Archeological Investigations at Site 42SA20286, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Site 42SA20286 is an open lithic scatter located on the west bank of Salt Creek in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Utah. The site is considered eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places by consensus with the Utah State Historic Preservation Officer. In September 1989, subsurface investigations were conducted in and near areas of the site to be impacted by bridge construction.
Three geomorphic units were identified within the site and can be differentiated by depositional conditions. The lowest unit cannot be reliably dated. A single radiocarbon sample from the middle unit tentatively places it within the Neoglacial or Late Archaic. The uppermost unit and surface deposits appear to contain Anasazi components. Culturally derived materials consist of flaked lithics, bone, and charcoal.
The lithic assemblage indicates dependence on a limited set of formal tools augmented by expedient items produced with local materials. Stratigraphic changes in the lithic assemblage suggest chronological shifts in use, technology, and group range. The faunal assemblage indicates use of small vertebrates, especially mammals. Macrobotanical specimens included Celtis seed coats and fragments of an unidentifiable burned seed coat. No features were identified in or near the area investigated.
Although results indicate the presence of significant archeological deposits on portions of this site, none were located in the area of direct impact. As a consequence, the sample recovered during these investigations is considered an adequate sample of the area directly impacted by construction.