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34 <br />context will be of critical importance in this task. Features that might be associated with pinon nut <br />and atom utilization will be targetted by these analyses. Floatation analysis will likely be the most <br />beneficial, though pollen analysis may be warranted in certain types of feamres, especially those that <br />might be storage or processing features. <br />Recovery of artifact assemblages and the discovery of associated features will provide <br />information on site activities and function. This information will be used to place sites in the <br />settlement/subsistence model. Any sites that have intact buried occupation surfaces will be <br />significant in this effort. However, systematic surface collection of a sample of the surface sites is <br />also proposed. Caution will be exercised in the interpretation of surface collections because of the <br />potential for mixing of multiple occupations. Collection of smaller sites will be an important part <br />of this effort, since these sites are more likely to represent fewer occupations with lesser potential <br />for misinterpretation due to repeated occupation. Comparison of smaller sites with larger sites may <br />help understand the formation processes of the larger sites. Preference will be given to sites where <br />chronological information is available and further priority will be given to sites that might foster <br />absolute dating of some sort. <br />The majority of sites already known to exist on the project area are apparent "locations" <br />within the forager/collector model (Binford 1980). Focus will be directed to identifying sites that <br />represent other aspects of this model, especially field camps and residential bases, where activities <br />and features representing post-procurement aspects of pinon nut or atom exploitation may be <br />present. Processing and storage features will be of critical importance. Discovery and analysis of <br />such sites will serve to expand understanding the context within which the procurement activity took <br />place. <br />Methods. Most of the anticipated field and analytical methods for pursuing these research <br />goals aze standard and have been described in the project's original treatment plan (McKibbin et al. <br />1997:1 10-122). However, the proposed surface col lection is a new treatment aspect for this project. <br />Surface collection will be conducted at a sample of sites for the purpose of better understanding the <br />range and nature of activities at sites presumed to be pinon nut or acorn procurement loci. Many of <br />these sites are fairly small and a 100% surface collection is proposed. Artifacts will be found by <br />means of intensive surface examination. A one meter grid system will be established over the site, <br />and artifacts will be provenienced to one square meter grids. Point-plotting will not be used since <br />post-depositional processes acting on surface artifacts can be expected to have altered the original <br />placement of many artifacts to a degree that renders this level of resolution meaningless. The site <br />map will be modified, or redrawn if necessary, to accurately show the placement of the collection <br />grid with respect to topography, current vegetation, and surface sediment characteristics. <br />Larger sites will be subject to a sample surface collection by means of collection transects. <br />One or several transects will be laid out over the site, crossing areas of the site identified as possible <br />activity loci, but also including other, intervening areas where artifact densities are not as high. The <br />transects are proposed to be one or two meters wide depending on the size of the si to and the density <br />. of cultural materials. Artifacts will be provenienced to single square meter grids within the <br />transect(s). Mapping will be as described above. <br />