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<br />IV. DESCRIPTION OF CULTURAL RESOURCES <br />4.1 PREHISTORIC BACRGROUND OF AREA <br />The Craig area is almost unknown archeologically and the summary pre- <br />sented here is drawn from archeological research conducted in surrounding <br />regions and essentially indicates what kinds of evidence of prehistoric <br />occupations may be found in the area. <br />It is generally recognized today that man entered the New World at <br />least 30,000 years ago and possibly as early as 40,000 B.P. over the Bering <br />land bridge. The earliest immigrants were necessarily hunters and gatherers <br />but the specific mode of their subsistence and the nature of their artifact <br />inventory is a matter of considerable dispute. <br />4.1.1' The Pre-projectile Point Horizon <br />Krieger (1964) has postulated the existence of an early cultural <br />horizon characterized by an artifact inventory consisting of relatively <br />• crude scrapers, flakes, and pebble-choppers. Radiocarbon dates associated <br />with several finds indicate an antiquity of at least 30,000 years. Most of <br />the artifacts associated with the horizon, hocaever, are found on the sur- <br />face under uncontrolled conditions and some archeologists feel that there <br />is not enough information to support the idea that such a horizon exists <br />(cf. J. Jennings 1974:74-81). <br />4.1.2 The Big Game Hunters , 15,000 - 7,000 B.P. <br />The earliest well dated cultural complexes found in North America are <br />characterized by well-made lanceolate projectile points and other associated <br />stone tools. The cultures producing these tools were small nomadic groups <br />with a primary dependence on the hunting of large game animals fnr sub- <br />sistence. Plant food resources were a relatively minor part of the diet. <br />The general horizon of Big Game Hunters is divided chronologically into <br />three cultural traditions. The earliest of these is called the Llano <br />tradition and is characterized ley ~l:e fluted Clovis point and an association <br />with the hunting of mammoth in western states. The Llano tradition is well- <br />dccumented at mammoth kill sites in New Mexico and Arizona, which have pro- <br />• duced reliable C-14 dates in the 11,200-11,500 B.P. range. The C-14 date <br />