2022-05-10_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M1993041

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62 4 . 1 Prehistoric Problem Domains Anthropologists address the various issues of human behavior using a scale from specific locale to the entire world. A researcher may use one site or evidence of localized human occupation during a brief time as a microcosm of larger activity. However, the broader scale or picture, an understanding of cultural behavior of an entire group, regardless of location, may be derived from one small site. The archaeological remains at Dowe Flats may contribute knowledge to our understanding at many scales. 4.1 .2 Chronology Previous survey efforts have documented a total of six prehistoric or protohistoric sites and four prehistoric isolated artifacts within or immediately adjacent to the Study Area containing temporally diagnostic artifacts (Tables 2 and 3) . All but one of these sites and isolated artifacts are affiliated with the Late Prehistoric (Early to Late Ceramic) period. One site (5BL4151) is associated with protohistoric grave remains; one isolated artifact is a possible fragment of a late Paleo- Indian period projectile point . In addition, absolute (radiocarbon) age estimates are available from two sues within the Study Area (5BL876, 5BL2431) . Sites 5BL876 and SBL2431 contained two datable components. Radiocarbon age estimates of 2, 140 +/- 200 years, 1280 +/- 195 years, and 1, 120 +/- 200 years B. P. were obtained from charcoal found in buried fire pits within three different stone circles on site 5BL876 (Cassells and Farrington 1986: 131) . These or similar dates would normally indicate the presence of a Late Archaic or Late Preceramic period occupation (c. 3, 000 - 2, 000 years B.P. ) and an Early Ceramic period occupation (c. 2, 000 - 1, 000 years B.P. ) . However, the charcoal that yielded the earliest date was associated directly with a small piece of pottery, an artifact type that is generally indicative of later cultural episodes in