The Archaeology of a Late Prehistoric Village in Northwestern California
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Date
1967-03
Authors
Leonhardy, Frank
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Museum of Natural History, University of Oregon
Abstract
The Iron Gate site is a single component village located on the Klamath River is Siskiyou County, California.
On the basis of radio-carbon dates occupation is estimated to have been between 1400 A.D. and
1600 A.D. The excavated houses were conical, bark-covered structures differing from the house type recorded
in the area in historic time but resembling those recorded further south. Artifacts, particularly projectile
points, are similar to those found in northwestern California and Oregon. Stone working traditions
appear more closely related to those of the Klamath Lakes and Columbia Plateau regions of Oregon than to
those of central California. Analysis indicates patterns of community organization and economy virtually
identical to those of the ethnographic period. The site is considered representative of a phase in Shasta
culture history even though direct historical connections cannot be established. In terms of cultural affiliations
on a larger scale, the culture represented by the Iron Gate site is viewed as transitional between the
Columbia Plateau and central California. There is no evidence of close affiliations with the cultures of the
northwest California coast.
Description
52 pages
Keywords
Iron Gate, Klamath River, Siskiyou County, Shasta, Columbia Plateau