Description
Rimrock Draw Rockshelter is one of a handful of archaeological sites in North America dating to over 14,000 years before present (BP). It contains remnants of prehistoric cultural material such as spear points, flaked stone and ground stone tools, a number of hearths (ancient campfires), a great amount of paleo-ecological data that has direct bearing on the local paleo-ecological record and fills in chronological gaps in the record. The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History (UOMNCH) has been working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for over 4 years to provide field, laboratory and office assistance with archaeological research at Rimrock Draw Rockshelter (35HA3855). Their summer archaeological field schools have maintained an active program of research and training in archaeology since 1937, including cataloging collections and preparing them for curation at UOMNCH. UOMNCH is Oregon's primary repository for anthropological and paleontological collections and is the recognized federally accepted repository of prehistoric collections in Oregon and is recognized as such under Oregon State law. Field schools have provided opportunities for youth to complete an archaeological field school, a central requirement by Office of Personnel Management, to qualify as a federal professional archaeologist. The siteâ¿¿s rich deposits has offered wide-ranging collaborative experiences between the BLM, University of Oregon staff and students, and other archaeological experts, to prepare and present papers for professional and avocational meetings as well as articles and peer reviewed manuscripts for publication. The overall objective of this agreement is to continue with archaeological studies at the Rimrock Draw Rockshelter which may ultimately lead to re-evaluation of the chronology and theories about first Americans in the Great Basin and the continent and their interaction with other, later arriving pre-historic people. Further, the data from the site will add to the local and regional paleo-climate and plant community records, providing a more precise picture of the plant communities that occurred prior to 10,000 years ago and, possibly, extending to 16,000 years ago. Specific objectives will include, but not be limited to: 1) Excavate, fully document, analyze and report data recovered at Rimrock Draw Rockshelter. 2) Preliminary reporting in professional and avocational newsletters and presentations at professional and avocational conferences. 3) Develop a professionally trained cadre of field school students and volunteers from avocational groups and interested local volunteers. 4) Provide educational presentations to a wide variety of audiences including, but not limited to, local school children, tribal youth and elders from at least two Native American tribes, and avocational and professional groups. 5)Fulfill a mandate of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 110 regulations, to support scientific endeavors that not only collect data but also convey it to the public and Indian tribes.