Excavation at Four Sites (48SW7456, 48SW7457, 48SW15052, 48SW17323) Within the Bridger Coal Company Underground Mine Lease Area

Susan Murray; Matthew Kautzman; Stacy R. Goodrick

Excavation at Four Sites (48SW7456, 48SW7457, 48SW15052, 48SW17323) Within the Bridger Coal Company Underground Mine Lease Area

Author(s): Susan Murray; Matthew Kautzman; Stacy R. Goodrick

Year: 2013

Summary

Data recovery excavations were conducted during the 2010 field season by Western Archaeological Services at four prehistoric sites located within the Bridger Coal Company Underground Lease area. These sites include the Paired Feature site (48SW7456), the Kindra site (48SW7457), the Jake Roble site (48SW15052), and the North Side Playa site (48SW17323). The project area is located in southwest Wyoming within the Deadman Wash drainage system in the western portion of the Wyoming Basin. The area is xeric and rugged with deeply cut draws, broad benches, and high rocky ridges. The excavations revealed Early Archaic, Late Archaic and Late Prehistoric occupations dating to the Opal, Pine Spring, and Uinta phases. Specialized hearth features, including slab-lined hearths, were used to process floral and/or faunal resources throughout the area during all time periods. Prehistoric hunter-gatherers in the area employed highly adaptive subsistence strategies, which vary along the forager-collector continuum, and are largely dependent on season and resource availability. Data derived from the excavations reveals the focused use of limited resources by small groups occupying short term, satellite camps associated with larger base camps situated along the Deadman Wash drainage system.

Cite this Record

Excavation at Four Sites (48SW7456, 48SW7457, 48SW15052, 48SW17323) Within the Bridger Coal Company Underground Mine Lease Area. Susan Murray, Matthew Kautzman, Stacy R. Goodrick. The Wyoming Archaeologist. 57 (1): 40-49. 2013 ( tDAR id: 476492) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8476492