VAFB-2000-03: Eligibility Testing at CA-SBA-935, -2321, and -2345 for El Nino Related Road Repairs, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

Summary

This document is a report detailing archaeological investigations at CA-SBA-935, -2321, and -2345 that were prompted by proposed repairs to a road that cuts through these sites. The intent of this study is to define site boundaries, evaluate significance, and assess potential effects from the road repairs.

Testing at CA-SBA-935 included 197 shovel test pits and 14 test excavation units, as well as 9 surface-collected artifacts. Four spatially distinct artifact concentrations were identified. Of these four loci, two date to the Middle-Late Transitional Period (A.D. 1150-1300) and are assigned to Analytic Units (AU) 2 and 3; one dates to the early part of the Late Period (A.D. 1300-1782) and is assigned to AU 4; and the fourth (assigned to AU 1) could not be dated due to the absence of carbon-based or temporally diagnostic artifacts in the deposit.

One of the Middle-Late Transitional Period loci at CA-SBA-935 functioned as a residential base camp. It contains a dense cultural deposit, anthropic soils, and diverse artifact and ecofact assemblages reflecting a range of manufacturing, processing, and maintenance tasks. The marine shell assemblage is dominated by Mytilus sp. and an unusually high proportion of Tegula sp. The vertebrate faunal collection is dominated by lagomorphs. The flaked stone assemblage contains both formal and expedient tools, although the bifaces recovered from the site are either in early or late stages of manufacture; this suggests that bifacial tools were made and replaced at the site but used elsewhere.

The three remaining loci at CA-SBA-935 functioned as nonresidential special-use areas. Artifact and ecofact assemblages from these loci are present in much lower densities and are less diverse. Lithic analysis of these assemblages indicates that their occupants relied on imported bifacial tools. The area occupied during the Late Period (AU 4) yielded a faunal assemblage that had relatively high proportions of medium/large mammal remains; differences in faunal assemblages between analytic units may be due to climatic changes such as drought. As a result of this study, the authors recommended CA-SBA-935 eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Investigations at neighboring CA-SBA-2321 included 35 shovel test pits and 2 excavation units. Three lithic tools and 179 pieces of debitage were recovered; no faunal remains were observed. CA-SBA-2321 and -935 are separated only by a road and thus are best viewed as a single, continuous cultural deposit. As a result, the authors recommended CA-SBA-2321 eligible for the NRHP.

Excavations at CA-SBA-935 and -2321 identified high-density deposits that contribute to their NRHP eligibility along the edge of the road, in areas designated for repair. As a result, project activities will constitute an adverse effect to both sites if repairs extend beyond the edge of the road. The authors recommended that repairs to the road should be limited to the existing roadbed and that a Native American representative and archaeologist should monitor the repairs.

Work at CA-SBA-2345 included 10 shovel test pits and 1 excavation unit, which yielded only one small marine shell fragment and seven pieces of lithic debitage. One fire-altered rock was also recovered from the surface. The small site area and limited artifact assemblages suggest that the site was used briefly. In addition, the site was not dated. Due to the overall paucity of artifacts and lack of tools, the authors recommended the site not eligible for listing in the NRHP. As such, CA-SBA-2345 is not considered a historic property and the planned repairs will not affect the site.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Radiocarbon Date: 1220 to 1015 (Analytic Unit (AU) 2; Middle-Late Transitional Period)

Radiocarbon Date: 1390 to 1230 (Analytic Unit (AU) 3; Middle, Middle-Late Transitional Period)

Radiocarbon Date: 1240 to 1025 (Analytic Unit (AU) 3; Middle-Late Transitional Period)

Radiocarbon Date: 1455 to 1310 (Analytic Unit (AU) 4; Late Period)

Radiocarbon Date: 1285 to 1065 (Analytic Unit (AU) 3; Middle-Late Transitional Period)

Radiocarbon Date: 1230 to 990 (Analytic Unit (AU) 3; Middle-Late Transitional Period)

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Roscoe Loetzerich; Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB)

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

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

Record Identifiers

Project ID(s): 1998-0008

VAFB Document Number(s): VAFB-2000-03

File Information