Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-d8cs5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-11T17:49:16.635Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Subsurface Stone Lines, Stone Zones, Artifact-Manuport Layers, and Biomantles Produced by Bioturbation via Pocket Gophers (Thomomys Bottae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Donald L. Johnson
Donald L. Johnson*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A prominent subsurface zone (layer) of large stones with diameters greater than 6-7 cm occurs in gravelly soil on colluvial aprons in the Lompoc area of California. The soil is mounded and churned by botta pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae). Sedimentological analyses show that the soil within and above the stone zone—and within the gopher mounds—is relatively homogeneous in fine fraction and forms a biomantle. None of the mounds contained stones with long-axis diameters greater than the maximum diameter of gopher burrows, about 6-7 cm. Larger stones gradually subside and form a stone zone. Both field observations and laboratory tests confirm that gopher bioturbation produces stone zones in coarse gravelly soil. This finding, and similar findings in two other recent studies, have important implications for interpreting archaeological site formation, and for interpreting geologic-pedologic processes inasmuch as artifact layers (and nonartifact layers) in some sites entirely may be due to nonanthropic, nongeologic, postdepositional biological agents.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 54 , Issue 2 , April 1989 , pp. 370 - 389
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Reference Cited

Ancient Enterprises, Inc. (compilers) 1981 Archaeological Test Excavations and Some Lithic Analysis of Materials from TC and TW Localities. Submitted to Western Liquid Natural Gas Terminal Associates, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Anderson, S., and Jones, J. K. Jr. 1967 Recent Mammals of the World. Ronald Press, New York.Google Scholar
Anonymous, 1980a Trenching Halted at LNG Site : Indian Rocks Found. Santa Barbara News-Press, May 20, Santa Google Scholar
Barbara, California. 1980b Western LNG to Redesign Trenches : Agrees to PUC Request Over Ancient Rock Find. Santa Maria Times, June 14, Santa Maria, California.Google Scholar
Barbara, California. 1981 Indian Ritual Marks Closure of Concepcion Digs. Santa Barbara News-Press, February 4, Santa Barbara, California.Google Scholar
Black, C. A. 1965 Methods of Soil Analysis. Agronomy Monograph No. 9. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bocek, B. 1986 Rodent Ecology and Burrowing Behavior : Predicted Effects on Archaeological Site Formation. American Antiquity 51 : 589–603.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borchardt, G., Rice, S., and Treiman, J. 1982 Mudflow Deposits and Horizonation in Holocene Soils Near Point Conception, California. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 14 : 176.Google Scholar
Bray, R. H., and Kurtz, L. T. 1945 Determination of Total, Organic and Available Form of Phosphorus in Soil. Soil Science 59 : 39–45.Google Scholar
Darwin, C. 1881 The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms. Appleton, New York.Google Scholar
Erlandson, J. M. 1984 A Case Study in Faunalturbation : Delineating the Effects of the Burrowing Pocket Gopher on the Distribution of Archaeological Materials. American Antiquity 49 : 785–790.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fenenga, F. 1981 Observations on Possible Archaeological Remains Associated at the TW Seismic Trench Locality. In Archaeological Test Excavations and Some Lithic Analysis of Materials from TC and TWLocalities, compiled by Ancient Enterprises, Inc., Appendix 1, pp. 57-60. Submitted to Western Liquid Natural Gas Terminal Associates, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Fisher, R. V. 1981 Interpretations of a Sheet of Rocks at Designated Site Fl, Pt. Conception. In Archaeological Test Excavations and Some Lithic Analysis of Materials from TC and TW Localities, compiled by Ancient Enterprises, Inc., Appendix 1, pp. 40-45. Submitted to Western Liquid Natural Gas Terminal Associates, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Glassow, M. A., Arnold, J. A., Batchelder, G. A., Bixler, A. G., Fitzgerald, D. T., Hudson, J. L., Lawson, K. R., Stone, D. S., and Walker, T. L. 1981 Archaeological Data Recovery Program in Relation to Space Shuttle Development, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Submitted to the Center for Anthropological Studies, Social Process Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara.Google Scholar
Greenwood, R. S. 1959 Early Dwellers in Topanga Canyon. Archaeology 12 : 271–277.Google Scholar
Hardy, D. 1980 Rocks Found at Concepcion Site Result of Erosion, Geologist Says. Santa Barbara News-Press, July 3, Santa Barbara, California.Google Scholar
Harrison, W. M. 1965 A Suggested Sequence for the Hunting People of Santa Barbara. UCLA Archaeological Survey Annual Report 7 : 9–178.Google Scholar
Jackson, M. L. 1958 Soil Chemical Analysis. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. L. 1981 Report and Analysis on the Beach Fault Trench Soil, LNG Site, Point Conception, California. In Final Geoseismic Investigations, Proposed LNG Terminal, Little Cojo Bay, California. Analysis of Data : Marine Terrace Studies and Age Dating, compiled by Dames and Moore Consultants, Los Angeles, Appendix A. 4. Submitted to Western Liquid Natural Gas Terminal Associates, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. L. 1983 Quaternary Geology and Soils of Lower San Antonio Creek and Adjacent Areas, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Submitted to Chambers Consultants and Planners, Stanton, California. Ms. on file, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. L. 1988 A Genetic Classification of Stone Lines and Stone Zones in Soils. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 20 : 284–285.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. L. 1990 Biomantle Evolution and the Redistribution of Earth Materials and Artifacts. Soil Science 144, in press.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. L., and Rockwell, T. K. 1982 Soil Geomorphology : Theory, Concepts and Principles with Examples and Applications on Alluival and Marine Terraces in Coastal California. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 14 : 176.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. L., and D. Watson-Stegner, 1989 The Soil Evolution Model as a Framework for Evaluating Pedoturbation in Archaeological Site Formation. In Archaeological Geology of North America, edited by Lasca, N. P. and Donahue, J. D.. Geological Society of America, Boulder, in press.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. L., Watson-Stegner, D., Johnson, D. N., and Schaetzl, R. J. 1987 Proisotropic and Proanisotropic Processes of Pedoturbation. Soil Science 143 : 278–292.Google Scholar
Kilmer, V. J., and Alexander, L. T. 1949 Methods of Making Mechanical Analyses of Soils. Soil Science 68 : 15–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, C. D. 1962 Excavations at Parker Mesa (LAn-267). UCLA Archaeological Survey Annual Report 4 : 91–158.Google Scholar
King, C. D. 1967 The Sweetwater Mesa Site (LAn-267) and its Place in Southern California Prehistory. UCLA Archaeological Survey Annual Report 9 : 25–76.Google Scholar
Nye, P. H. 1954 Some Soil-Forming Processes in the Humid Tropics I : A Field Study of a Catena in the West African Forest. Journal of Soil Science 5 : 7–21.Google Scholar
Nye, P. H. 1955a Some Soil-Forming Processes in the Humid Tropics III : Laboratory Studies on the Development of a Typical Catena over Granitic Gneiss. Journal of Soil Science 6 : 63–72.Google Scholar
Nye, P. H. 1955b Some Soil-Forming Processes in Humid Tropics IV : The Action of the Soil Fauna. Journal of Soil Science 6 : 73–83.Google Scholar
Ojanuga, A. G., and Wirth, K. 1977 Threefold Stonelines in Southwestern Nigeria : Evidence of Cyclic Soil and Landscape Development. Soil Science 123 : 249–257.Google Scholar
Parizek, E. J., and Woodruff, J. F. 1957 Description and Origin of Stone Layers in Soils of the Southeastern States. Journal of Geology 65 : 24–34.Google Scholar
Ruhe, R. V. 1959 Stone Lines in Soils. Soil Science 87 : 223–231.Google Scholar
Shaler, N. S. 1891 The Origin and Nature of Soils. U. S. Geological Survey 12th Annul Report 1890-1891, part 1 : 213–345.Google Scholar
Sharpe, C. F. S. 1968 Landslides and Related Phenomena. Cooper Square Publishers, New York.Google Scholar
Shlemon, R. J. 1981 Origin of a Rock Assemblage, Archaeological Site F-l, Little Cojo Bay Area, Santa Barbara County, California. In Archaeological Test Excavations and Some Lithic Analysis of Materials from TC and TW Localities, compiled by Ancient Enterprises, Inc., Appendix 1, pp. 47-50. Submitted to Western Liquid Natural Gas Terminal Associates, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Staff, Soil Survey 1972 Soil Survey Laboratory Methods and Procedures for Collecting Soil Samples. Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 1. USDA Soil Conservation Service, Washington, D. C. Google Scholar
Susia, M. 1962 The Soule Park Site (Ven-61). UCLA Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1959-1962 : 157–234.Google Scholar
Wallace, W. J., Taylor, E. S., Desautels, R. J., Hammond, H. R., Gonzales, H., Bogart, J., and Redwine, J. P. 1956 The Little Sycamore Shellmound, Ventura County, California. Contributions to California Archaeology No. 2. Archaeological Research Associates, Los Angeles.Google Scholar