An Archeological Overview and Assessment of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Sioux County, Nebraska

This document provides an archeological overview and assessment of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in Sioux County, Nebraska. The study was completed under the terms of a purchase order and scope-of-work issued by the Midwest Archeological Center, National Park Service in Lincoln, Nebraska. Archeological investigations began at the park in the 1960s and have continued through the present. All fee title land within the park has been examined on at least one occasion by professional archeological teams from the Midwest Archeological Center or other agencies working under contract to the Center. Investigations were implemented in response to a need for a park-wide inventory of archeological resources as well as Section 106 (National Historic Preservation Act) compliance requirements in response to various park developments. These efforts have resulted in the identification of 92 archeological properties spanning the Paleoindian through Euroamerican periods. Several sites have been the subject of test excavations and impact mitigation data recovery programs. The majority of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument sites reflect rather ephemeral use of the upper Niobrara River valley by a variety of Native American groups. Sites are largely associated with lithic procurement and temporary camping and hunting activities. Several Native American spiritual sites and properties associated with development of the Agate Springs Ranch and Lakota Chief Red Cloud have also been documented. This study offers a description of all park archeological investigations, sites recorded, collections recovered and overall contributions the archeological resources have made to a broader understanding of High Plains archeology. Recommendations for further field and research actions are provided which focus on geomorphic and paleoenvironmental investigations, testing for deeply buried resources and updating databases and other archival materials.

本文件对位于内布拉斯加州苏县的玛瑙化石床国家纪念地（Agate Fossil Beds National Monument）开展考古学概述与评估。本研究依据美国国家公园管理局（National Park Service）设于内布拉斯加州林肯市的中西部考古中心（Midwest Archeological Center）签发的采购订单及工作范围条款完成。该纪念地的考古调查工作始于20世纪60年代，且持续至今。纪念地内全部拥有完全所有权的土地均至少接受过一次由中西部考古中心或该中心签约合作的其他机构的专业考古团队开展的勘查。本次调查的实施，既为满足全园区考古资源普查的需求，也为响应各类园区开发项目所涉及的《国家历史保护法》（National Historic Preservation Act）第106条合规要求。相关工作已识别出92处考古遗存，年代跨度从古印第安时期直至欧裔殖民时期。其中部分遗址曾作为试掘项目与影响减缓数据回收工作的研究对象。玛瑙化石床国家纪念地的绝大多数遗址，反映出多支北美原住民族群对尼奥布拉拉河上游河谷的短暂利用。此类遗址大多与石料获取、临时露营及狩猎活动相关。另有若干北美原住民精神遗址，以及与阿盖特斯普林牧场开发、拉科塔族红云酋长相关的遗存被记录在册。本研究对园区内所有考古调查工作、已记录遗址、出土藏品，以及考古资源为深化大平原（High Plains）考古学认知所做出的整体贡献进行了系统阐述。报告同时针对后续野外与研究工作提出建议，重点聚焦地貌与古环境调查、深埋资源探测，以及数据库与其他档案材料的更新工作。