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• A radiocarbon record of occupation for the central mountain region is derived from <br />the excavation of 25 sites in the Curecanti National Recreation Area. The investigations <br />resulted in 66 radiocarbon dates that indicate a nearly continuous occupation of the <br />Gunnison Basin 1'or the past 10,000 years. Tluee periods of possible higher frequency of <br />occupation occurred between about 5500-4000 B.C., 3700-800 Q.C., and 650 B.C. - A.D. <br />150. The highest frequency of dates occur ca. 4000 B.C. (Jones 1984:19-21). <br />Within the BLM Grand lttnction Resource Area, 123 radiocarbon dates from 35 <br />tested and excavated sites indicate that clusters occur ca. 7200-1600 Q.C., 4300-3800 B.C., <br />3200-1000 Q.C., and 900 B.C -1800 A.D. (O'Neil 1993:293). The earlier dates arc low in <br />occurrence as compared with the mountain regions, and the long hiatus between 5600 Q.C. <br />and 4300 B.C. may be directly linked to the aflects of the Altithermal. <br />Paleolndian Tradition <br />The oldest evidence of human occupation is provided by surface finds of diagnostic <br />artilacts of the Paleolndian Tradition that date ca. 9300-6000 Q.C. This Tradition is <br />characterized by lanceolate- and leaf-shaped, bifacially flaked, fluted and un[luted projectile <br />points, and the hunting of'now-extinct Pleistocene megafauna. Sites and isolated finds of <br />• diagnostic artifacts are recorded throughout the Colorado Plateau and Great Basin (Schroedl <br />1991:1-15). In the central mountains of Colorado, surface finds of Clovis, Folsom, Hell <br />Gap/Agate Basin, Cody Complex, and James Allen points on sites and as isolated finds <br />indicate that the entire Paleolndian period is represented here (Baker et al. 1980; Stiger, <br />personal communication). Surface linds of Folsom points are reported in western Colorado <br />by Wormington (1955: 120), Huscher (1939), and I Iurst (1943). West of the project area, <br />- Fluted projectile points have been recorded as isolated finds and in a site context in Grand <br />County, Utah (Copeland and Fike 1988:5-28). 1'he Cody Complex is the last Paleolndian <br />tool assemblage found on awide-spread basis throughout Nortlt America. The Plano period <br />(late Paleolndian) assemblages that include James Allen/Frederick/Lusk point types probably <br />represent remnant Paleolndian populations that existed along side the Early Archaic <br />Tradition. The lames Allen point is the most commonly found Paleolndian type in the <br />~ Gunnison area (Stiger, personal communication 1990). In general, data from excavated <br />s Paleolndian sites are scant for the western Colorado region; however, some of the oldest <br />radiocarbon dates for the state (I 1,79011700 B.P. and [4,4871610 B.P.) have been acquired <br />'1 lirom Gunnison County site SGN 189 (Mueller and Stiger 1983). A hearth dated 97911830 <br />~ B.P. at SGN205 is considered to be Folsom (Early Paleolndian) in origin (Euler and Stiger, <br />1981:42,59). In adjacent Chaffee County, site SCF358 yielded a Milnesand Point from <br />~ Component I (dated ca. 10,000-9500 B.P.), a Paleolndian occupation preserved within 40 <br />J centimeters below present ground surface (Black 1986:91). <br />1 <br />~~ 6 <br />1 <br />1 <br />_~ <br />