(top to bottom): Late, Middle, and Early Prehistoric Period projectile points from the Central Valley, showing stylistic change through time
Research questions like these can sometimes be answered through archaeological studies like the Brazil Site Project. Unfortunately, many of the prehistoric sites that once existed along the Sacramento River and in the Delta are gone now, or badly damaged. And many more archaeological sites throughout the country are destroyed each year. For that reason, some of our answers may have to come from collections dug up many years ago, collections that are still housed in museums and at universities. The Brazil Site Project involved the analysis of such a collection.
DATING AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
Learning the age of a site - that is, when and for how long it was occupied -
is a critical first step in almost any archaeological study. For instance, if a site was occupied very early in time, it might provide valuable clues about the first human groups in an area, where they came from, and what kind of technology they brought with them. On the other hand, if the site was inhabited late , say, just before the arrival of the Spanish in Central California, then perhaps it can show us a picture of a Native Californian society that was well established and already adapted to the local environment. And when it turns out that a site has been occupied over a very long span of time (as is the case with the Brazil Mound), then any social or environmental changes that took place during that time might show up in the archaeological record. Understanding how and why ancient societies changed over time is a primary goal of archaeology.
Three different dating methods were used for the Brazil Site Project: artifact styles , obsidian hydration , and radiocarbon . These are standard methods used by archaeologists throughout California and elsewhere. Often, the different methods produce somewhat different dates, and the archaeologist must try to find the best compromise between them.
Artifact Styles
Archaeologists discovered long ago that artifact styles - the ways people make things - change over time. Sometimes these changes happen because of new technology, as when small (arrow) points replaced large (dart) points. Styles also change when people's tastes and ideas change - for example, men's neckties go from narrow to wide and back again. While we can't always figure out why particular
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