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outcrops of which are present on the site surface — has contributed, and continues to contribute <br />to the soil formation. The site -wide random mingling of cultural materials such as charcoal, <br />culturally oxidized sandstone, and fire -cracked rock fragments, with other unaltered, non- <br />cultural, materials serves to demonstrate the extent of intermixing that has taken place in the <br />deposits since, and during, the human occupation. <br />The two dates from the lower levels of the site correspond to a period defined by <br />Metcalf (2011:43-44) as the Aspen Tradition/Uinta Phase in Northwest Colorado and starting <br />ca. 1950 BP to 1800 BP and ending about 650 BP. It is characterized by: a substantial increase <br />in number and visibility of archaeological components across the region; the full-scale adoption <br />of the bow and arrow and use of small corner notched points; introduction of some locally <br />made gray and brown ware ceramics; frequent use of pit features with some associations with <br />small basin houses; and evidence of resource use intensification in the form of seed and root <br />processing technologies (Metcalf 1987; Reed and Metcalf 1999; Thompson and Pastor 1995). <br />Components were excavated at sites 5MF1915 and 5MF2987 in Colorado, which produced <br />evidence of a period of erosion ca. 1000 BP indicating a drying episode, which may have <br />strained the Aspen Tradition/Uinta Phase regional cultural adaptation (Metcalf 2011:43-44). <br />This erosional episode may have been the source of the deflation and mixing of the deposits at <br />5MF7762. <br />13.0 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS <br />The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) directs the BLM to ensure that <br />BLM-initiated or authorized actions do not inadvertently disturb or destroy significant cultural <br />resource values. Significance is a quality of cultural resource properties that qualifies them for <br />inclusion in the NRNP. The statements of significance included in this report are field <br />assessments to support recommendations to the BLM and State Historic Preservation Officer <br />(SHPO). The final determination of site significance is made by the controlling agencies in <br />consultation with the SHPO and the Keeper of the Register. The eligibility determination and <br />consultation process is guided by Section 106 of the NHPA (36 CFR 60, 63, and 800). <br />The evaluative testing for this site was part of the process to make a final determination <br />of its eligibility. Excavations involved a broad sampling of the site area and resulted in an <br />assessment that the cultural deposits were deflated and mixed. Although, the diagnostic <br />artifacts and radiocarbon data provided a cultural chronology that may have reached into the <br />Middle Archaic, the condition of those deposits indicate that no additional significant <br />information is present. Accordingly, the site is field reevaluated as not eligible for listing on <br />the National Register of Historic Places. <br />33 <br />