Abstract

Following excavations in the Promontory Caves and at several open sites in the Provo River Delta region, Steward (1937) characterized the Promontory culture as large game hunters. He based this on the high number of bison bones recovered within the Caves. Excavations at additional Promontory sites along the Wasatch Front contain faunal assemblages which differ significantly from those in the caves, showing that people living at open sites relied more heavily on small game, waterfowl, and aquatic resources than large game. These differences have been mostly attributed to Steward's sampling strategy and lack of screening, but faunal material recovered during 2011 excavations at the caves support Steward's initial assessment: the people living in the caves were hunting large game and little else. Using faunal data from seven sites, I discuss how the faunal assemblages differ and the implications of hunting practices in discussions of Promontory culture.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Anthropology

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