Site Formation Processes at the Spring Valley Site (23CT389), Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri

Abstract

The Spring Valley site (23CT389) is stratified, multicomponent site associated with a co-alluvial fan in Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Carter County, Missouri. Recorded prehistoric occupations range from Middle Paleoindian to Middle Archaic. My study focused on site formation processes at 23CT389 and included (1) description of soils and sediments; (2) particle-size analysis; (3) coefficient of linear extensibility; (4) radiocarbon dating; (5) limited refit analysis; (6) limited debitage analysis; and (7) three-dimensional spatial analysis of piece-plotted artifacts. Results indicate that the site has undergone some mixing of artifacts, particularly size-sorting with depth of artifacts such as debitage under ½”. Larger artifacts such as bifaces, however, have largely maintained vertical and horizontal integrity. Of significance, a Dalton occupation surface has been defined, and an Early Archaic occupation has significant integrity.