An Early Late Holocene Site on the Edge of the Oxnard Plain, Ventura County, Alta California

Abstract

<p>Recent archaeological research at California State University Channel Islands provides valuable new insights into the prehistoric occupation of the Oxnard Plain in Ventura County, California. Analysis of cultural remains recovered at CA-VEN-863 during archaeological testing indicates that the site was occupied in the early part of the late Holocene (cal BP 2590-2100), making it one of the few sites in the region to date to the early Middle Period. Ecofactual analysis of fire-affected rock, shellfish, and vertebrate faunal remains suggest that Native Americans visited the area during the late spring and summer, focusing on the seasonal exploitation of readily available marine and terrestrial resources. Although the site has been disturbed by over a century of agricultural activities, the information gleaned through archaeological analysis provides new insight into an important period in California prehistory.</p>