Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2008

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography, Geology, and Anthropology

First Advisor

James Speer

Second Advisor

Vincent P. Gutowski

Third Advisor

Russell Stafford

Abstract

Compositional analyses of prehistoric ceramics and geological materials allow archaeologists to establish provenience of artifacts through comparative analysis of the materials used in prehistoric ceramic production. Where pottery clay pastes and tempering constituents originate from locally or regionally available geological materials, identifying their chemical composition and their geographic location and distribution facilitates a better understanding of the inter and intra socio-spatial and socioeconomic patterns among neighboring communities. The Champagne Springs Ruins were occupied during the late Pueblo I (A.D. 700 -A.D. 900) to early Pueblo II (A.D. 900 TO A.D. 1100) periods. The traditional view of local ceramic production from locally obtained materials is addressed for red, gray and corrugated wares. Ceramic assemblage diversity along compositional dimensions establishes that a model of community specialization and exchange existed at the Champagne Springs Ruins. No previous studies address provenience using chemical compositional analysis in the Dolores County area. The establishment of unique geochemical signatures of nearby geological source materials and prehistoric wares may allow archaeologists to differentiate between locally manufactured and traded wares through identification and correlation of their elemental constituents. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy- Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (ESEM-EDS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma- Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) are used to establish the lll geochemical signatures of potential source materials over a broad spectrum of elemental masses from nearby, in situ geological sources and excavated pottery sherds. The purpose of this research is to provide a comparative analysis of ceramic paste and temper of Champagne Springs red and gray ware assemblages and to identify potential clay source materials for their production. Prehistoric pottery exchange and distribution on the eastern Colorado Plateau are discussed through examination of sherd and clay compositional data of numerous sites within the Northern San Juan region. Contemporary wares produced from locally available, in situ shale 'clay' pastes, and igneous tempering materials are analyzed using ESEM-EDS and ICP-MS to demonstrate the relationship between naturally occurring source constituents and artificially manufactured sherds. Historic and contemporary research suggests that red wares recovered from archaeological sites in southwestern Colorado are indicative of trade with cultures in southeastern Utah since provenience was not established locally. Traditionally, pueblo communities in the Dolores County area are said to have likely been more influenced by the Northern San Juan ceramic tradition in southeastern Utah rather than the Mesa Verde tradition to the southwest. This study demonstrates that sherds from the Champagne Springs Ruins have provenience with local, in situ geological materials.

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