VAFB-2000-09: Archaeological Excavation and Stabilization at Swordfish Cave (CA-SBA-503), Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, California

Author(s): Clayton G. Lebow; Douglas R. Harro; Rebecca L. McKim; Carole A. Denardo; Jill A. Onken

Year: 2000

Summary

This document is a report that describes excavation and stabilization efforts at Swordfish Cave (CA-SBA-503), a rock art site on Vandenberg Space Force Base. Chapter 1 is an introduction that summaries previous work at the site and outlines the scope of work. Chapter 2 provides a context for site interpretations by summarizing the area's natural and cultural setting. The research design prepared and approved prior to field work is included in Chapter 3. Methods used for both the archaeological excavations and the stabilization effort are described in Chapter 4. Site structure, including formation of the cave, stratigraphy within the cave, depositional processes, and features, are examined in Chapter 5, after which analytic units are defined. Chronological frameworks and chronometric data are presented in Chapter 6. Chapters 7 through 9 present the results of analyses of lithic artifacts, vertebrate faunal remains, invertebrate faunal remains, and archaeobotanical remains, respectively. Site interpretations are offered in Chapter 11. Evidence of hunter-gatherer adaptations at Swordfish Cave is examined in Chapter 12, and recommendations for further studies and stabilization are offered in Chapter 13. References cited with the text are provided in Chapter 14.

Results of radiocarbon analyses are included in Appendix A, while the detailed results of fish bone and archaeobotanical analyses are included in Appendices B and C, respectively. Appendix D contains procedures and protocols used during analysis of lithic artifacts. An updated site record is included in Appendix E, while Appendix F contains the provenience information log and specimen catalog generated during laboratory processing. Curation correspondence is attached as Appendix G.

Cite this Record

VAFB-2000-09: Archaeological Excavation and Stabilization at Swordfish Cave (CA-SBA-503), Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, California. Clayton G. Lebow, Douglas R. Harro, Rebecca L. McKim, Carole A. Denardo, Jill A. Onken. 2000 ( tDAR id: 501066) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8501066

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
Chumash • Historic • Purisimeno Chumash

Material
Abalone • Arrow point • Asphaltum • Battered stone • Bedrock Mortar • Biface • Building Materials • California mussel • Ceramic • Charcoal • Chipped Stone • cobble tool • Core • Cow bone • Dart point • Dating Sample • Debitage • Extrusive volcanic • Fauna • Fire Cracked Rock • Fish Bone • Franciscan chert • Glass bead • Ground Stone • Hafted knife • Hammerstone • Hearth • Hematite • Historic ammunition • Macrobotanical • Manzanita • Metal • Metaquartzite • Mineral • Modern ceramic • Monterey Chert • Nonfish bone • Oak • Obsidian • Ochre • Patterned flake tool • Pestle • Plastic • Projectile Point • Red Ochre • Rhyolite • Sandstone • Shale • Shell • Spear point • Square nail • Stone bead • Unpatterned flake tool • Yellow Ochre Show More

Site Name
CA-SBA-503 • Swordfish Cave

Site Type
Anthropomorphic design • Geometric design • Hearth • Midden • Petroglyph • Pictograph • Rock Art • Zoomorphic design

Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation • Research Design / Data Recovery Plan • Site Evaluation / Testing • Site Stabilization

Geographic Keywords
California (State / Territory) • North America (Continent) • Santa Barbara (County) • United States of America (Country) • Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) • Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB)

Temporal Keywords
Early Period • Historic Period • Late Period • Mission Period • Paleocoastal • Protohistoric

Temporal Coverage

Radiocarbon Date: 1880 to 1620 (Analytic unit (AU) 1; Late Period, Historic Period; shell)

Radiocarbon Date: 1910 to 1535 (Analytic unit (AU) 1; Late Period, Historic Period; shell)

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): 1999-0033

VAFB Document Number(s): VAFB-2000-09

Notes

General Note: Additional radiocarbon dates include: Sample No. 3: 810-760 B.C. and 635-560 B.C. // AU 2, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 4: 820-750 B.C. and 695-540 B.C. // unassigned AU, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 5: 1725-1500 B.C. // unassigned AU, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 6: 1685-1505 B.C. // AU 3, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 7: 1680-1500 B.C. // AU 3, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 8: 1725-1520 B.C. // AU 3, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 9: 1755-1500 B.C. // AU 3, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 10: 1705-1430 B.C. // AU 3, Early Period, charcoal. Sample No. 11: 1615-1385 B.C. // AU 3, Early Period, charcoal.

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Contact(s): Roscoe Loetzerich