After the Ash Fall

Description

Mount Mazama, a large volcano located in the Cascade Range of Oregon, eruptedsome 7,000 cal. years BP. Following the volcanic eruption, a large portion of the
northwestern region of the Great Plains of North America was covered by a thick layer of
volcanic ash. The present research project is concerned with the impact of this catastrophic
event on the subsistence patterns of the northwestern Plains groups during the early Archaic
period (ca. 6,600–6,000 BP). More specifically, this research project tests the hypothesis
that the eruption of Mount Mazama prompted the adoption of bone grease rendering in this
part of the Plains. To test this hypothesis, a faunal analysis of the assemblages of Stampede
site, located on the Cypress Hills of southeastern Alberta, was performed. The results of
the analysis presented here show that the faunal material of the Stampede site is extensively
burnt, which seems to be more in line with the intentional disposal of bones in hearth
features, possibly for cleaning purposes, than with bone grease manufacture. The
methodological issues regarding the identification of bone grease rendering from
archaeozoological assemblages are discussed here.
Author Keywords: Bone Grease Rendering, Carcass Processing Behaviour, Faunal Analysis, Great Plains, Northern Plains, Subsistence