Abstract
Large-scale excavations conducted by Smithsonian Institution archaeologists and avocational archaeologists during the 1960s and 1970s at three sites in Seaside, Oregon, resulted in the recovery of a diverse range of material culture curated by multiple institutions. One site, known as Palmrose (35CLT47), provides compelling evidence for the presence of one of the earliest examples of a rectangular plank house along the Oregon Coast. Previous research suggests habitation of the Palmrose site occurred between 2340 cal BC to cal AD 640. However, recent research highlights significant chronometric hygiene concerns of previously reported radiocarbon dates for the Seaside area, calling into question broader regional chronologies. This paper presents a revised chronology for the Palmrose site based on 12 new accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates of ancient cervid bones. I evaluate these new dates and previously reported radiocarbon dates from the site, applying chronometric hygiene assessments and Bayesian statistics to build a refined chronology for the Palmrose site. Calibration of the 12 AMS radiocarbon dates suggests an initial occupation range from 345−55 cal BC and a terminal occupation range from cal AD 225−340−. Bayesian modeling of the Palmrose sequence suggests initial occupation may have spanned from 195−50 cal BC and the terminal occupation from cal AD 210−255. Modeling suggests the maximum range of occupation may span from 580−55 cal BC to cal AD 210−300 based on the start and end boundary calculations. Bayesian modeling of radiocarbon dates directly associated with the plank house deposits suggests the plank house’s occupation may have spanned from 160−1 cal BC to cal AD 170−320. The new radiocarbon dates significantly constrain the Palmrose habitation and alter regional chronologies.
Highlights
In recent years, there has been a growth in the number of museum-based research studies that revisit and reanalyze archaeological legacy collections [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]
Excavations resulted in the recovery of a diverse range of material culture currently curated by two institutions, including the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution, and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH), University of Oregon [9]
As the radiocarbon dates reported by Connolly [60] and Phebus and Drucker [40, 41] provided the basis for the analysis of molluscan remains by Connolly [60] and the subsequent interpretations of shifts in estuarine shellfish to open coast species, the findings of Sanchez and colleagues [9] and the present study strongly suggest the presently reported timing of the bay infilling should be reconsidered and reinvestigated, due to the inclusion of radiocarbon samples which do not adhere to chronometric hygiene standards as applied in this study
Summary
There has been a growth in the number of museum-based research studies that revisit and reanalyze archaeological legacy collections [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12] These projects have investigated a wide range of issues, including colonialism, environmental studies, gender, human subsistence, museum curation practices, and several other topics. In others, unanalyzed and understudied museum collections exist for the site(s) and do not warrant further excavations on sensitive, finite, and nonrenewable cultural resources In these circumstances, museum collections offer an exceptional opportunity to contribute important new information regarding archaeological sites that can confirm, revise, and refine previously reported chronologies and interpretations for specific sites or broader archaeological regions. The Avenue Q site lies beneath residential structures, yards, and roads but yielded stratified and undisturbed deposits
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
