Acknowledgements
The author wishes to express his particular appreciation to his assistant,. James F. O’Connell., for his cheerful and unflagging efforts throughout a particularly frustrating field season.
Jim and I are very grateful for the close support and assistance, and the many courtesies, extended to us by the personnel of the Crater Lake National Park. Messers’. Ward V. Yeager, Marshal B. Evans,, and Richard Brown deserve special gratitude for their patience and cooperation. Mr. Ken Wai-chek very generously devoted part of his free time to directing our botanic transects, and deserves our special thanks for his valuable contribution.
Mr. Paul Schmacher, Regional Archaeologist, provided valuable liaison service, providing us with maps and, other information on request, and I wish to express my appreciation for his prompt replies to request for background information and documents which materially aided the writing of this report.
Wilbur A. Davis
Assistant Curator of Anthropology
Museum of Natural History
Eugene, Oregon
A survey of the archaeological resources of Crater Lake National Park and Oregon Caves National Monument was carried out by a University of Oregon field party during the 1963 summer field season. The purpose of the project was to determine the extent of aboriginal occupation and utilization of the areas. The project was authorized by the National Park Service under the Mission 66 program, whose objectives are the interpretation for the public of the natural and scientific resources contained within the National Park system. The archaeological program of Mission 66 “deal primarily in scientific research, preservation, the recovery, of archaeological values, and the protection of these values for the enjoyment of future generations” (anonymous 1963).
The survey of the Oregon Caves and Crater Lake regions yielded almost completely negative results. No evidence of aboriginal occupation or use was found on the Monument or adjacent lands, and the evidence at Crater Lake consists of a few flakes and projectile points. Our study showed that the areas were suboptimal habitats for aboriginal groups dependent upon hunting and gathering subsistence economies.
This report reviews briefly (1) the cultural chronology of south central Oregon with notes on the historic tribes having access to the study areas; (2) the geology, climate and economic rescources of Crater Lake Park from the standpoint of aboriginal use and occupation; and (3) comparisons with other surveys of equivalent altitudes,
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