The Archaeological Delineation of a Cultural Boundary in Papagueria

1955 ◽  
Vol 20 (4Part1) ◽  
pp. 367-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul H. Ezell

The area dealt with in this report is that portion of northwestern Sonora and southwestern Arizona bounded on the southwest by the Gulf of California, on the west by the Colorado River valley below the junction of the Gila River, on the north by the Gila River valley, and on the east by an imaginary line from the vicinity of Gila Bend south along the western edge of the Papago Reservation and thence southwest to the mouth of the Sonoyta River on the Gulf of California (Fig. 106). Within this area Sauer has suggested a boundary between the Piman-speaking people of southern Arizona and northern Sonora, and the Yuman-speaking tribes of the lower Colorado and Gila River valleys, based on linguistic affiliations described in early historical sources (Sauer 1934, map). On archaeological evidence Gifford has suggested that the locality between Punta La Cholla and the mouth of the Sonoyta River represented a point on an ethnic boundary (Gifford 1946: 221).

2003 ◽  
pp. 55-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Forsten ◽  
Vesna Dimitrijevic

A review of the fossil horses of the genus Equus from the central Balkans, a mountainous area comprising Serbia and Montenegro, is presented in this paper. The time period covered by the finds is from the late Early to and including the Late Pleistocene, but the record is not complete: the dated finds are Late Pleistocene in age, while Early and Middle Pleistocene are poorly represented. The horses found resemble those from neighbouring countries from the same time period, probably showing the importance of river valleys as migration routes. The Morava River valley runs in a roughly south-to-north direction, connecting, via the Danube and Tisa River valleys the Hungarian Pannonian Plain in the north with northern Greece in the south, via the Vardar River valley in Macedonia. In Pleistocene, large mammals, including horses, probably used this route for dispersal.


2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selina Tribe

A map of reconstructed Eocene physiography and drainage directions is presented for the southern Interior Plateau region, British Columbia south of 53°N. Eocene landforms are inferred from the distribution and depositional paleoenvironment of Eocene rocks and from crosscutting relationships between regional-scale geomorphology and bedrock geology of known age. Eocene drainage directions are inferred from physiography, relief, and base level elevations of the sub-Eocene unconformity and the documented distribution, provenance, and paleocurrents of early Cenozoic fluvial sediments. The Eocene landscape of the southern Interior Plateau resembled its modern counterpart, with highlands, plains, and deeply incised drainages, except regional drainage was to the north. An anabranching valley system trending west and northwest from Quesnel and Shuswap Highlands, across the Cariboo Plateau to the Fraser River valley, contained north-flowing streams from Eocene to early Quaternary time. Other valleys dating back at least to Middle Eocene time include the North Thompson valley south of Clearwater, Thompson valley from Kamloops to Spences Bridge, the valley containing Nicola Lake, Bridge River valley, and Okanagan Lake valley. During the early Cenozoic, highlands existed where the Coast Mountains are today. Southward drainage along the modern Fraser, Chilcotin, and Thompson River valleys was established after the Late Miocene.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Eric Clausen

The United States Supreme Court settled legal disputes concerning four different Larimer County (Colorado) locations where water is moved by gravity across the high elevation North Platte-South Platte River drainage divide, which begins as a triple drainage divide with the Colorado River at Thunder Mountain (on the east-west continental divide and near Colorado River headwaters) and proceeds in roughly a north and northeast direction across deep mountain passes and other low points (divide crossings) first as the Michigan River (in the North Platte watershed)-Cache la Poudre River (in the South Platte watershed) drainage divide and then as the Laramie River (in the North Platte watershed)-Cache la Poudre River drainage divide. The mountain passes and nearby valley and drainage route orientations and other unusual erosional features can be explained if enormous and prolonged volumes of south-oriented water moved along today’s north-oriented North Platte and Laramie River alignments into what must have been a rising mountain region to reach south-oriented Colorado River headwaters. Mountain uplift in time forced a flow reversal in the Laramie River valley while flow continued in a south direction along the North Platte River alignment only to be forced to flow around the Medicine Bow Mountains south end and then to flow northward in the Laramie River valley and later to be captured by headward erosion of the east-oriented Cache la Poudre River-Joe Wright Creek valley (aided by a steeper gradient and less resistant bedrock). Continued uplift next reversed flow on the North Platte River alignment to create drainage routes seen today. While explaining Larimer County North Platte-South Platte drainage divide area topographic map drainage system and erosional landform evidence this interpretation requires a completely different Cenozoic history than the geologic history geologists usually describe.


1945 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian D. Hayden

Severe, occasionally disastrous, erosion of the bases of adobe walls in the arid and semiarid regions of the Southwest is a phenomenon which has long been observed and commented upon. In historic times, erosion of this type has caused collapse of adobe buildings in the Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico; about Tucson, Arizona, it is serious, as it is in the Salt River Valley. Evidence of similar erosion has been noticed in excavations of prehistoric massive adobe or caliche walls of Hohokam and Salado structures of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries A.D. in the Salt and Gila River valleys of Arizona. Repair to check erosion and prevent collapse of walls was the primary purpose of Cosmos Mindeleff's stay at Casa Grande in the 1890's. Fewkes noticed similar cutting of standing walls at the nearby Adamsville site.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Dorsey ◽  
Juan Carlos Braga Alarcón ◽  
Kevin Gardner ◽  
Brennan O'Connell

Marine straits and seaways are known to host a wide range of sedimentary processes and products, but the role of marine connections in the development of large river systems remains little studied. This study explores a hypothesis that shallow marine waters flooded the lower Colorado River valley at ~ 5 Ma along a fault-controlled former tidal straight, soon after the river was first integrated to the northern Gulf of California. The upper bioclastic member of the southern Bouse Formation provides a critical test of this hypothesis. The upper bioclastic member contains wave ripple-laminated bioclastic grainstone with minor red mudstone, pebbly grainstone with HCS-like stratification and symmetrical gravelly ripples, and calcareous-matrix conglomerate. Fossils include upward-branching segmented coralline-like red algae with no known modern relatives but confirmed as marine calcareous algae, echinoid spines, barnacles, shallow marine foraminifers, clams, and serpulid worm tubes. These results provide evidence for deposition in a shallow marine bay or estuary seaward of the transgressive backstepping Colorado River delta. Tsunamis generated by seismic and meteorologic sources likely produced the HCS-like and wave-ripple cross-bedding in poorly-sorted gravelly grainstone. Marine waters inundated a former tidal strait within a fault-bounded tectonic lowland that connected the lower Colorado River to the Gulf of California. Delta backstepping and transgression resulted from a decrease in sediment output due to sediment trapping in upstream basins and relative sea-level rise produced by regional tectonic subsidence.


Author(s):  
B. B Osmonali ◽  
P. V Vesselova ◽  
G. M. Kudabayeva

Representatives of the Chenopodiaceae Vent. family are the hallmark of the flora of the desert regionsof Kazakhstan, as they far outnumber other leading families. Moreover, this applies not only to the flora of the mountainousterritories, but also to the flora of the river valleys, in particular, the flora of the wide valley of the Syrdarya river. Thepredominance of Chenopodiaceae is due to the excellent adaptability of its species to desert conditions. Quite a few speciesof Chenopodiaceae are dominant plant communities, especially in the middle deserts of the North Turan province. Amongthem there are many species that have useful properties (forage, landscape, medicinal, etc.). The aim of the work was toidentify the current species composition of the Chenopodiaceae family (Amaranthaceae Juss.) of the flora of the desertpart of the Syrdarya river valley. Classical botanical methods were used in the research process. As a result of the conductedstudies, the modern species composition of the Chenopodiaceae family of the studied territory, consisting of 112 speciesfrom 38 genera, was revealed. The three largest genera include genera: Salsola–17 species, Atriplex–15 species, Suaeda–11species. The remaining genera contain from 6 to 1 species. Genera represented by a small number of species predominate(26 genera of 1–2 species each).


Author(s):  
Eric E. Jones

From AD 800 to 1300, Piedmont Village Tradition (PVT) settlements were characterized by small numbers of loosely arranged households. In the Late Woodland period (after AD 1300) in the Dan, Eno, and Haw River valleys, these households coalesced into villages with planned layouts and cooperatively built structures. However, in the upper Yadkin River Valley, the pattern of loosely arranged households appears to have continued until out-migration from the valley in the 1600s. Through the examination of regional settlement ecology and site-level spatial patterning, this chapter explores how the environment and the sociopolitical and economic landscapes that resulted from the formation of PVT and Mississippian villages influenced the distinctive cultural patterns in the upper Yadkin River valley and the North Carolina peidmont.


2013 ◽  
pp. 9-35
Author(s):  
N. I. Makunina

Steppe and forest-steppe belts in Central Altai occupy the bottoms of inter-mountain basins, expanded river valleys and surrounding mountains. The studied 4 steppe sites give sublatitudinal discontinuous range. The Kanskaya basin is rounded, the Ursulskaya one and the Chuya river (lower reaches) valleys are elongated from the east to the west while the steppe site of the Katun river valley — from the south to the north. The Kanskaya basin has a rounded shape while the Ursulskaya basin and the Chuya river valley (lower reaches) are elongated in the latitudinal direction, the steppe site of the Katun river valley — in longitudinal one. The configuration of the surrounding mountains is different: Kanskaya basin is surrounded by gradual mountain ridges with rare outcrops while valley boards of Katun and Chuya rivers are steep and rocky. Steppe belt ((600) 800–1100 m above s. l.) occupies the bottoms of the basins (expanded river valleys) and sun exposed adjoining slopes. Forest-steppe belt (1100–1400 m) occurs on the boards of the basins and includes 2 subbelts: the transitional lower (1100–1200 m) and the main upper (1200–1400 m) ones. It is continuous in the Kanskaya and the Ursulskaya basins and fragmented on the slopes of the Katun and Chuya river valleys. The plant cover structure of each belt is determined by altitudinal types of communities as well as by stands of rocky sites (so called petrophytic steppes). Studied steppes belong to classes Festuco-Brometea (FB) — order Stipetalia sibiricae and Cleistogenetea squarrosae (Cs) — orders Helictotrichetalia schelliani and Stipetalia krylovii. The forest vegetation within the forest-steppe belt goes to Rhytidio-Laricetea (RL) and Brachypodio–Betuletea (BB)and steppe meadows — to Molinio-Arrhenatheretea (MA) — order Carici macrouri–Crepidetalia sibiricae. The phytocoenotic spectra of altitudinal and petrophytic types of communities in steppe and in the upper part of forest-steppe belts are similar in all four sites. The key association in steppe belt is Fragario viridis–Stipetum capillatae (FB). These in the forest-steppe belt are larch herb forests of the ass. Anemonoido caeruleae–Pinetum sylvestris laricetosum (BB), steppe meadows of the ass. Cruciato krylovii–Poetum sibiricae (MA) and the meadow steppes of two vicarious associations — Violo dissectae–Achnatheretum sibiricae (FB) in the Kanskaya basin and Cruciato krylovii–Caricetum pediformis (FB) in three other sites. The petrophytic steppes belong to two associations: Kitagawio baicalensis–Cleistogenetum squarrosae (Cs) on the sun exposed slopes and Galio paniculati–Caraganetum arborescentis (FB) on shadow ones within the steppe belt, and to subass. Carici pediformis–Spiraetum trilobatae schizonepetosum multifidae (FB) that occurs only on sun exposed slopes within the forest-steppe belt. The differences of phytocoenotic spectra of studied sites are determined by the vegetation of the transitional stripe. Forest communities of the ass. Primulo cortusoidis–Laricetum sibiricae (RL) cover the gentle slopes of the Kanskaya and Ursulskaya basins, petrophytic stands of the ass. Carici pediformis–Spiraetum trilobatae schizonepetosum multifidae (FB) occupy rocky sites. Forest communities of the ass. Galio paniculati–Laricetum sibiricae (RL) are commonon the steep slopes of the Katun and Chuya river valleys and petrophytic stands belong to the ass. Kitagawio baicalensis–Cleistogenetum squarrosae (Cs). The bottom of the Katun river valley with the very specific mesoclimate is occupied by steppe ass. Artemisio frigidae–Stipetum krylovii (Cs) that in general is not typical for the studied area.


2021 ◽  
pp. SP523-2021-57
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Dorsey ◽  
Juan Carlos Braga ◽  
Kevin Gardner ◽  
Kristin McDougall ◽  
Brennan O'Connell

AbstractMarine straits and seaways are known to host a wide range of sedimentary processes and products, but the role of marine connections in the development of large river systems remains little studied. This study explores a hypothesis that shallow marine waters flooded the lower Colorado River valley at ∼ 5 Ma along a fault-controlled former tidal straight, soon after the river was first integrated to the northern Gulf of California. The upper bioclastic member of the southern Bouse Formation provides a critical test of this hypothesis. The upper bioclastic member contains wave ripple-laminated bioclastic grainstone with minor red mudstone, pebbly grainstone with HCS-like stratification and symmetrical gravelly ripples, and calcareous-matrix conglomerate. Fossils include upward-branching segmented coralline-like red algae with no known modern relatives but confirmed as marine calcareous algae, echinoid spines, barnacles, shallow marine foraminifers, clams, and serpulid worm tubes. These results provide evidence for deposition in a shallow marine bay or estuary seaward of the transgressive backstepping Colorado River delta. Tsunamis generated by seismic and meteorologic sources likely produced the HCS-like and wave-ripple cross-bedding in poorly-sorted gravelly grainstone. Marine waters inundated a former tidal strait within a fault-bounded tectonic lowland that connected the lower Colorado River to the Gulf of California. Delta backstepping and transgression resulted from a decrease in sediment output due to sediment trapping in upstream basins and relative sea-level rise produced by regional tectonic subsidence.Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5740426


Geosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Dorsey ◽  
Brennan O’Connell ◽  
Kevin K. Gardner ◽  
Mindy B. Homan ◽  
Scott E.K. Bennett ◽  
...  

The Eastern California shear zone (ECSZ; southwestern USA) accommodates ~20%–25% of Pacific–North America relative plate motion east of the San Andreas fault, yet little is known about its early tectonic evolution. This paper presents a detailed stratigraphic and structural analysis of the uppermost Miocene to lower Pliocene Bouse Formation in the southern Blythe Basin, lower Colorado River valley, where gently dipping and faulted strata provide a record of deformation in the paleo-ECSZ. In the western Trigo Mountains, splaying strands of the Lost Trigo fault zone include a west-dipping normal fault that cuts the Bouse Formation and a steeply NE-dipping oblique dextral-normal fault where an anomalously thick (~140 m) section of Bouse Formation siliciclastic deposits filled a local fault-controlled depocenter. Systematic basinward thickening and stratal wedge geometries in the western Trigo and southeastern Palo Verde Mountains, on opposite sides of the Colorado River valley, record basinward tilting during deposition of the Bouse Formation. We conclude that the southern Blythe Basin formed as a broad transtensional sag basin in a diffuse releasing stepover between the dextral Laguna fault system in the south and the Cibola and Big Maria fault zones in the north. A palinspastic reconstruction at 5 Ma shows that the southern Blythe Basin was part of a diffuse regional network of linked right-step­ping dextral, normal, and oblique-slip faults related to Pacific–North America plate boundary dextral shear. Diffuse transtensional strain linked northward to the Stateline fault system, eastern Garlock fault, and Walker Lane, and southward to the Gulf of California shear zone, which initiated ca. 7–9 Ma, implying a similar age of inception for the paleo-ECSZ.


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