Windust Caves

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The Windust Caves (signature 45-FR-46 ) are a group of nine caves in a little more than 800 m long basalt cliff on the north bank of the lower Snake River in Washington state . The caves were examined between 1959 and 1961 under the direction of Harvey S. Rice by a team of archaeologists in an emergency excavation that became necessary because of the construction of a dam. The Windust phase is named after the cave in Northwest America , which was believed to have existed between 8500 and 5500 BC. Chr. Range; this is followed by the cascade phase . Today the two phases are set to 10,000 to 7,000 BC. BC or 7000/6000 to 3000 BC Chr. At the time, the projectile points found there were the oldest in Washington.

The caves were repeatedly used as a shelter by hunters who left numerous projectile points behind, but also atlatls called spear throwers , which dated from 8500 to 5500 BC. Could be dated. Roald H. Fryxell could make out ten strata above the basalt floor , whereby Stratum I did not contain any cultural artifacts. The oldest usage phase (Stratum II) shows strong parallels to the Marmes Rockshelter . The projectile tips can be traced back to the time between 8500 and 6000 BC. To date. Stratum V has been interpreted as a former midden that rose on a sandy beach; Stratum VII contained fireplace lenses with flakes and organic remains. Stratum VIII was sterile and belonged to a phase in which loess was collecting in the cavity. Stratum IX also contained numerous fireplaces, broken bones, plant fibers and remains of wood. Stratum X is in the construction phase of the Northern Pacific Railway . As a result of this construction above the site, pieces of ceiling collapsed in some caves, and looters and collectors had also severely damaged the site. In 1961, the completion of the Ice Harbor Lock and Dam completely flooded the caves , creating Lake Sacajawea .

Until the arrival of the Europeans, the caves were continuously inhabited and used during five successive phases. These five cultures or traditions can only be partially dated. Because of the similarities with a projectile point from a site at The Dalles (Roadcut site), a corresponding point from one of the Windust caves has been dated to 9905 to 8950 BP ; accordingly it comes Tradition I to. Tradition II , which includes layers IV and V, has been dated to 8950 to 7450 BP. Tradition III (the majority of Stratum VI) dates from 7450 to 6450 BP. This includes so-called cascade points . Tradition IV (the upper stratum VI and the lower half of stratum VII), dated between 6450 and 4450 BP, contained 32 projectile points. This layer already belongs to the phase after the eruption of the Mazama volcano. Tradition V extends from 4450 BP to historical times. In addition to the upper layers of stratum VII, it also includes stratum IX. Here could pressure flaking be detected. This very long tradition was divided into further phases, such as the Tucannon, the Harder and the Numípu phase.

literature

  • Loren G. Davis: Volcanism, Climate Change, and Prehistoric Cultural Succession in Southern Washington and Northern Idaho , Master's Thesis, 1995, pp. 138-145. ( online , PDF)

Remarks

  1. ↑ American Antiquity 27.4 (1962) 607-624.
  2. ↑ Stuart J. Fiedel: Prehistory of the Americas , Cambridge University Press, 1992, p. 124.
  3. ^ Museum Of Anthropology , Washington State University .
  4. ↑ Ruth Kirk, Richard D. Daugherty: Archeology in Washington , University of Washington Press, 2007, p. 46.
  5. ↑ Stuart J. Fiedel: Prehistory of the Americas , Cambridge University Press, 1992, p. 67.
  6. ↑ Loren G. Davis: Volcanism, Climate Change, and Prehistoric Cultural Succession in Southern Washington and Northern Idaho , 1995, pp. 138-140.
  7. ↑ Stuart J. Fiedel: Prehistory of the Americas , Cambridge University Press, 1992, p. 121.
  8. ↑ Loren G. Davis: Volcanism, Climate Change, and Prehistoric Cultural Succession in Southern Washington and Northern Idaho , Master Thesis, 1995, p. 138.