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• Proximity to water appears to be a controlling factor in <br />site location. Furthermore, material from the Plains and <br />the Great Basin has been recorded, indicating that the Yampa <br />Basin saw utilization by groups from both areas, and may <br />be a major route between the two areas. <br />Research Problems <br />On the basis of previous research, it has been possible <br />to construct a general culture history of the region (see <br />Archaeological Sequence). A review of the literature has <br />Led to the identification of several problems that should <br />be considered when conducting archaeological investigations <br />in the area. <br />The first problem that becomes apparent is the presence <br />of material from both Plains and Great Basin stylistic affil- <br />iations, and the difficulty in determining whether stylistic <br />similarity indicates cultural affinity. Several authors have <br />• begun to address this problem, though no framework in which <br />to conduct field investigations relevant to this problem has <br />been proposed. <br />Ward-Williams (1976) hypothesizes that the Yampa River <br />Basin was of major importance in cultural contact between <br />the Plains and the Great Basin. Implicit in this hypothesis <br />is the idea that distinct aboriginal cultures developed in <br />both the Plains and the Great Basin, and made contact as <br />discreet entities in the Yampa Basin. <br />Benedict and Olson (1978) suggest a high altitude <br />origin of the McKean Technocomplex from an Early Archaic adap- <br />tation. In Benedict's view, a widespread Archaic Complex <br />originated from high altitude refuges during the Altithermal. ~ <br />This adaptation spread into the Plains and the Great Basin <br />from a common ancestor. There are major differences between <br />the concepts of Benedict, who proposes a single origin <br />(monothetic) and Ward-Williams, who implies a series of <br />• <br />19 <br />