Howdy Podner! The Strange Story of Soda Bottles on a Cold War Battlefield in Southern Nevada

Summary

In 2016, Desert Research Institute archaeologists identified 26NY15768, an artifact scatter consisting primarily of Vegas Vic brand root beer bottles dating to 1953. 26NY15768 is located in Frenchman Flat on the Nevada National Security Site, known as the Nevada Proving Grounds at the time of deposition. The Nevada National Security Site, under various names, has served as the United States’ continental nuclear test site since it was withdrawn from the Las Vegas Bombing and Gunnery Range at the close of 1950. The location of this site is intriguing given the date. During 1953, two nuclear tests occurred on Frenchman Flat associated with Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE. I describe the site and considers possible explanations for its existence. Evidence for and against each explanation is drawn from historical documents and topographic analysis.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 14872