HomeMy WebLinkAboutCT 98-10; Carlsbad Raceway Business Park; Tentative Map (CT) (18)j . AUG. 1 3 1990
-" RECEIVED
SEP 0 1 1998
CITY OF CARLSBAD
PLANNING DEPTo
DRAFT ^
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TESTING OF FOUR SITES
AT THE WIMPEY/GENTRY PROPERTY:
SDi-9041, SDi-9042, SDi-9043, and SDi-9045
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA
Prepared for
WIMPEY/GENTRY INC.
7084 MIRAMAR ROAD, SUITE 400
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
Prepared by
SUE A. WADEPROJECT ARCHAEOLOGIST
MCMILLAN DAVISHELD ARCHAEOLOGIST
SUSAN M. HECTOR, Ph.D
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
1Z76 Mom Boutmra. S*n OMgo. CA 8Z11U-381S 275-3732
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. CULTURAL BACKGROUND 1
m. HELD INVESTIGATIONS 6
IV. ARTIFACT ANALYSIS 12
A. MATERIALS RECOVERED DURING THE
FIELD INVESTIGATIONS 12
B. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS 15
V. CONCLUSIONS 22
VI. RECOMMENDATIONS 22
VH. PROJECT PERSONNEL 23
VHL REFERENCES CITED 23
Attachment 1: Raw data summary
FIGURES
1: Project vicinity map 2
2: Project location as shown on U.S.G.S. map 3
3: SDi-9041 site map and unit location 8
4: SDi-9042 site map and unit location 10
5. SDi-9043 site map and unit location 11
6: SDi-9045 site map and unit location 13
PHOTOGRAPHS
1: Unifacial core and tool 16
2: Unifacial core tools 16
3: Unifacial core tools 17
4: Unifacial cores 17
5: Unifacial flake tools 18
6: Bifaces/blanks 18
7: Bifaces/knives/points 20
8: Bifaces/knives/points 20
9: Bifaces/points 21
10: Bifacial mano 21
I. INTRODUCTION
Four archaeological sites recorded on the Wimpey/Gentry property, formerly
referred to as the Carlsbad Raceway property (Figures 1 and 2), were tested for
significance as required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Section 21083.2. Surface collections and test excavations were conducted at
each site.
Although the sites are severely disturbed by agriculture, raceway improve-
ments, vehicular traffic, and erosion, 156 pieces of debitage and 5 flaked stone
tools were recovered. Private collections held by the previous property owner
were also inspected. The artifact analysis indicated that activities related to
biface tool use were occurring at the sites. Additional artifacts recovered by
the previous property owner indicated that plant processing activities were also
occurring at the sites. He, has also observed possible hearth features during
track maintenance grading.
Due to the severe disturbance, no significant cultural deposits were located
at sites SDi-9041, SDi-9042, SDi-9043 and no further archaeological measures are
necessary at these sites. Subsurface deposits were located on the small portion
of site SDi-9045 which is located on the project property. Because current
testing focused on the small portion located on the project area, which was very
disturbed, no further archaeological excavations are warranted. However, the
portion of site SDi-9045 which remains intact north of the project property is a
very important resource and should be protected. It is recommended that two
conditions be placed on the Final Map approval. The first would require the
portion of the site north of the fence line to be fenced during grading and
construction activities. If this is done, no inadvertent disturbance to the
portion of this site north of the project will occur. The second would require
the on-site grading in the area of sites SDi-9043 and SDi-9045 to be monitored
by a qualified archaeologist. In the event that intact features are uncovered,
it would be possible to hand excavate and recover carbon materials for dating.
IL CULTURAL BACKGROUND
A. RESEARCH ORIENTATION FOR THE SURROUNDING AREA
The Wimpey/Gentry property consists of a small west-flowing drainage
surrounded by several low knolls which rise to the surrounding mesa tops. The
property lies in an isolated pocket where, in the past, riparian vegetation in
the drainage would have been naturally -surrounded by coastal sage scrub vege-
tation on the nearby knolls. Because of the severe damage to the area from the
raceway activities, only small remnants of the original ecosystem remain. The
creek ultimately drains into Agua Hedionda Lagoon.
Previous archaeological studies conducted in the vicinity of the project
have centered on development surrounding Palomar Airport. In addition, devel-
opment and public facilities improvements on the south shore of Agua Hedionda
Lagoon have contributed information related to subsistence patterns close to the
ocean.
Phased archaeological investigations along the proposed Cannon Road
alignment have resulted in the proposition and revision 01 a model for subsis-
tence and settlement patterns in the lagoon area. Test excavations at five
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x-'-'-'X-''' V... * •):'•'•; V/?^rS^!?>gJl PROJECT LOCATION]] |\\^
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FIGURE 2. PROJECT LOCATION ON U.S.G.S. 7.5 MINUTE TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS,
SAN MARCOS, SAN LUIS REY, RANCHO SANTA FE, AND
ENCINITAS QUADRANGLES
R-1276C 2/89
sites along the south shore of the lagoon have demonstrated that the sites
represent a system of interrelated campsites. Artifacts recovered included a
variety of stone tools (including a steatite plummet stone and a deliberately
shaped discoidal mano), lithic waste, shell, bone, bone awls, and a shell bead.
These artifacts reflect activities of a habitation site where the everyday
activities of a campsite took place (Wade and Hector 1989). It appears that a
variety of subsistence activities took place at the site, and that the basis for
occupation of the location was the presence of the lagoonal and marine resources
which were being exploited. Based on the artifact characteristics and the lack
of ceramics (a Late addition to the prehistoric culture in San Diego), it is
suspected that these sites date to the Early Milling period of San Diego
prehistory.
Located less than 0.5 mile inland from these sites, along a tributary to
Agua Hedionda Creek, the Kelly Springs site, by contrast, possesses projectile
point types and ceramics characteristic of the Late Prehistoric period. It is
suspected that the subsistence pattern at the Kelly Springs site included
regular visits to surrounding special-use sites where the resource desired was
processed and the partially prepared resource was brought back to the base camp
site. This pattern of subsistence has been documented at other Late Prehistoric
sites in the county (Hector 1984). It is suspected that the early sites
discussed above along the south shore of the lagoon were also visited by the
Late Prehistoric peoples specifically for the acquisition of shellfish.
Further inland, several sites have been investigated related to Carlsbad
Research Center and the Del Mar Financial development. Within the Carlsbad
Research Center property, one light scatter of shell and a locus of the Kelly
Springs site were located. These sites were assumed to be related to the Kelly
Springs site.
Site SDi-9700, located on the Del Mar Financial property, consisted of
two loci: a shell midden site with a limited assemblage of unifacially flaked
tools, yielded a radiocarbon date of 6,630 + 90 years before the present (B.P.).
This date places the shell processing camp within the Early Milling period. A
second loeus consisted of a flake, core, and tool scatter which was determined
not to represent a quarry locus, but a processing special-use site. It is
thought the two sites were occupied on a temporal}' ba~sis for the exploitation of
shellfish and plant materials. The lithic resources which are present at the
site constituted an additional draw for the prehistoric occupants.
Based on previous investigations, two types of settlement and subsis-
tence patterns have been proposed and seem to be separated by time. The first
consists of temporary base camps which are habitation sites established conve-
niently for the exploitation of resources. Particularly in the case of Agua
Hedionda Lagoon, for the exploitation of shellfish. The second consists of a
permanent base camp established in a compromise location where short forays for
special resources can be accomplished. A particular example of this type of
site is the Kelly Springs site. Based on artifact assemblages and radiocarbon
dating evidence, the_first site type appears to be early (before 2000 B.P.), and
the second appears to be late (after 2000 B.P.).
B. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS ON THE PROJECT PROPERTY
The archaeological sites located on the project property were first
recorded by Malcolm Rogers of the San Diego Museum of Man in the 1920s. He
recorded several localities in the vicinity of ~SDM-W-183 (SDM-W-1S3A and B).
Site SDM-W-183B is the same site as SDi-9045 and SDi-9043. Site SDM-W-183A
consisted of several observed artifacts exposed by grading of Palomar Airport
Road (then San Marcos Road). The location of SDi-9042 was mapped by Rogers, but
was not formally assigned a number until 1979. Rogers described the three loci
of site SDM-W-183 as Littoral II and San Dieguito II (his classifications of the
two early periods of San Diego prehistory). He specifies that felsite artifacts
were observed and recovered in small quantities and that "a few broken metates
and manos were present" (Rogers n.d.).
More recently, the property was surveyed by R. Norwood (1981). The site
locations reported by Rogers were relocated with the exception of SDM-W-183A,
the location which had been exposed by road grading for San Marcos Road. It is
possible that this area was destroyed by improvements to Palomar Airport Road in
the intervening 50 years.
Norwood's observations regarding the sites reflect a situation similar
for the most part with conditions when the current fieldwprk was completed. One
notable exception regards SDi-9045 which Norwood determined to be completely off
the project property; in actuality, a small portion is located on the property.
Photographs taken in 1981 show the extent of the raceway impacts to be similar
to today. It is probable, however, that the severity of the impacts has
increased with use.
The northern portion of the knoll top where site SDi-9041 is located was
reported by Norwood to have been in recent cultivation. Very few artifacts were
observed at the site: five flakes were located south of the fence which runs
east to west across the site and two flakes were found in a shovel scrape
surface test conducted in an areas of darkened soil on the north of the fence.
Norwood proposed that the value of the site would lie in any subsurface deposits
which remained below the plow zone.
Site SDi-9042 was observed to be situated on the west-facing slope of an
east/west-trending ridge. Norwood observed subsurface materials in the road
cut, although no darkened midden soil was observed. He noted that most arti-
facts recovered from the surface were deposited as a result of road construction
and subsequent erosion. He indicated that intact deposits were possibly located
both north and south of the road. Surface artifacts collected included 95
flakes, 4 scrapers, 2 edge-damaged flakes, 2 cores, and 1 projectile point. He
noted that the artifacts suggested an Early Milling period occupation.
Impacts to site SDi-9043 from the racetrack were noted by Norwood. Most
materials were found on the raceway or near a bridge that crosses the track. He
indicated the presence of a remnant of potential subsurface deposit, or darkened
soil. Artifacts collected by Norwood included 26 flakes, 1 core, 1 mano, and 1
biface fragment. Again, he postulated an Early Milling occupation.
Site SDi-9045 was described as being off the property to the north and
potentially subject to off-site impacts. The site consisted of a surface
j
scatter of artifacts and midden deposit. Approximately 100 flakes, 1 scraper,
1 mano fragment, and thermally fractured rock were observed. The site was
ascribed to the £arly Milling period.
Two biface fragments and one projectile point were recovered during
Norwood's fieldwork. These artifacts are particularly interesting and important
because of their time and geographical diagnostic qualities. One biface and the
projectile point were recovered from SDi-9042. The biface is the midsection of
a relatively large biface of porphyritic andesite. The specimen is moderately
patinated and showed no use wear. The projectile point is composed of a "...
motted [sic] grey and maroon chert. The material apparently contains pockets
of impurities, perhaps calcite that has dissolved away leaving a large pocket in
the specimen that looks like a notch. The tip of the crudely pressure-flaked
specimen is broken off. The specimen has a shape and shouldering reminiscent of
a Silver Lake series projectile point; however, the base is slightly concave. A
similar specimen was discovered during excavation of an Early Milling site at
Fairbanks Ranch (SDM-W-593) which dated between 6200 ± 70 and 6840 ± 90 years
B.P. (Norwood 1980)." The third biface was recovered from SDi-9043 within the
racetrack. It consists of a "very crudely retouched, grey porphyritic rhyolite
biface base. In its entirety, the specimen would have been roughly leaf-shaped"
(Norwood 1981). No edge damage was observed.
In conclusion, Norwood emphasized the need for subsurface testing to be
conducted at these sites to determine their significance. He notes that the
lithic artifacts have a relatively high degree of patination, possibly indi-
cating relatively great age. Because these lithic materials do not occur
naturally on the site area, he proposes that the lithic materials were imported
to the site. The flaked materials exhibit fine flaking and Norwood suggests
that the particularism of this trait suggests that these tools had a highly
controlled and specialized function. He notes that it is possible that these
sites represent an inland adaptation of the coastal, maritime oriented, Early
Milling peoples who left their shell middens on the lagoon shores.
HI. FIELD INVESTIGATIONS
On January 5 and 6, 1989, RECON archaeologists conducted surface collections
and test excavations at each of the four recorded prehistoric sites within the
project boundaries. Each site was relocated by the presence on the surface of
cultural materials in the form of flakes and debitage produced in the process of
manufacturing stone tools. After relocation, the surface of each site was
closely scrutinized, artifacts collected, and 1-by-1-meter test units excavated
in areas judged most likely to contain in suu (undisturbed) deposits of
cultural materials. "Site SDi-9043 (SDM-W-3138), which is severely disturbed as
a result of being crossed by the raceway, was treated in a slightly different
manner. Due to the damage inflicted on the site by racing activity, few
artifacts were discovered at any location within the site boundaries other than
the racing track surface. Because the racing surface is an average of 0.5-meter
below the surrounding ground surface and is regularly graded with a bulldozer
(such activity being ^observed in progress while the field team was on site),
there was judged to be no chance of locating cultural deposits surviving in
sim. Five 50-by-50-centuneter shovel test pits were excavated in the areas
within the site boundary which were not a part of the racing surface, in an
attempt to locate less disturbed subsurface deposits of cultural material.
AJ1 excavated dirt, from the shovel test pits and the test units, was
screened through one-eighth-inch mesh to insure the recovery of small or
fragmentary artifacts. The artifacts recovered from the excavations and those
located on the surface were collected and returned to the RECON laboratories for
cataloging, analysis, and curation.
A. SDi-9041 rSDM-W-1831
The site is located on a high knoll that rises above the surrounding
area. The view from the knoll includes the ocean to the west, the surrounding
mesa tops to the northeast and south, and the mountains to the east. The site
is very open and breezy. Very few rocks were observed on the ground surface of
the knoll.
As previously noted, this knoll-top site has been heavily impacted by
past farming practices (Hector 1987). In addition to the disturbance due to
mechanical cultivation, the field crew noted that the site has been further
impacted by leveling and the dumping of gravel over almost the entire surface
area. At the time of the field investigations, the site was heavily overgrown
in weedy grasses, although occasional clear areas and rodent backdirt piles
allowed some surface visibility, Norwood's (1981) area of darkened soil could
not be relocated.
During the surface collection, three pieces of debitage were discovered
on the northeast slope. These isolates are marked on Figure 3. Test units were
placed in areas where the surface disturbance was less "severe (see Figure 3).
Unit 1, placed north of the fence line which bisects the knolltop and just
upslope from the isolates, produced five pieces of lithic material in the
surface to 10-centimeter level. The next 10-centimeter level was sterile;
fragments of yellow clay were observed in the soil, and the unit was terminated.
Unit 2, located south of the fence line, did not yield any artifacts in the
surface to 10-centimeter level, and only one flake between 10 and 20 centi-
meters. A hard yellow clay was encountered in the 20- to 30-centimeter level
and the excavation was ended.
B. SPi-9042 rSDM-W-2003)
Located on the gently sloping area just below a knoll top (removed by
road grading) overlooking the midpoint of the drag strip, this site was felt by
previous investigators to contain a possible midden deposit (Norwood 1981;
Hector 1987). No trace of this midden was discovered during the fieldwork. A
paved asphalt road runs through the site from the bottom of the point of the
ridge to the top. Although stands of native vegetation remain to the north and
south of the road, the area has been disturbed by electrical installations,
spectator foot traffic, and has been heavily washed by erosion. Deep erosional
nils are located on the south slope. Where the erosion is less severe, the
surface soil consists of a shallow loam underlain by sandstone. In areas of
erosion, no remains of natural soil surface were seen.
Five of the six flakes recovered from the surface were collected from
the downslope area in the erosional rills. One flake was observed on the north,
uphill side, of the road. The presence of flakes in the erosional areas is
attributable to redeposition; the main site area was destroyed by the road
placement. A fossil mollusk deposit is located just below the surface of the
UNIT LOCATION AND NUMBER
RECORDED SITE AREA
ISOLATE
FIGURE 3. SDi-9041 SITE MAP AND UNfT LOCATIONS
R-1276C 2/B9
site. In areas where the erosion has exposed the subsoil, the fossil shell is
scattered across the site. A sample of the fossil bearing rock was collected
from an area wnere it was exposed by erosion.
Unit 1, located north of the paved road (Figure 4) in an attempt to
determine if the site extended across the area destroyed by road construction,
was sterile from the surface to 30 centimeters. Unit 2, located south of the
paved road, was equally unproductive. No evidence of prehistoric cultural
activity was noted within or adjacent to the boundaries of the site as mapped.
C SDi-9043 rSDM-W-3138^
This site has been the most heavily impacted by the raceway activities.
Although it is difficult to determine where the original ground surface was
located, it appears that the racetrack, which crosses the recorded site location
three times, is cut from two to six feet below the surface. Berms have been
created at the edge of the tracks, and the intervening areas have been cleared
and leveled in places. The northern portion of the recorded site area appears
to have originally gently sloped up to the knoll located on the northern project
boundary. This knoll has been bisected by a east/west running cut slope
approximately four meters from the northern project fence line. The knoll top
is the location of the remaining deposits of site SDi-9045.
Numerous flakes and several tools were found in the bed of the din
racetracks. The locations where artifacts were located in the tracks are shown
in Figure 5. Several very small stands of native brush were observed, and these
areas were determined to most likely contain intact cultural deposits.
Because the area was so heavily disturbed and the areas where cultural
deposits could be located were small and scattered, it was determined to use
shovel test pits to locate cultural deposits. These were placed in areas close
to where artifacts had been located in the track and in areas where the vege-
tation indicated that the natural ground surface might be intact. Five shovel
test pits were excavated to an average depth of 50 centimeters and no cultural
materials were located. The locations of the shovel test pits are shown in
Figure 5.
Based on the lack of subsurface deposits indicated by the results of
excavation of test pits, the presence of artifacts in the track cuts, and the
fact that the three-meter-high cut slope cuts the site to the north, it is
suspected that site SDi-9043 consists of slope wash from, and possibly the
peripheral area of, site SDi-9045. It is likely that before the knoll was cut
for the racetrack activities, it continued in a gentle slope to the creek to the
south. The racetracks have obliterated all but a few artifacts in the tracks.
D. SDi-9045 fSDM-W-3144^
This site is located along the northern property line, and only par-
tially extends into the project area. As discussed above, the southern site
area has been cut away as a result of improvements to the raceway. This leaves
an approximately four-meter-wide "shelf between the fence on the north and the
three-meter-high cm slope on the south. From east to west, the site area south
of the fence measures approximately 15 meters. Investigations were confined to
this area, and surface collection was restricted to include only the portion of
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FIGURE 5. SDi-9043 SITE MAP
R-1276C 2/89
the site within the property boundaries. The area studied consists of approxi-
mately 10 percent of the site area as recorded; 86 pieces of lithic debitage
were recoverea during the surface collection.
Test excavation units were placed in that portion of the site which is a
part of the project area (Figure 6). Unit 1, to the west, produced only three
pieces of debitage between the surface and 10 centimeters and was sterile
between 10 and 20 centimeters. Unit 2, 10 meters to the east, yielded seven
pieces of debitage at the first level and two lithic fragments at the 10- to 20-
centimeter level. In all, 93 pieces of worked lithic material were recovered
from the surface and unit excavations for analysis.
Based on the recovery for this peripheral area of the site, it is
anticipated that the central portion of the site (north of the project area) is
an important resource. As discussed above, it is apparent that site SDi-9043
and SDi-9045 are portions of the same cultural deposit, artificially separated
by historic disturbance.
IV. ARTIFACT ANALYSIS
A. MATERIALS RECOVERED DURING THE FIELD INVESTIGATIONS
Relatively few artifacts were recovered during the investigations. Most
were recovered during the surface collections from disturbed contexts. The
collection consists of 156 pieces of stone debitage and 5 stone tools. A
listing of the artifacts recovered is provided in Attachment 1.
1. Debitage
The debitage was analyzed utilizing a stage of reduction approach
based on similar studies by Collins '(1975), Norwood, Bull, and Rosenthal (1981),
and Hector (1984). This analysis approach focuses on identifying the stage of
the reduction sequence and the type of reduction technology, which is fepre-
sented by a piece of debitage. These determinations are based on attributes of
the diagnostic flake type, "flake size, and amount of cortex present. Stone
material type is also recorded. This method of analysis allows the investigator
to make inferences regarding site activity (initial quarrying, primary reduc-
tion, tool finishing, tool use, and maintenance, etc.), reduction technology
(biface production, blade production), and preferred material types (e.g.,
metavolcanic, quartz, chert, and obsidian).
One hundred fifty-six pieces of debitaae were recovered: 9 from
SDi=9141, 6 from SDi-9042, 48 from SDi-9043, and 93"from SDi-9045. The majority
of the debitage was composed of porphyritic and nonporphyritic fine-grained
metavolcanic "stone/ commonly called felsite. Two flakes of quartzite were
recovered from the surface of SDi-9045, and one piece of chert debitage was
recovered from SDi-9043. All flakes recovered are related to tool finishing and
resharpening. No flakes were recovered which indicated that stone material was
being quarried or subjected to initial reduction activities at the site. This
is consistent with the fact that very little natural rock was observed on the
ground surface during the fieldwqrk. Significantly, a large proportion of the
collection consisted of biface thinning flakes: type two comprised 21 percent of
the collection. This high number of flakes related to biface production is
unusual in prehistoric sites in the North County region.
12
RECORDED SfTE AREA
UNIT LOCATION AND NUMBER
FLAKES COLLECTED
FIGURE 6. SDi-9045 SITE MAP AND UNIT LOCATIONS
R-1276C 2/88
2. Stone Tools
Tne flaked stone tools were described using an attribute analysis.
This method was used by Hector (1984) and was found to be useful in describing
the multifunctional tools which are typical of hunter-gatherer economies. In
this method, up to two edges can be described through a set of independent
attributes (edge angle, unifacial flaking, unifacial use, bifacial flaking,
bifacial use, and crushing). In San Diego County, this method has proved useful
because prehistoric tools tended to be used and reused for whatever task was at
hand and standardized tools for specific tasks were not manufactured. In
addition, this method enables the researcher to record instances of types of
manufacture and use as opposed to numbers of tools, which could have been used
for many different purposes. Finally, this method allows for a more objective
tool analysis in that it records observable attributes rather than applying
subjective labels.
Five stone tools were recovered: three from SDi-9043 and two from
SDi-9045. All tools exhibited patination which has been cited by some investi-
gators to represent great age (Norwood 1981). Two artifacts were tools which
exhibited bifacial flaking and use damage on two edges. Two artifacts were
flakes which exhibited unifacial use damage: one on two edges and one on one
edge. The fifth artifact is a chert piece, similar in stone material composi-
tion to the projectile point recovered by Norwood and described as mottled gray
and maroon chert. One edge displays unifacial flaking and platform preparation
of a core fragment. The second edge has been unifacially flaked and used. The
tools were all small; the mean weight was 20 grams.
No faunal materials or other classes of tools (i.e., ground stone)
were recovered during the field investigations.
Analysis of the debitage and tools recovered from the site demon-
strated that biface production was a major activity at the site. The presence
of bifaces in a stone tool collection has been discussed by Kelly (1988). Kelly
argues that bifaces are a useful tool in cultures which are mobile and do not
anticipate having easy access to stone raw material for the manufacture of
tools. For a minimum of bulk stone material to be transported, bifaces possess
a maximum of usable working edge which can be resnarpened many times before
expended.
Given that stone tools are required for the tasks to be conducted, and
given that residentially mobile hunter-gatherers must occupy an area of
low raw-material density for an extended period of time, we can expect
bifaces to be used as cores, since they will maximize the total amount
of stone cutting edse while minimizing the amount of stone carried
(Kelly 1988).
In cases where stone materials are expected to be unavailable, Kelly
equates high instances of biface manufacture with a forager subsistence strat-
egy, one in which the^ entire group moves to the location of the resource being
exploited. If the site location is based on the presence of a particular
resource, it is possible that stone raw materials for tool production would not
be easily available. Therefore, the efficiency of the biface was highly
attractive to prehistoric tool manufacturers and users.
14
B. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
During the field investigations, it was discovered that a collection of
artifacts recovered from the project property is held by the family of the
previous property owner. Arrangements were made to analyze and photograph
pieces in the collection. Because the sites on the raceway property represent a
lithic manufacturing tradition which is unusual in this area of San Diego, and
because no intact areas of the sites on the property remain, it was considered
to be important to document these artifacts.
The former owner (Lee Grismer) and his wife have collected artifacts
exposed during racetrack maintenance activities. They currently have a collec-
tion of over 100 artifacts. Although it must be understood that the collection
is biased by the fact that only recognizable artifacts were collected (bifaces,
"domed scrapers," and a mano), the collection can be sorted into four cate-
gories: unifacial cores/domed scrapers, unifacial flake tools, bifaces, and
ground stone. Twenty-seven of the artifacts were photographed and will be
described in this text: all of the bifaces and points, the one mano, and
representative samples of the unifacial flake and core tools and unifacial
cores. All artifacts exhibit a thick, sometimes obscuring, patination of the
surface.
1. Unifacial Cores and Core Tools
These artifacts are illustrated in Photographs 1-4. The majority
consisted of unifacial cores and unifacial core tools. Unlike the majority of
stone tools recovered from archaeological contexts in San Diego County, these
artifacts are methodically flaked and shaped. They have been characterized as
"domed scrapers," "horsehoof cores," and "scraper planes." These artifacts
range in size from 3 to 11 centimeters, the size being related to the amount of
use and subsequent reduction and resharpening of the tools. All are composed of
fine-grained metavolcanic stone. The artifacts illustrated in Photographs la,
4a, and 4b represent unifacial cores and are larger than five centimeters. The
core tools illustrated in Photographs Ib, 2a-c, 3a and b, and 5a-d exhibit
unifacial use as well as unifacial flaking. Edge damage on artifacts in
Photographs Ib and 2a is illustrated in Photograph 3.
2. Unifacial Flaked Tools
These artifacts are illustrated in Photograph 5a-d. Artifacts in
this category are relatively smaller than the core tools, ranging from three to
seven centimeters. All are composed of fine-grained metavolcanic stone with the
exception of 3d, which is composed of a speckled chert similar to that described
by Norwood in 1981. All appear to have been repeatedly resharpened and exhibit
use wear on the flaked edges.
3. Bifaces/BlanVryL, Knives, and Points
Three artifacts were assumed to be blanks and are illustrated in
Photograph 6a-c, Two (a and b) represent unsuccessful reduction attempts where
the reduction flakes repeatedly terminated before removing the central area of
the blank. The remaining biface (c) does not appear to be finally shaped and
has no use damage. All three blanks were composed of fine-grained metavolcanic.
15
PHOTOGRAPH 1. (A) UNIFACIAL CORE (B) UNIFACIAL CORE TOOL
PHOTOGRAPH 2. (A-C) UNIFACIAL CORE TOOLS
REC0N.
R-1276C 3/89
PHOTOGRAPH 3. (A & B) UNIFACIAL CORE TOOLS
PHOTOGRAPH 4. (A & B) UNIFACIAL CORES
RECQN.
R-1276C 3/89
PHOTOGRAPH 5. (A-D) UNIFACIAL FLAKE TOOLS
PHOTOGRAPH 6. (A-C) BIFACES/BLANKS
RECtDN.
R-1276C 3/80
Five bifacial knives are illustrated in Photographs 7a, b, and d and
8c and d. Four points are illustrated in Photographs 7c; 8a, b, and e; and
9a-c. All are composed of fine-grained metavolcanic stone, with the exception
of 9a, which is composed of quartz. All knives exhibit thin cross sections
(less than 1.25 centimeters) and exhibit unifatial and bifacial use damage,
including rounding and micro flaking. All exhibit biface thinning flake scars.
The majority of the points are missing the bases. This is true for all point
types which exhibit a wide midsection and a triangular tip. Two points have the
bases present and these are rounded and show no evidence of having been prepared
for hafting. The one complete point is illustrated hi Photograph 9a and is
composed of quartz. This point has been serrated along both edges. All points
have approximately the same thickness, ranging from 1 to 1.5 centimeters. It is
conceivable that the narrow points (shown in Photograph 9) could have evolved
from the wider points (shown in Photographs 7 and 8) through repeated use and
flaking.
4. Ground Stone
One bifacial mano was recovered by the owner (Photograph 10). This
is composed of an igneous rock with a high quantity of large black mineral
inclusions. The rock type is somewhat similar in characteristics to the
granites of the local coastal mountains, although it exhibits a rock matrix
which is similar to coarse-grained andesite. The mano is highly polished and
shaped, although broken on the edges.
The cores and tools are unusual in the archaeological collections of
San Diego County. The highly diagnostic bifacial artifacts are representative
of what Malcolm Rogers described as the San Dieguito complex of San Diego
prehistory. Several illustrations of San Dieguito artifacts (Rogers et al.
1966) are remarkably similar to the artifacts from the project property. These
artifacts were recovered from sites investigated by Rogers within what he called
the Southwestern aspect of the San Dieguito complex. Dates for some sites
within this complex range from 2700 to 7000 years B.P. (Rogers et al. 1966).
-Similar biface types were also recovered from excavations at
SDi-4648 in the El Cajon Valley (Cardenas and Van Wormer 1984). Although that
collection included" a point type diagnostic of the Mojave Desert (Elko eared
points), points and knives similar in form to the present collection were
recovered. This study concluded that the presence of these diagnostic artifacts
reflected an inland hunting adaptation of the coastal Early Milling peoples who
inhabited SDi-4648 approximately 2600 years B.P.
The artifacts recovered from site SDi-9043 are typologically similar
to collections from what is probably the earliest and most poorly understood
period of San Diego County prehistory. Based on the available information, it
seems that these artifacts were produced by an early, highly mobile, hunter-
gatherer people who ranged from the coastal lagoons to the inland foothills to
the California deserts. We have little understanding of the patterns of this
movement or how the^patterns of movement changed over the length of prehistory.
This lack of information is, in large part, due to the lack of intact, strati-
fied archaeological sites from this early period which have been excavated in
San Diego County. With the increase in development in coastal areas, these
sites are becoming fewer.
1 Q
PHOTOGRAPH 7. (A-D) BIFACES/KNIVES/POINTS
PHOTOGRAPH 8. (A-E) BIFACES/KNIVES/POINTS
3-1276C 3/89
PHOTOGRAPH 9. (A-C) BIFACES/POINTS
PHOTOGRAPH 10. (A) BIFACIAL MANO
REC2W,
R-1276C 3/89
Based on observations by Mr. Grismer, it is possible that intact
hearth features could be present on the project property and could be uncovered
during project grading. Systematic excavation of any remaining intact features
could provide valuable information on site dating (through radiocarbon dating of
carbon materials) and on subsistence patterns (through microanalysis of faunal
and floral remains of soil samples). If recovered, this information would
provide valuable insights into the early prehistoric subsistence patterns.
V. CONCLUSIONS
The four sites located on the Wimpey/Gentry property have been severely
impacted by past agricultural activities and the operation and maintenance of
Carlsbad Raceway. Because of this, the collections made during the fieldwork
may not be representative samples of the sites. More complete samples cannot be
collected because most of the site areas have been destroyed. In addition, many
of the more diagnostic artifacts have been removed by collectors. Despite these
limitations, analysis of the artifacts recovered are indicative of biface
production and use. The stage of reduction represented at the site (as shown by
the stage of reduction debitage analysis) is not indicative of quarrying
activities.
Many questions are raised by the absence of certain types of artifacts and
faunal remains. No faunal materials were recovered which could shed light on
the food materials being processed. No ground stone artifacts were recovered
which would indicate that plant processing occurred on the site. No ceramics
were recovered which would indicate a late date for occupation. Unfortunately,
it cannot be determined if the absence of these is attributable to the distur-
bance and collecting, or if their absence truly reflects the absence of the
activities and dating which they represent. Intact archaeological sites of this
type would represent a very important resource for the interpretation of early
settlement and subsistence patterns.
Significant cultural deposits are likely to exist at SDi-9045 off the
property to the north. Controlled studies of this site could yield information
related to the forager/biface production relationship. Questions could be
answered related to subsistence and the date of occupation. These are beyond
the scope of the Wimpey/Gentry program.
VL RECOMMENDATIONS
Due to the severe impacts which have occurred on sites SDi-9041, SDi-9042,
SDi-9043, and the southern area of SDi-9045, very few artifacts remain; these
have been redistributed by erosion, plowing, foot traffic, and vehicular traf-
fic. All visible surface artifacts were collected during the field investiga-
tions. The units and shovel test pits excavated at sites SDi-9041, SDi-9042,
and SDi-9043 indicated that no significant subsurface deposits remain. Excava-
tions at SDi-9045 revealed that a small subsurface deposit exists in this small
area of the site; however, the area of the site within the project property is
so small and the subsurface deposit so limited, that no further investigation in
this area is necessary. Two recommendations are proposed: one related to
additional potential data recovery and one related to preservation.
9 7
11
Recommendation 1. One important source of information could likely remain
in the site area of SDi-9043 and SDi-9045. As indicated by the previous
property owner, it is possible that intact hearth features could be present on
the propert}'. Investigation of these could produce carbon materials which could
be dated. Therefore, monitoring during grading in this area is recommended.
Should any intact features be uncovered, grading operations should be diverted
from this area while the archaeologist hand excavates and documents the feature
and recovers any special samples (carbon materials for radiocarbon dating or
soil samples for microfaunal analysis).
S*'Recommendation 2. In light of/the destruction of the sites on the property,
the remaining portion of SDi-9054 north of the property is a very important
resource and should be protected from any inadvertent disturbance which could
occur from grading on the Wimpey/Gentry property. It is recommended that this
site be fenced during grading and construction activities for protection.
Issuance of the Final Map approval should be made conditional on the fencing of
site SDi-9045.
No further measures related to cultural resources on the property are
recommended.
VH. PROJECT PERSONNEL
Susan M. Hector, Ph.D. Principal Investigator
Sue A. Wade Project Archaeologist
Mac Davis Field Archaeologist/Artifact Analysis
Cheryl Bowden Field Archaeologist/Artifact Analysis
Russell Collett Field Archaeologist
Harry Price Technical Illustrator
Loretta L. Gross Production Supervisor
Stacey Tomlinson Production Specialist
VUL REFERENCES ClTHD
Cardenas, D. Sean, and Stephen R. Van Wormer
1984 Archaeological Investigation of SDi-4648 and SDM-W-348. RBR and
Associates, Inc.
Collins, Michael B.
1975 Lithic Technology as a Means of Processual Inference. In Lithic
Technology, edited by Earl Swanson, pp. 15-34. Mouton Publishers.
Hector, Susan M.
1984 Late Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherer Activities in Southern San Diego
County, California. Doctoral dissertation, University of California,
Los Angeles. University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
1987 Letter to Mick Ratican regarding an Archaeological Survey Update for the
Carlsbad Raceway (R-1276A). August 17,1987. RECON.
Kelly, Robert L.
1988 The Three Sides of a Biface. American Antiquity 53(4). Society for
American Archaeology.
Norwood, Richard H.
1980 The Cultural Resources of Fairbanks Ranch. RECON.
1981 A Cultural Resource Survey for the Carlsbad Raceway. RECON.
Norwood, Richard, Charles Bull, and E. J. Rosenthal
1981 An Archaeological Data Recovery Project in the East Drinkwater Basin,
Ft. Irwin, California. RECON.
Rogers, Malcolm J.
n.d. Site record form on file at San Diego Museum of Man, SDM-W-183.
Rogers, Malcolm J., H. M. Wormington, E. L. Davis, and Clark W. Brott
1966 Ancient Hunters of the Far West. Union Tribune Publishing Company,
San Diego.
Wade, Sue A., and Susan M. Hector
1989 A Literature Review and Site Check For Archaeological Resources Within
the Proposed Cannon Road, Reaches 3 and 4. RECON.
24
ATTACHMENT;
PAGE NO. 00001
01/01/BO
FLAKES AND SHATTER - RAK DATA SUMMARY
ACC CAT SITE LOCUS UNIT FEAT LEVEL HAT TP1 TP2 TP3 TP4 TP5 TPi TP7 TPB TP9
* SITE 9141
R179 3
R179 3
R179 4
R179 12
R179 12
9141
9141
9141
9141
9141
1
1
2SURF"
SURF
10
10
20
0
0
3
4
3
3
4
SUBTOTAL «
* SITE 9042
R179 11 9042 SURF
R179 11 9042 SURF
« SUBTOTAL «
* SITE 9043
R179 7 9043
R179 7 9043
R179 7 9043
« SUBTOTAL «
SURF
SURF
SURF
0
0
0
3
4
7
10
10
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
20
10
0
0
3
4
3
3
4
3
4
3
4
7
3
3
3
5
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
3
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2fc
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
5
1
2
0
0
1
4
1
0
1
9
0
. 0
9
5
1
1
0
11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
1
4
1
0
1
27
3
1
31
i±
1
2
0
37
* SITE 9045
R179 1 9045 2
R179 2 9045 2
R179 5 9045 1
R17<? 13 9045 SURF
R179 13 9045 SURF
« SUBTOTAL « • ~
1 27 0 0 5 18 0 0 42
« TOTAL «
1 32 0- 0 7 32 3 3 7B
KEY TO FLAKES AND SHATTER
Item
accession number
catalog number
site number
locus
unit
category
feature
level
material
Description
RECON: ROOD WESTEC: WOOD
00000 for SDi-#s
WOOOO for SDM-W-#s
2. debitage
1. hearth
2. burial
3.
10, 20, 30, ...
1. coarse grained
metavolcanic
2. coarse grained
porphyritic metavolcanic
3. fine grained
metavolcanic
4. fine grained
porphyritic metavolcanic
5.
6,
5. quartzite
6. quartz
7. chert/chalcedony
8. obsidian
9. other
flake types counts of each type within the material type
specified; see attached flow diagram
TABLE FOR C:DE
CONTROLED FOR VALUE R179 OF VARIABLE ACC
SITE
9042
9043
9045
9141
TOTS'
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
100
0
0
0
1
1
FLAKE TYF.S
2 3 4
.4
67
13
0
0
0
27
29
84
1
11
3
32
21
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
2
4
29
5
5
71
0
0
0
7
4
4
1
17
3
9
19
28
IB
19
56
4
44
13
32
21
7
0
0
0
3
6
100
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
8
0
0
0
3
6
100
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
9 TOT
1
17
1
31
65
40
42
'45
54
4
44
5
78
50
4 1ST
IRQ
ICO
48 31 IBT
IRO
ICO
93 60 IBT
IRO
ICO
9 6 1ST
IRO
ICO
156
IBT
V*
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rorked£c
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*
PAGE NO. 00001
01/01/80
FLAKED LITHIC ARTIFACTS - RAH DATA
ACC CAT SITE LOCUS UNIT LEVEL HAT MT LN KD TH CD PR PA CO AN1 UR1 BR1 UU1 BUI CR1 AN2 UR2 BR2 UU2 BU2 CR2
* SITE 9043
R179 B 9043 SURF 0 3 53 58 42 20 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1
R179 9 9043 SURF 0 3 20 39 3fc 11 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
R179 10 9043 SURF 0 7 20 31 30 17 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1
« SUBTOTAL «
93
t SITE 9045
R179 14 9045 SURF 0 3 5 38 16 i 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 2
R179 18 9045 1 10 3 422 20 71112222122122122
« SUBTOTAL «
9
« TOTAL «
102
Item
accession nutiber
catalog number
site number
locus
unit
category
feature
level
material
weight
length
width
thickness
condition
production base
KEY TO FLAKED LITHIC ARTIFACTS
Description
RECON: ROOD WESTEC: WOOD
00000 for SDi-#s
WOOOO for SDM-W-fs
4. flaked Hthic artifacts
1. hearth
2. burial
3.
10, 20, 30, ...
1. coarse grained
meta volcanic
2. coarse grained
porphyritic metavolcanic
3. fine grained
metavolcanic
4. fine grained
porphyritic metavolcanic
'to the nearest gram
in millimeters
in millimeters
in millimeters
1. whole
1. flake
2. core
H.
5.
6.
5. quartzite
6. quartz
7. chert/chalcedony
8. obsidian
9. other
2. broken
3. cobble
4. other
cortex 1. present 2. absent
(each item for side 1 followed by each item for side 2)
angle
unifacial retouch
bifacial retouch
unifacial use
bifacial use
crushing
1. <30
2. 30-60
1. present
3. 60-90
4. >90
2. absent
Note: Cores can have angle as well as unifacial and/or bifacial retouch.
Tools can have angle and any combination of other attributes.