VAFB-2014-04: The Sudden Flats Site: A 10,910–10,600–Year–Old Coastal Shell Midden, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, California

Summary

This report documents Applied EarthWorks’ investigations at the Sudden Flats Site, with emphasis on the testing and data recovery excavations. Earlier phases of work are detailed by Lebow, Haslouer et al. (2011) and enough of that work is repeated or summarized in the report to provide context.

In this report, Chapter 1 introduces the site and the purpose of the archaeological study. Chapter 2 provides context by presenting natural and cultural settings. Chapter 3 is a research design that was gradually developed and has slowly evolved during Applied EarthWorks’ 17 years of archaeological studies at Vandenberg AFB. Methods used during fieldwork, laboratory processing, and technical analyses are presented in Chapter 4. Site structure is examined in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 examines chronometric data and the results of obsidian studies. Chapters 7–10 present the archaeological remains recovered from the site, including lithic debris, vertebrate faunal remains, marine shell, and miscellaneous remains, respectively. Chapter 11 interprets the excavation results. References cited throughout the first 11 chapters are presented in Chapter 12.

Eight appendices complete the report. Results of radiocarbon analysis are presented in Appendix A. Fish bone analysis results are contained in Appendix B, and results of archaeobotanical analysis are in Appendix C. Results of obsidian analysis (geologic sourcing and hydration measurements) are contained in Appendix D. A summary of tool attributes as well as the lithic analysis protocols are provided in Appendix E. An updated site record is included as Appendix F. The provenience information log and specimen catalog for CA-SBA-1547 are provided in Appendix G. Correspondence regarding curation of the CA-SBA-1547 collection is found in Appendix H.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) - Cultural Resource Report

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB)

Landowner(s): Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB)

Repository(s): 30 CES/CEVPC Vandenberg Space Force Base

Record Identifiers

VAFB Number(s): VAFB-2014-04

File Information