Modeling the Relationship between Riverine Resource Exploitation, Technology, and Social Organization in the Sacramento River Basin

Summary

Isotopic studies allow for a more refined look at variation in diet and mobility among individuals. These studies have been used in California as a proxy for analyzing human behavioral adaptations. In this study we use stable isotope analyses of human bone collagen and apatite to evaluate diet of individuals from sites within the Sacramento River basin over time. Ethnographic accounts from this area emphasize the importance of mass salmon procurement and describe high levels of social organization, trade, storage, and specialized fishing and preservation technologies. However, archaeofaunal assemblages from this region often lack evidence of intense salmon exploitation, limiting knowledge of the time depth of these practices. For this study, we examine specific dietary indicators of riverine vs marine protein resource exploitation and use this to model the relationship between diet, technology, and social organization through time. Site location and chronological context are used as proxies for technological constraints and population size.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Ancient California: Reconstructing Lifeways with Behavioral Ecology Models

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17334