The Windust Caves (45-FR-46) are a series of nine caves eroded into a basalt cliff on the north side of the lower Snake River in Franklin County, southeastern Washington. The caves were excavated from 1959 until 1961 by a crew led by Harvey S. Rice.[2] The site contains cultural artifacts dating back over 10,000 years and is culturally associated with other sites in the Columbia Basin.
The 1959-1961 excavation of the Windust Caves was conducted as part of an archaeological salvage project in anticipation of the completion of the Ice Harbor Dam, which inundated the site when its reservoir, Lake Sacajawea, was filled in 1962.[3]
Roald H. Fryxell defined ten stratigraphic units above the basalt bedrock.[4] The earliest unit, stratum I, is interpreted as a fluvial gravel deposit of Late Wisconsin age.[5] The earliest evidence of habitation was found in stratum II, with subsequent strata containing fire lenses, stone tools, debitage, bone fragments, and organic materials.[4] The faunal assemblage at the Windust Caves consists almost entirely of large mammals, including bison, pronghorn, mule deer, and white-tailed deer.[6] Artifacts are assigned to five cultural traditions, which are interpreted to represent about 10,000 years of occupation,[7] but these dates are based only on morphological similarity of stone tools to those found at other sites with radiocarbon dates available.[8]
Cultural Contextedit
The Windust Caves and nearby sites, including the Marmes Rockshelter,[9] are associated with the Western Stemmed (Point) Tradition (WSPT or WST).[10] The WST is characterized by a type of large, stemmed projectile point and is typically dated to 14,500 to 8200 cal. BP.[11][12] The WST is now considered by many researchers to have developed contemporaneously with the Clovis tradition based on WST artifacts found in Clovis-aged deposits at the Paisley Caves and other sites, indicating that the Intermountain West may have been an important region in the peopling of the Americas.[13]
Excavations at Windust Cave C established two distinct cultural assemblages. Windust I, dated to 13,100 to 9000 cal. BP,[6] corresponds to the local archaeological phase known as the Windust phase.[14][10] Windust II is dated to 9000 to 7600 cal. BP[6] and corresponds to the Early Cascade phase.[14]
^ abcLyman, R. Lee (April 2013). "Paleoindian Exploitation of Mammals in Eastern Washington State". American Antiquity. 78 (2): 227–247. doi:10.7183/0002-7316.78.2.227. ISSN 0002-7316. S2CID 164005455.
^Hudson, Adam M.; Emery-Wetherell, Meaghan M.; Lubinski, Patrick M.; Butler, Virginia L.; Grimstead, Deanna N.; Jenkins, Dennis L. (June 2021). "Reconstructing paleohydrology in the northwest Great Basin since the last deglaciation using Paisley Caves fish remains (Oregon, U.S.A.)". Quaternary Science Reviews. 262: 106936. Bibcode:2021QSRv..26206936H. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.106936. ISSN 0277-3791. S2CID 236311342.
^Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Jenkins, Dennis L.; Götherstrom, Anders; Naveran, Nuria; Sanchez, Juan J.; Hofreiter, Michael; Thomsen, Philip Francis; Binladen, Jonas; Higham, Thomas F. G.; Yohe, Robert M.; Parr, Robert (May 9, 2008). "DNA from Pre-Clovis Human Coprolites in Oregon, North America". Science. 320 (5877): 786–789. Bibcode:2008Sci...320..786G. doi:10.1126/science.1154116. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 18388261. S2CID 17671309.
^Smith, Geoffrey M.; Duke, Daron; Jenkins, Dennis L.; Goebel, Ted; Davis, Loren G.; O’Grady, Patrick; Stueber, Dan; Pratt, Jordan E.; Smith, Heather L. (January 2, 2020). "The Western Stemmed Tradition: Problems and Prospects in Paleoindian Archaeology in the Intermountain West". PaleoAmerica. 6 (1): 23–42. doi:10.1080/20555563.2019.1653153. ISSN 2055-5563. S2CID 203243371.
^ abLeonhardy, Frank C. (1970). A proposed culture typology for the Lower Snake River Region, southeastern Washington. OCLC 1032568047.
Sourcesedit
American Antiquity, Vol. 27, No. 4 (Apr., 1962), pp. 607–624 Published by: Society for American Archaeology
Davis, Loren G. Volcanism, Climate Change, and Prehistoric Cultural Succession in Southern Washington and Northern Idaho.
Fiedel, Stuart J. (1992). Prehistory of the Americas, Cambridge University Press.
Kirk, Ruth; Daugherty, Richard D. (2007). Archaeology in Washington, University of Washington Press, ISBN0-295-98696-4.
Rice, Harvey (1965). The Cultural Sequence at Windust Caves (Thesis). Washington State University.
External linksedit
Media related to Windust Caves Archaeological District at Wikimedia Commons
March 16, 2024
windust, caves, archaeological, district, windust, caves, series, nine, caves, eroded, into, basalt, cliff, north, side, lower, snake, river, franklin, county, southeastern, washington, caves, were, excavated, from, 1959, until, 1961, crew, harvey, rice, site,. The Windust Caves 45 FR 46 are a series of nine caves eroded into a basalt cliff on the north side of the lower Snake River in Franklin County southeastern Washington The caves were excavated from 1959 until 1961 by a crew led by Harvey S Rice 2 The site contains cultural artifacts dating back over 10 000 years and is culturally associated with other sites in the Columbia Basin Windust Caves Archaeological DistrictU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtLocationFranklin County Washington USANearest cityWindust WashingtonArea505 acres 2 04 km2 NRHP reference No 84000479 1 Added to NRHPOctober 29 1984The Windust Caves Archaeological District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 Contents 1 Excavation 2 Cultural Context 3 References 4 Sources 5 External linksExcavation editThe 1959 1961 excavation of the Windust Caves was conducted as part of an archaeological salvage project in anticipation of the completion of the Ice Harbor Dam which inundated the site when its reservoir Lake Sacajawea was filled in 1962 3 Roald H Fryxell defined ten stratigraphic units above the basalt bedrock 4 The earliest unit stratum I is interpreted as a fluvial gravel deposit of Late Wisconsin age 5 The earliest evidence of habitation was found in stratum II with subsequent strata containing fire lenses stone tools debitage bone fragments and organic materials 4 The faunal assemblage at the Windust Caves consists almost entirely of large mammals including bison pronghorn mule deer and white tailed deer 6 Artifacts are assigned to five cultural traditions which are interpreted to represent about 10 000 years of occupation 7 but these dates are based only on morphological similarity of stone tools to those found at other sites with radiocarbon dates available 8 Cultural Context editThe Windust Caves and nearby sites including the Marmes Rockshelter 9 are associated with the Western Stemmed Point Tradition WSPT or WST 10 The WST is characterized by a type of large stemmed projectile point and is typically dated to 14 500 to 8200 cal BP 11 12 The WST is now considered by many researchers to have developed contemporaneously with the Clovis tradition based on WST artifacts found in Clovis aged deposits at the Paisley Caves and other sites indicating that the Intermountain West may have been an important region in the peopling of the Americas 13 Excavations at Windust Cave C established two distinct cultural assemblages Windust I dated to 13 100 to 9000 cal BP 6 corresponds to the local archaeological phase known as the Windust phase 14 10 Windust II is dated to 9000 to 7600 cal BP 6 and corresponds to the Early Cascade phase 14 References edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 American Antiquity Davis p 138 a b Davis pp 138 140 Rice p 28 32 a b c Lyman R Lee April 2013 Paleoindian Exploitation of Mammals in Eastern Washington State American Antiquity 78 2 227 247 doi 10 7183 0002 7316 78 2 227 ISSN 0002 7316 S2CID 164005455 Rice p 33 51 Davis pp 140 Fiedel p 121 a b Rice Hudson Adam M Emery Wetherell Meaghan M Lubinski Patrick M Butler Virginia L Grimstead Deanna N Jenkins Dennis L June 2021 Reconstructing paleohydrology in the northwest Great Basin since the last deglaciation using Paisley Caves fish remains Oregon U S A Quaternary Science Reviews 262 106936 Bibcode 2021QSRv 26206936H doi 10 1016 j quascirev 2021 106936 ISSN 0277 3791 S2CID 236311342 Gilbert M Thomas P Jenkins Dennis L Gotherstrom Anders Naveran Nuria Sanchez Juan J Hofreiter Michael Thomsen Philip Francis Binladen Jonas Higham Thomas F G Yohe Robert M Parr Robert May 9 2008 DNA from Pre Clovis Human Coprolites in Oregon North America Science 320 5877 786 789 Bibcode 2008Sci 320 786G doi 10 1126 science 1154116 ISSN 0036 8075 PMID 18388261 S2CID 17671309 Smith Geoffrey M Duke Daron Jenkins Dennis L Goebel Ted Davis Loren G O Grady Patrick Stueber Dan Pratt Jordan E Smith Heather L January 2 2020 The Western Stemmed Tradition Problems and Prospects in Paleoindian Archaeology in the Intermountain West PaleoAmerica 6 1 23 42 doi 10 1080 20555563 2019 1653153 ISSN 2055 5563 S2CID 203243371 a b Leonhardy Frank C 1970 A proposed culture typology for the Lower Snake River Region southeastern Washington OCLC 1032568047 Sources editAmerican Antiquity Vol 27 No 4 Apr 1962 pp 607 624 Published by Society for American Archaeology Davis Loren G Volcanism Climate Change and Prehistoric Cultural Succession in Southern Washington and Northern Idaho Fiedel Stuart J 1992 Prehistory of the Americas Cambridge University Press Kirk Ruth Daugherty Richard D 2007 Archaeology in Washington University of Washington Press ISBN 0 295 98696 4 Rice Harvey 1965 The Cultural Sequence at Windust Caves Thesis Washington State University External links edit nbsp Media related to Windust Caves Archaeological District at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Windust Caves Archaeological District amp oldid 1191710027, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
