17
II. EVIDENCE FOR THE EARLY OCCUPATION OF
THE WASHOE LAKE BASIN
Thomas R. Hester and Lucy R. Jameson
The Washoe Lake basin, containing Washoe and Little Washoe Lakes, is
situated in west-central Nevada a few miles south of Reno, and has beeni the scene of
only sporadic archaeological investigation. Brief reconnaissance by S. M. Wheeler,
G. Grosscup and others (notes on file at the Archaeological Research Facility, Berkeley)
revealed the presence of a number of sites in sand dunes along the eastern margin of
Washoe Lake (see also Carter 1958). Deflation has exposed abundant archaeological
remains at these sites, including granite and basalt manos, metates, and hammer-
stones, animal bone food refuse (deer, rabbits, rodents, birds), lithic debris, and
chipped stone artifacts such as drills, large bifaces, biface fragments (broken preforms?),
and projectile points. Typologically, the projectile points include specimens of the
Desert Side Notched, Cottonwood, Rose Spring, Eastgate, Martis and Elko series, and
a possible Humboldt Concave Base B point (for definition and illustrations of these
and other types ,see Hester and Heizer 1973. In general, these sites probably date
after 2000 B. C., and the bulk of the remains may have accunmulated in late prehistoric
times. Other work in the Washoe basin has been briefly reported by Carter (1958),
Tuohy (1967), and Elston (1971). Carter (1958) believed that there were extremely
ancient cultural remains in the area. At a gravel pit in the basin, he collected a mano
which he assigned to "early Wisconsin I" times.
Aside from Carter's unsubstantiated claims, we now have data which indicate
occupation in the Washoe Lake basin at a relatively early time period. Several fluted
points have been collected here. One of these specimens is in the Luke collection,
Fallon, Nevada. It is 69 mm. long and 25 mm. in width. Since it was attached to a
display board, the thickness of the specimen could not be determined, and only one
surface of the point could be observed (Fig. 1P). The specimen is lanceolate in outline,
with parallel lateral edges and a slightly concave base. The body of the point is marked
by broad, parallel flake scars, and a long, narrow flute. According to George and
Alfred Luke (personal communication), this artifact was collected from the "flats"
on the eastern side of Washoe Lake.
Another fluted point from the vicinity of Washoe Lake is illustrated by Strong
(1969: Fig. 29) and this specimen is shown in Fig. lb. The point is approximately
64 mm. in length, with a maximum width of about 22 mm. Only one side of the specimen
is shown in Strong's illustration. It exhibits broad, parallel flake scars on the body,
and has been fluted by the removal of three side by side longitudinal flakes.
In general, both of these fluted points can be included in the Clovis type. The
removal of multiple flutes, as on the specimen first reported by Strong, is known to
18
occur on other Clovis specimens (Leonhardy 1966), as well as on specimens of the
Plainview type (cf. Sellards 1952). However, given the technological criteria outlined
for both the Plainview and Clovis types (cf. Leonhardy 1966: 22-23), the Strong specimen
fits more closely into the Clovis category. In previous publications, Tuohy (1965, 1967)
and Warren and Ranere (1968) have mentioned the presence of fluted points in the Washoe
Lake area, but have provided no documentation for these occurrences. It is difficult
to ascertain the temporal range of fluted points in Nevada. Specimens typologically
similar to Folsom and Clovis forms are widely distributed (cf. Davis and Shutler 1969),
but most are from surface contexts. A single fluted (?) point was excavated from the
base of the deposits at Fort Rock Cave,, Oregon, and associated materials were
radiocarbon-dat ed at ca. 11, 250 B. C. (Gak 1738; Bedwell 1970), Since there are
numerous fluted points in Nevada which appear to be in the Clovis and Folsom traditions,
we can postulate that the bulk of these specimens date from roughly 10, 000-8, 000 B. C.
(cf. Hester 1973).
Bedwell (1970) has recently defined a "Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition",
representing an early lacustrine adaptation in the Great Basin and adjacent areas in the
period between 9, 000-6, 000 B. C. This tradition encompasses several previously-
defined manifestations, such as Lake Mohave, San Dieguito, Playa and Hascomat.
Characteristic lithic traits include lanceolate, concave-based points (such as the Black
Rock Concave Base type of Clewlow 1968), Lake Mohave points, Haskett and Haskett-
like specimens (Butler 1965), perhaps some fluted points, and "crescents" which are
also termed Great Basin Transverse points.
Evidence of the Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition has recently been found in
the Washoe Lake basin. Two large basalt projectile points were collected by the
second author at a spot between Washoe and Little Washoe Lakes, at a time when a part
of this area was exposed by a low lake level in Washoe Lake.
Both of the specimens (Fig. il, c, d, d' ) have long, tapering stems, the
edges of which are heavily dulled. The technological attributes of the stems of these
specimens closely match those for "Haskett-like" points, as specified by Crabtree
(in Warren and Ranere 1968: 14). They have broad, convex-edged bodies, with shallow,
parallel flake scars on the larger specimen (Fig. lc, c!). The smaller specimen is
heavily eroded (probably waterworn) on one face and most flake scars are obliterated.
The opposite face is less worn and exhibits irregular flake scars. The tip of this
particular specimen appears to have been broken and subsequently reworked. The
attributes of the major flake scars on both specimens, including broad outlines, shallow
scars, and diffuse bulbs of force, suggest that they are flaked by well-controlled direct
percussion (C rabtree, ibid.), possibly through the use of a cylinder-hammer. Both
specimens have lenticular transverse cross sections.
Dimensions and weights of these two projectile points are listed below:
19
Fig. ic, c'        Fig. id, d'
Length                      95.0 mm.            76.0
Maximum width               37.0                28.0
Maximum thickness            6.5                 7.0
Minimum thickness            4.5                 4.0
Stem length                 46.0               46.0
Weight (grams)              24.0                15.0
Projectile points very similar to these are known from Lake Mohave and
from the Sadmat site (Carson Sink) and are called "Haskett-like" by Warren and Ranere
(1968: Fig. 2s, t; Fig. 3m-p). At both localities, they occur in assemblages containing
Lake Mohave points, "crescents" and other lithic traits characteristic of the Western
Pluvial Lakes tradition. These specimens also resemble the "Cougar Mountain" type
of Layton (1972) which probably occurs in the same early context.
In summary, we have recorded the occurrence of fluted points reminiscent
of the Clovis type dating perhaps as early as 11, 000 years ago, and have also noted the
presence of "Haskett-lie".', points, a trait of the Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition dating
between 9,000-6,000 B. C. Archaeological research in western Nevada in recent years
has revealed the repeated association of early lithic materials with lake basins and
high beaches and terraces surrounding pluvial lakes (Tuohy 1970; Hester 1973). Though
our current evidence for the early lacustrine-oriented occupation of the Washoe Lake
basin remains meager, we believe there are sufficient data to at least hypothesize the
presence of early components in this area. Additional work in this vicinity could test
this postulate by concentrating investigations in the area between Washoe Lake and
Little Washoe Lake (the place where the "Haskett-liket" points were obtained) and in the
area to the east of Washoe Lake where the fluted point in the Luke Collection was found.
We further suggest that the proximity of these probable early projectile points to the
present margins of Washoe Lake indicates that the lake may have had a similar config-
uration for the past 10, 000 or more years.
20
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bedwell, S. F.
1970
Butler, B. R.
1965
Carter, G. F.
1958
Clewlow,
Prehistory and Environment of the Pluvial Fort Rock Lake Area of
South Central Oregon. Unpublished Ph. D. dissertation, University
of Oregon, Eugene. (University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, No. 70-
21, 579),
A Report on Investigations of an Early Man Site near Lake Channel,
Southern Idaho. Tebiwa 8: 1-21.
Archaeology in the Reno Area in Relation to the Age of Man and the
Culture Sequence in America. Proceedings, American Philosophical
Society 102(1): 174-192.
C.W., Jr.
1968     Surface Archaeology of the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. University
of California Archaeological Survey, Report 73.
Davis, E.L. and R.
1969
Elston, R.G.
1971
Hester, T. R.
1973
Shutler, Jr.
Recent Discoveries of Fluted Points in California and Nevada.
Nevada State Museum, Anthropological Papers 14: 154-178
(with an appendix by D. R. Tuohy).
A Contribution to Washo Archaeology. Nevada Archeological Survey,
Research Paper 2.
Chronological Ordering of Great Basin Prehistory. Contributions,
University of California Archaeological Research Facility 17.
Hester, T.R. and R. F. Heizer
1973     Review and Discussion of Great Basin Projectile Points: Forms and
Chronology. Archaeological Research Facility, Berkeley.
Layton, T. N.
1972
Leonhardy, F. C.
1966
Lithic Chronology in the Fort Rock Valley, Oregon. Tebiwa 15:
2: 1-21.
Domebo, A Paleo-Indian Mammoth Kill in the Prairie-Plains.
Contributions of the Museum of the Great Plains 1. Lawton, Oklahoma.
21
Sellards, E. H.
1952     Early Man in America. University of Texas Press, Austin.
Strong, E.
1969     The Stone Age in the Great Basin. Binfords and Mort, Portland,
Oregon.
Tuohy, D. R.
1965     Nevada's Prehistoric Heritage. Nevada State Museum, Popular
Series 1.
1967     A Notable Stemmed Obsidian Knife from Washoe Lake, Nevada.
Nevada Archaeological Survey, Reporter 1(5): 10-11.
1970     The Coleman Locality: A Basalt Quarry and Workshop near Falcon
Hill, Nevada. Nevada State Museum Anthropological Papers
15: 143-206.
Warren, C. N. and A. J. Ranere
1968     Outside Danger Cave: A View of Early Man in the Great Basin.
In: Early Man in Western North America (C. Irwin-Williams,
editor). Eastern New Mexico University, Contributions in
Anthropology 1(4): 6-18.
22
b
a
c
d
0
cm.
5
I
Projectile points from the Washoe Lake Basin. a, b,
fluted points; c, c', d, d', "Haskett-like" point
(lines indicate extent of lateral edge smoothing.
Figure 1.
C'
a
I - "Y