Idaho National Laboratory Cultural Resource Management Plan

Research Topic: Historic Indian Occupations. Once fur trappers and immigrants traveling the
Oregon Trail invaded the area, the aboriginal lifeway again dramatically changed. This culminated with
their confinement on reservations. Even with reservation life, American Indians continued to harvest
resources from a variety of environments throughout the upper Snake River Basin. For example, they
made yearly treks through the INL area to salmon fishing areas on the Lemhi and Salmon Rivers. They
continue today to hunt, fish, and collect plant resources from much of their aboriginal homeland. Use of
traditional resources along with commercial goods involves an increase in logistical complexity, although
much of this increase was involuntary for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Evidence of the historic
subsistence organization is of considerable importance for developing theory about cultural change, such
as when a group is thrust into the twentieth century without their consent.
Data Requirements: Aboriginal sites with historic artifacts (e.g., trade beads and metal or glass
points), especially if undisturbed by modern agricultural or pastoral activities.
Research Topic: Historic Euro American Occupations. When the West was opened for white
colonization in the early nineteenth century, a new level of subsistence organization based on agriculture
and ranching was introduced. For the first time, residential bases such as farms or ranches were not
moved seasonally, and many of the items necessary for life were acquired via technologically or
economically complex systems. Irrigation, wagons, steel tools, and the Sears Roebuck catalogue provided
the basis for this logistically more complex lifeway. Evidence of this era occurs at INL and can provide
valuable information about pioneer life.
Research Question—How much did these early white settlers rely on mail order for their
necessities and how much was available in the local environment?
It is difficult to determine from the historic record how self-sufficient the nineteenth century settlers
were. Archaeological excavations of their trash heaps and their residences can answer this question.
Data Requirements: Any historic site, including residential bases (e.g., homesteads), field camps
(e.g., line shacks and sheep camps), and procurement locations (e.g., fields and irrigation systems).
Research Question: How valuable were iron and steel tools and glass containers?
People without the means to purchase replacement metal tools will repair them until there is nothing
left to repair. The same can be said about glass containers; they will be used for a variety of purposes until
broken. Much can be determined about the level of logistical needs by examining what is discarded by a
historic group. Discarded broken tools that could have been easily repaired indicate a group more
logistically organized than a group that utilizes materials until they are spent.
Data Requirements: Any historic site with trash dumps, especially if it is a residential base site.
Problem Domain: Cultural Relationships
The upper Snake River Basin is in a unique position, being located at the juncture (or overlap) of
three traditionally defined culture areas: the Great Basin to the south and west, the northern plains to the
east, and the American Northwest to the north and west. The upper basin has most often been combined
with the Great Basin culture area because the historic American Indian groups of the Snake River Basin
spoke languages related to those spoken by other Great Basin groups. However, it is clear in the
archaeological record that there were periods when northern plains-related cultures occupied, or at least
interacted with the inhabitants of, cultures of the Snake River Basin. Other times, artifact types clearly
indicate a Great Basin affiliation. There is little, if any, current evidence for a strong relationship with the
Northwest although some artifact styles, most notably fishing gear, indicate contact with that area. The
nature of the northern plains, Great Basin, and Northwest relationship is of keen interest to the
archaeology of the upper Snake River Basin.
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