Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2012

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Cultural and Environmental Resource Management

Committee Chair

Patrick Lubinski

Second Committee Member

Steven Hackenberger

Third Committee Member

Patrick T. McCutcheon

Abstract

The Grissom site (45KT301) is a multi-component archaeological site in northeast Kittitas Valley excavated by Central Washington State College from 1967-1971. The site is significant because it is one of few scientifically excavated upland sites in the Columbia Plateau and likely represents part of Che-lo-han, the intergroup gathering of Plateau cultures known to occur annually in the Kittitas Valley. Furthermore, the Grissom site collection is a rehabilitated archaeological collection and, therefore, provides a cost-effective way to explore research questions while still gaining new knowledge about the past. Excavations at the site produced 13,622 catalogued bags of pre-contact and historic artifacts that were not analyzed or reported at the time. Site records, archival records and literature were reviewed to provide insight into the immense research potential inherent in the Grissom collection. This thesis is a summary of investigations at the site and a synthesis of what is known about the site.

Language

English

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