A Paleoclimate Study from Central Washington State along the Main-Stem Columbia River

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Paleoenvironmental data is an important variable to consider when investigating and assessing prehistoric cultural change. This study presents a new paleoenvironmental reconstruction from central Washington State within the Columbia Plateau cultural area. This analysis represents the first large-scale paleoenvironmental reconstruction on the main-stem Columbia River and one of the only paleoclimate reconstructions in the region that uses exclusively archaeological materials. Ten paired mussel shell (Margaritifera falcata) and charcoal samples from archaeological contexts along the Columbia River were submitted for carbonate analysis and radiocarbon dating. The results of this paired analysis are presented here, along with major technological and cultural transitions within the Plateau region. By comparing these datasets, insights into the effect of climate stability on past human adaptations and land-use can be investigated throughout the Plateau.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37523.0