Senior Project Advisor

Koetje, Todd A.

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Spring 2001

Keywords

Geoarchaeology, Prehistoric shell midden sites

Abstract

The Western Washington University’s Field School (1999 and 2000 seasons) excavated two prehistoric shell midden sites located on Lighthouse Point in the Deception Pass area, Washington. A geoarchaeological approach was taken in studying site depositional processes; grain size analysis and study of sedimentary structures present in excavation profiles provided information about both natural and cultural deposition at site SK-144 and SK-46. Grain size analysis shows that angular, unconsolidated and poorly sorted colluvial sediments compose the lower beds of SK-46. While it is thought that colluvial sediments also underlie SK-144, difficulty relocating where samples were taken from makes testing this impossible. Regressing beach berms evident in excavation profiles of SK-144 show that changing sea level most likely altered the sedimentation rate and tombolo formation at SK-144; the surface area of the tombolo and therefore the site was larger in the past than it is today. A recent rise in local sea level and possible subsidence of the tombolo has caused erosion of the site evident today.

Department

Anthropology

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Archaeological geology--Washington (State)--Fidalgo Island; Sediments (Geology)--Washington (State)--Fidalgo Island; Excavations (Archaeology)--Washington (State)--Fidalgo Island; Kitchen-middens--Washington (State)--Fidalgo Island

Geographic Coverage

Fidalgo Island (Wash.)

Genre/Form

student projects; term papers

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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