A Comprehensive Analysis of Faunal Remains from Lovejoy Springs (CA-LAN-192)

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Expanding Our Understanding of the Mojave Desert: Emerging Research and New Perspectives on Old Data" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Located in the western Mojave Desert community of Lake Los Angeles, Lovejoy Springs (CA-LAN-192), is a large village site with extensive occupation beginning as early as 4000 BP. Four cultural components have been identified at the site—Pinto, Gypsum, Rose Spring, and Late Prehistoric. This presentation utilizes a faunal assemblage excavated by Cerro Coso College in 1989. The collection sat unassuming in museum collections for decades prior to this project. Due to the state of the assemblage, which is heavily fragmented and fire-affected, identification posed a challenge. Despite this, numerous taxa were identified, including a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, and rodents. The presence of cut marks and modified bone offers further insight into butchery practices and use of local fauna at the site. Variations in fauna were noted between levels, suggesting the influence of several factors such as changes in site occupation and environmental shifts over time. Due to the lack of faunal analysis data available in this region, this project provides valuable insights to our understanding of Lovejoy Springs and the region’s ecological and cultural history.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)   •
• Expanding Our Understanding of the Mojave Desert: Emerging Research and New Perspectives on Old Data

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 41597.0