Statistical Testing for Patterns in the Distribution of Middle Columbia Housepit Archaeological Sites
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Start Date
21-5-2015
End Date
21-5-2015
Keywords
Statistics, Archaeology, Geography
Abstract
Cultural resource management salvage archaeology of the past 50 years has resulted in high resolution geographic data concerning the location of housepit archaeological sites. For this study, statistical tests (Quadrat and Spearman Rank Correlation) were completed for the location of 116 housepit archaeological sites in relation to three rapids and three dams along a section of the Middle Columbia River, stretching approximately 60 miles from the Rock Island Dam at the north end to the beginning of the Hanford Reach at the south end. Housepit locations were tested against the location of rapids to test for correlation between favorable fishing locations and housepit locations. Housepit locations were also tested against the location of dams to test for correlation between a potential bias in the location of discovered archaeological sites and housepit location. These tests found that housepit sites are significantly clustered, that their locations are correlated to the locations of rapids along this section of the Columbia River, and that their locations are not correlated to the locations of dam construction. These results are consistent with both previous data and the ethnographic record, supporting the location of housepit village sites near favorable fishing locations.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Matt, "Statistical Testing for Patterns in the Distribution of Middle Columbia Housepit Archaeological Sites" (2015). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 102.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2015/posters/102
Poster Number
48
Department/Program
Resource Management
Additional Mentoring Department
Geography
Statistical Testing for Patterns in the Distribution of Middle Columbia Housepit Archaeological Sites
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Cultural resource management salvage archaeology of the past 50 years has resulted in high resolution geographic data concerning the location of housepit archaeological sites. For this study, statistical tests (Quadrat and Spearman Rank Correlation) were completed for the location of 116 housepit archaeological sites in relation to three rapids and three dams along a section of the Middle Columbia River, stretching approximately 60 miles from the Rock Island Dam at the north end to the beginning of the Hanford Reach at the south end. Housepit locations were tested against the location of rapids to test for correlation between favorable fishing locations and housepit locations. Housepit locations were also tested against the location of dams to test for correlation between a potential bias in the location of discovered archaeological sites and housepit location. These tests found that housepit sites are significantly clustered, that their locations are correlated to the locations of rapids along this section of the Columbia River, and that their locations are not correlated to the locations of dam construction. These results are consistent with both previous data and the ethnographic record, supporting the location of housepit village sites near favorable fishing locations.
Faculty Mentor(s)
John Bowen