Back to MWAC Publications

The 1981 Center investigations in Curecanti National Recreation Area, western Colorado included construction-related archeological evaluation and mitigation at 13 sites in the Gunnison River Valley. Two of the 13 sites, 5GN41 and 5GN222, contained proto-historic or historic Indian components. However, as in previous work in the park, most of the archeological remains examined in Curecanti in 1981 also contained earlier components, and thus reflected prehistoric aboriginal occupation and use of the area. Assay of radiocarbon data recovered from Curecanti in 1981 generated ages ranging from 474 ±70 to 7684 ±110 years B.P. However, many of the Curecanti dates continue to fall between 5,000 and 7,000 B.P., suggesting more intensive occupation of the valley during that time.

Data recovered from the park in 1981 continued to suggest that the archeology represented debris generated by a series of seasonal but relatively stable, long-lived hunting and gathering adaptations. Abundant chipped stone tools and tool fragments were collected which document a major bifacial tool industry. Ground stone implements found at several of the sites indicate the importance of collected wild plant foods. Associated palynological data suggest an aboriginal collection strategy which entailed the exploitation of a wide variety of seasonally available plant resources instead of an economy which emphasized only one or two plant resources.

Finally, the 1981 data from the park appear to document an aboriginal settlement pattern which involved seasonal occupation of base camps at the mouths of streams tributary to the Gunnison. These sites, which appear to have had repeated use, often over several millenia, may have facilitated small hunting and gathering expeditions away from the river and into the higher elevations such as the West Elk Mountains to the north of the park.

Due to the sensitive nature of this subject this report is available to professional archeologists only. If you order this manuscript we may contact you for verification of your profession.