A Burial Analysis of the Hotchkiss Site (CA-CCO-138)

Purpose of the Study:\ud Previous analyses of prehistoric burial sites in California have focused on the change from the band to the tribal level of society, while comparatively little research has focused on later, increasingly complex sites. In addition, although artifact burial association data along age and sex lines are often reported, mortuary analyses specifically aimed at investigation of status and role differences between males and females are infrequent. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze and interpret artifact burial associations in a prehistoric mortuary population, focusing on social organization and complexity, with a special emphasis on status and role differences between males and females.\ud Procedure:\ud Artifact burial associations (grave good accompaniments) for each burial from the Hotchkiss site (CA-CCO-138), a Late Period cemetery, were analyzed. Located on the southwestern edge of the central California delta area, and containing a total of 662 burials. the cemetery is believed to have been utilized for an approximately 800 year period, from ca. 700 AD+-200 to ca. 1800 AD +-50. The artifact burial associations were analyzed for the entire occupation period of the site as a whole, and for shorter time phases of approximately 200 years duration. Artifact burial associations were analyzed for males and females, and for the burial population as a whole.\ud Findings:\ud Burial population size increased Significantly in Phase II (ca. 1500-1750 AD); however, the total number of artifact burial associations, the variety of artifact burial associations, nonlocal artifacts, and the stylistic diversity of ornaments all decreased in Phase II. Projectile points, harpoons, charmstones, bone hairpins, stone pipes, and beads predominantly occurred with male burials; while Haliotis ornaments, mortars, and pestles predominantly occurred with female burials. Bone whistles and quartz crystals occurred exclusively with male burials. Circular shaped Haliotis ornaments were found to occur predominantly with female burials, while trapezoidal Haliotis ornaments were found to occur predominantly with male burials.\ud Conclusions:\ud A collapse in the social complexity in Phase II at Hotchkiss is hypothesized. and the site appears to have been abandoned very early in Phase lIb (ca. 1700 AD). The division of labor between males and females appears to have been more rigid with regards to plant processing having been the domain of females, than with regards to hunting having been the domain of males. Participation In religious ceremonies and in shamanism may have been more more open to males (although not prohibited by females), and differing participatory roles in ceremonial dances between the sexes is inferred. Both males and females appear to have had equal access to wealth. A dichotomy between round and square ornament shapes is hypothesized between males and females, and may be related to segregated participation in ceremonial dances