The Brazil Mound Page vi

It was largely through the efforts of the Brazil family and subsequent land owners that portions of the Brazil Mound have survived.

The Brazil Site Project was made possible through the sponsorship of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District. The Army Corps is to be commended for their creative approach to the management and treatment of this significant archaeological property. Three archaeologists within that organization have participated in various phases of this project: Ms. Sannie Kenton Osborn, Ms. Patti Johnson (who also excavated at the site in 1968), and Mr. Lee Foster.

The Project was carried out under the direction of Dr. Paul Bouey, then of Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc., of Davis. Dr. Bouey, with the participation of many other archaeologists and anthropologists, carried out the first full-scale study of the Brazil collection and produced a scholarly report documenting that work. Much of the information in this brochure is adapted from that report. Both the report and the brochure were produced by Far Western, with formatting by Carl W. Hansen and graphics by Tammara M. Ekness and J. Peter Mundwiller.

Several individuals served as consultants for the study, including Mr. William ("Bill") Franklin of Ione, California (Native American Consultant), the late Dr. Franklin Fenenga, and the late Dr. James Bennyhoff. Frank Fenenga led the first excavations at the Brazil Site in 1939; 50 years later, he was still able to provide valuable information about that early work. Jim Bennyhoff, who worked at the site in 1957, was to become one of the primary sources of knowledge about the archaeology of Central California. Jim guided many of the analyses for the Brazil Site Project, and shared critical knowledge that was not available anywhere else.

And finally, special thanks go to the Manuel Brazil family, who recognized nearly 60 years ago that the low mound located on their Sacramento River property contained materials and information of great value to archaeologists, Native Americans, and all those with an interest in the prehistory of California.

Table of
Contents