Agate Fossil Beds Prehistoric Archaeological Landscapes, 1994-1995

Nonsite archaeological survey in the southern portion of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in 1994 documented the presence of archaeological remains
throughout the area. No ceramics were located, but hundreds (N=852) of chipped
stone fragments, including 32 tools, were found. In addition, 5 cairns beyond those
reported by Kay (1975) were documented. Using artifact density and the presence/absence of features, 32 sites beyond those identified by Kay (1975) were defined.

In 1995, test excavations were carried out at four of these sites: 25SX152, 25SX251, 25SX253, and 25SX268. In all, 777 pieces of chipped stone (9 of them
tools) and a small amount of bone and fire-cracked rock were recovered through
these excavations. Site 25SX251 had no subsurface component, and that at
25SX152 appears shallow and heavily impacted by various soil processes. The
cultural deposits at 25SX253 and 25SX268 are more deeply buried and appear to have better preservation of bone.

This document reports on archaeological remains recovered through survey and
excavation. It presents analyses of chipped stone, the most numerous class
of artifact recovered here, that consider the change through time in both
prehistoric mobility as well as the role of the western Niobrara River in prehistoric
economies.

The report concludes with a series of recommendations regarding the eligibility
of sites documented here for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places
and their management. Also addressed is the efficacy of the distributional approach for documenting the archaeological landscape at Agate Fossil Beds NM for management purposes.

Maps with sensitive locational information and the raw data generated as a result of this project are presented in Appendix H, a separately bound, selectively available volume.