Santa Cruz Island Reserve

15 Sep, 04 AM - 24 Sep, 08 AM

The purpose of this research is to better understand how prehistoric human populations interacted with the terrestrial habitats and resources of Santa Cruz Island. The fieldwork will first entail survey of selected areas in the Central Valley, North Ridge, and South Ridge in the vicinity of Laguna Canyon. The primary goal of this survey will be to identify shell middens that have the potential to yield sufficient faunal, floral, and artifact data to address questions regarding terrestrial exploitation. Limited surface collection of temporally diagnostic artifacts as well as limited subsurface testing will be conducted at selected sites. Subsurface testing will include auger and small excavation units (no larger than 1 x 1 m) to 1) ascertain the depth, depth, and extent of midden deposits, 2) collect radiocarbon samples, and 3) assess the possibility of obtaining intact floral remains to evaluate questions about prehistoric plant exploitation. The overall objectives include evaluating prehistoric settlement and subsistence in the interior of and at elevated locations on the island, as well as refining the chronology of human occupation of the island, particular prior to 2500 BP. In the course of my fieldwork on eastern Santa Cruz Island, most of the shell middens I have found and tested in elevated or interior contexts date to earlier than 2500 BP, which is congruent with Mike Glassow?s limited investigation further to the west. I would like to determine whether related settlement and subsistence patterns represent an island-wide phenomenon or reflect regional variations. I will be e-mailing the full project description as an attachment. What I will be sending is the project description Mike Glassow and I submitted as part of an application for a NSF grant to conduct collaborative research between Pomona College and UC Santa Barbara. We were not funded this time, but intend to revise and resubmit this proposal in December. In the meantime, I am funded through a faculty fellowship from the Haynes Foundation, through which I intend to conduct a subset of the research I describe in the NSF proposal. Please let me know if you need more specific information. Regarding logistics, I am interested in conducting fieldwork from September 15-29 with a total crew size of four. The ideal would be to stay at the field station the whole time. But, realizing that there are quite a few researchers likely to be occupying the field station, I am amenable to staying elsewhere, such as at Christy?s (if not, then I can also ask the NPS about staying at the Navy site on the Isthmus). If it is possible to stay at the field station, then I am most interested in having two private rooms, while the other two crew members can reside in dorm rooms. However, I am flexible and will accept whatever accommodations are available. As for transportation, a jeep or truck is fine. I just need enough room for four people plus field equipment. If necessary, I can also reconsider the dates.

Visit #10492 @Santa Cruz Island Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 6985 | Research

Prehistoric Human Interactions with the Terrestrial Environment of Santa Cruz Island

faculty - No Institution Selected

Reservation Members(s)

Jennifer Perry Sep 15 - 24, 2006 (10 days)
Jennifer Perry Sep 15 - 24, 2006 (10 days)
Group of 2 Volunteer Sep 15 - 24, 2006 (10 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Dorm 4 Sep 15 - 24, 2006
Jeep 4 Sep 15 - 24, 2006
Private Room 4 Sep 15 - 24, 2006