- Eugene, Oregon, United States
Nicholas Jew
University of Oregon, Anthropology, Adjunct
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Research Interests:
In this research we examined the isotopic signatures of sequential growth increments from 10 modern and 11 archaeological Atactodea striata shells (21 shells with a total number of 112 samples). Modern shells and record- ed sea surface... more
In this research we examined the isotopic signatures of sequential growth increments from 10 modern and 11 archaeological Atactodea striata shells (21 shells with a total number of 112 samples). Modern shells and record- ed sea surface temperature measurements (SSTs) were used to evaluate the geochemistry of A. striata as a suit- able candidate for recording ambient SST. Pairing oxygen isotopes and recorded SST of modern samples with x- ray diffraction (XRD) allows the identification of the biomineralogical composition of A. striata and provides the necessary information to select the most appropriate carbonate temperature equation to convert oxygen isotope values to estimated SST. This SST conversion was then applied to isotopic data from 11 shells recovered from a ~1700 year old component at the Chelechol ra Orrak site in Palau, Micronesia. We discuss the biomineralogical composition of A. striata, modern and prehistoric sea-surface temperature variation, and the importance of using modern shellfish analogues in conjunction with archaeological samples for paleoenvironmental recon- structions. Isotope values from modern A. striata, when converted using Grossman and Kus' (1986) temperature conversion equation, was found to be similar to measured SST. Estimated SST from archaeological shells showed that the mean SST at 1700 cal. BP were similar to modern values, but SST ranges may have been slightly greater.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Geochemistry, Climate Change, Pacific Island Studies, and 12 moreOceania (Archaeology), Island archaeology, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Oceania (Anthropology), Paleoclimate, Sea surface temperature, Mollusks, Palau, Pacific Islands Archaeology, Micronesia, XRD, and Shellfish
Research Interests:
The Prisoners Harbor site (CA-SCRI-240), one of the largest sites on California's Channel Islands and the likely location of the Chumash village Xaxas, played a key role in regional models of emergent complexity and culture contact.... more
The Prisoners Harbor site (CA-SCRI-240), one of the largest sites on California's Channel Islands and the likely location of the Chumash village Xaxas, played a key role in regional models of emergent complexity and culture contact. Despite substantial excavation at the site, published research has focused on the most recent 500 years of the site's occupation, with comparatively little attention given to the 2–3 millennia preceding this. Here we focus on the formation and chronology of CA-SCRI-240 by presenting a Bayesian analysis of 36 radiocarbon
dates from throughout the site's occupation. Comparing three suites of radiocarbon dates, we provide a revised chronology for CA-SCRI-240 and examine site formation processes, sediment deposition rates, and the implications our study holds for reconciling older radiometric dates with large analytical errors and higher precision accelerator mass spectrometry dates. Our analysis suggests that the earliest site occupation was 2750 cal BP, roughly 2000 years later than previously presumed. Sedimentation rates vary throughout the 5.7 m sequence. Deposits for the first 1000 years accumulated slowly followed by relative increase in accumulation rates in the uppermost occupation levels dating to historic times. Our study demonstrates the importance of Bayesian analysis for improving radiocarbon chronologies for large, multi-component sites.
dates from throughout the site's occupation. Comparing three suites of radiocarbon dates, we provide a revised chronology for CA-SCRI-240 and examine site formation processes, sediment deposition rates, and the implications our study holds for reconciling older radiometric dates with large analytical errors and higher precision accelerator mass spectrometry dates. Our analysis suggests that the earliest site occupation was 2750 cal BP, roughly 2000 years later than previously presumed. Sedimentation rates vary throughout the 5.7 m sequence. Deposits for the first 1000 years accumulated slowly followed by relative increase in accumulation rates in the uppermost occupation levels dating to historic times. Our study demonstrates the importance of Bayesian analysis for improving radiocarbon chronologies for large, multi-component sites.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Geography, Archaeology, Technology, Science, and 17 moreMultidisciplinary, Western North America, Pleistocene, Quaternary, California, Humans, Colonisation, Correlation, Resources, Fauna, Cenozoic, Phanerozoic, Shells, Coastal Zone, Pacific ocean, Marine Mammal, and Sedimentary Rocks
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California’s Northern Channel Islands have produced several Paleocoastal assemblages that include some of the most intricate and finely crafted lithic technologies in the Americas. Current understanding of chert use and availability on... more
California’s Northern Channel Islands have produced several Paleocoastal assemblages that include some of the most intricate and finely crafted lithic technologies in the Americas. Current understanding of chert use and availability
on the islands comes primarily from research on Late Holocene
sites from Santa Cruz Island, where chert sources played an important role in providing microdrills for Late Holocene Olivella bead production. New data from Terminal Pleistocene and Early Holocene sites suggest that Paleocoastal peoples relied heavily on other cherts from San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands. To examine the deeper history of lithic use on the islands, we analyzed eight Paleocoastal lithic assemblages from San Miguel and Santa Rosa, which were part of the larger island of Santarosae until about 10,000 years ago. We discuss lithic availability and material preference for formal and expedient stone tool manufacture on the Northern Channel
Islands between ~12,000 and 7,500 years ago.
on the islands comes primarily from research on Late Holocene
sites from Santa Cruz Island, where chert sources played an important role in providing microdrills for Late Holocene Olivella bead production. New data from Terminal Pleistocene and Early Holocene sites suggest that Paleocoastal peoples relied heavily on other cherts from San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands. To examine the deeper history of lithic use on the islands, we analyzed eight Paleocoastal lithic assemblages from San Miguel and Santa Rosa, which were part of the larger island of Santarosae until about 10,000 years ago. We discuss lithic availability and material preference for formal and expedient stone tool manufacture on the Northern Channel
Islands between ~12,000 and 7,500 years ago.
Research Interests:
On California’s Northern Channel Islands, Paleocoastal peoples produced extraordinarily delicate stemmed, barbed, and serrated projectile points between about 12,000 and 8,000 years ago. We analyzed several Paleocoastal lithic assemblages... more
On California’s Northern Channel Islands, Paleocoastal peoples
produced extraordinarily delicate stemmed, barbed, and serrated projectile points between about 12,000 and 8,000 years ago. We analyzed several Paleocoastal lithic assemblages to explore whether intentional heat treatment was used to facilitate the production of these artifacts. We experimentally heattreated samples of three types of island chert (Tuqan, Cico, and Wima) to document the changes in the physical signatures of lithic heat treatment, then analyzed 1,453 lithic artifacts from Paleocoastal assemblages on San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands. We found that about 29 percent of the artifacts exhibited visible heat fractures and a large percentage of sampled artifacts had quantitative gloss scores characteristic of heat-treated control samples. Our results suggest that heat treatment was an important step used by Paleocoastal peoples
to produce finely crafted bifaces on the Northern Channel Islands.
produced extraordinarily delicate stemmed, barbed, and serrated projectile points between about 12,000 and 8,000 years ago. We analyzed several Paleocoastal lithic assemblages to explore whether intentional heat treatment was used to facilitate the production of these artifacts. We experimentally heattreated samples of three types of island chert (Tuqan, Cico, and Wima) to document the changes in the physical signatures of lithic heat treatment, then analyzed 1,453 lithic artifacts from Paleocoastal assemblages on San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands. We found that about 29 percent of the artifacts exhibited visible heat fractures and a large percentage of sampled artifacts had quantitative gloss scores characteristic of heat-treated control samples. Our results suggest that heat treatment was an important step used by Paleocoastal peoples
to produce finely crafted bifaces on the Northern Channel Islands.
Research Interests:
We estimate seasonality of shellfish harvest and site occupation for four Early Holocene shell middens on California’s San Miguel Island using a dataset of 449 δ18O measurements from 84 mussel shells (Mytilus californianus). Seasonality... more
We estimate seasonality of shellfish harvest and site occupation for four Early Holocene shell middens on California’s San Miguel Island using a dataset of 449 δ18O measurements from 84 mussel shells (Mytilus californianus). Seasonality was assigned to prehistoric mussels using paleo sea-surface temperature (PSST) estimates from isotopic data obtained across full shell profiles. The results suggest that PSSTs around San Miguel Island were generally cooler between
~10,000–8600 calBP and that mussels were harvested in a range of water temperatures which suggest a mix of seasonal
and year round harvesting at the four sites. Two substantial shell middens dated to ~10,000 and ~9000 calBP appear to
have been residential basecamps where Paleocoastal peoples harvested shellfish during all four seasons. These data suggest
that Early Holocene peoples occupied the Channel Islands year round and highlight the importance of stable isotope
analysis of marine shells for helping evaluate human settlement and subsistence strategies along the Pacific Coast.
~10,000–8600 calBP and that mussels were harvested in a range of water temperatures which suggest a mix of seasonal
and year round harvesting at the four sites. Two substantial shell middens dated to ~10,000 and ~9000 calBP appear to
have been residential basecamps where Paleocoastal peoples harvested shellfish during all four seasons. These data suggest
that Early Holocene peoples occupied the Channel Islands year round and highlight the importance of stable isotope
analysis of marine shells for helping evaluate human settlement and subsistence strategies along the Pacific Coast.
Research Interests:
Abstract To evaluate coastal settlement and land use strategies among maritime hunter-gatherers, we analyzed oxygen isotope (δ18O) data from 131 marine carbonate samples from 21 California mussel (Mytilus californianus) shells obtained... more
Abstract To evaluate coastal settlement and land use strategies
among maritime hunter-gatherers, we analyzed oxygen
isotope (δ18O) data from 131 marine carbonate samples from
21 California mussel (Mytilus californianus) shells obtained
from a large ∼8,200-year-old shell midden (CA-SRI-666) on
California’s Santa Rosa Island. Seasonal distributions of the
isotopic data were assigned using a paleo-sea surface temperature model created by comparing modern sea surface temperatures (SST) to a fully profiled ∼8,200-year-old shell. For
20 additional shells, we used two sampling strategies to compare season-of-harvest inferences and explore whether the
Early Holocene site occupants were sedentary. Estimated
season-of-harvest differed by 35 % between the two sampling
methods, corroborating recent isotope analysis of an 8,800-
year-old shell midden on San Miguel Island. Shellfish appear
to have been collected year-round at CA-SRI-666 from intertidal
or subtidal water temperatures similar to modern SST in
the vicinity of eastern Santa Rosa Island. The isotope results
are consistent with other evidence from CA-SRI-666 that
suggest that the site served as a residential base for relatively
sedentary maritime people.
among maritime hunter-gatherers, we analyzed oxygen
isotope (δ18O) data from 131 marine carbonate samples from
21 California mussel (Mytilus californianus) shells obtained
from a large ∼8,200-year-old shell midden (CA-SRI-666) on
California’s Santa Rosa Island. Seasonal distributions of the
isotopic data were assigned using a paleo-sea surface temperature model created by comparing modern sea surface temperatures (SST) to a fully profiled ∼8,200-year-old shell. For
20 additional shells, we used two sampling strategies to compare season-of-harvest inferences and explore whether the
Early Holocene site occupants were sedentary. Estimated
season-of-harvest differed by 35 % between the two sampling
methods, corroborating recent isotope analysis of an 8,800-
year-old shell midden on San Miguel Island. Shellfish appear
to have been collected year-round at CA-SRI-666 from intertidal
or subtidal water temperatures similar to modern SST in
the vicinity of eastern Santa Rosa Island. The isotope results
are consistent with other evidence from CA-SRI-666 that
suggest that the site served as a residential base for relatively
sedentary maritime people.
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Three archaeological sites on California’s Channel Islands show that Paleoindians relied heavily on marine resources. The Paleocoastal sites, dated between ~12,200 and 11,200 years ago, contain numerous stemmed projectile points and... more
Three archaeological sites on California’s Channel Islands show that Paleoindians relied heavily on marine resources. The Paleocoastal sites, dated between ~12,200 and 11,200 years ago, contain numerous stemmed projectile points and crescents associated with a variety of marine and aquatic faunal remains. At site CA-SRI-512 on Santa Rosa Island, Paleocoastal peoples used such tools to capture geese, cormorants, and other birds, along with marine mammals and finfish. At Cardwell Bluffs on San Miguel Island, Paleocoastal peoples collected local chert cobbles, worked them into bifaces and projectile points, and discarded thousands of marine shells. With bifacial technologies similar to those seen in Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition assemblages of western North America, the sites provide evidence for seafaring and island colonization by Paleoindians with a diversified maritime economy.