compliance issues.

Cite this Record

Playa Vista Archaeological and Historical Project, Volume 1: Research Design. Jeffrey Altschul, Richard Ciolek-Torello, Jeffrey A. Homburg, Mark T. Swanson. Statistical Research Technical Series ,29. Tucson, AZ: SRI Press. 1991 ( tDAR id: 400874) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8P271P7