Idaho National Laboratory Cultural Resource Management Plan

within the last 600 to 1000 years is critical for interpreting other research questions, especially those
concerning cultural relationships.
Data Requirements: Any site with small corner-notched points in a stable context.
Research Question—What is the age of the small side-notched point in the study area?
As mentioned in the previous discussion, small side-notched points began appearing in the
archaeological record of the Desert West after approximately 1000 years ago. By approximately
700 years ago, they are the most common style. Numerous small side-notched point varieties occur that
seem to have different temporal and spatial meaning. Point styles include Desert Side-Notched, General
and Sierra subtypes, Avonlea, Plains Side-Notched, Prairie Side-Notched, Bear River Side-Notched,
Uinta Side-Notched, and Nawthis Side-Notched. These different varieties have only recently been
recognized and most have been recovered during surveys at INL.
Data Requirements: Any site with small side-notched points in a datable text.
Research Topic: Ceramic Chronology. The time depth of ceramic manufacture in the upper Snake
River Basin is poorly understood. Like projectile points, there are different styles and manufacturing
techniques evident in the ceramics of the upper Snake River Basin that probably have temporal meaning.
Three basic styles or types are present:
1. Well-made, thin-walled small globular coiled vessel with limited incised decoration around the rim
and occasionally the handles
2. Crudely made medium-sized paddle and anvil globular or conical vessel
3. Crudely made molded and coiled flat-bottomed vessel.
All of these ceramic styles appear to date to within the last 1300 years.
Research Question—What are the dates associated with the manufacture and use of the
well-made globular vessels in the study area?
Current evidence suggests that this variety of ceramics was the first made in the upper Snake River
Basin beginning sometime shortly before 700 A.D. This style appears to be technologically related to the
pottery technology practiced throughout the Southwest U.S. between approximately 500 and 1300 A.D.
The local specimens may well be the northern-most example of this technological tradition. Of particular
interest is that the manufacture of well-made globular vessels ceased in areas just south of the upper
Snake River Basin by approximately 1300 A.D., but perhaps continued locally into early historic times.
Knowing the date range of this style of vessel is critical to understanding many questions under other
research domains.
Data Requirements: Any site with well-made pottery in a datable context and in association with
other artifacts.
Research Question—What are the dates associated with the manufacture and use of the crudely
made globular and conical vessels?
It is generally interpreted that more crudely made pottery (e.g., Promontory Ware) represents the
incursion of other groups into the area and date to after 1350 A.D. In many surrounding areas, this style
and the crudely made flat-bottomed vessels (see next research question) seem to have replaced the earlier
well-made vessels. This does not seem to be the case in the upper Snake River Basin where both occur in
a post-1350 context.
Data Requirements: Any site with crudely made globular and conical vessels in a datable context
and in association with other artifacts, especially other ceramic styles.
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