Part 3

_Feature 15a._--This was 10 by 10 feet with an average depth of 4 to 8 inches. Four inverted metates, additional metate fragments, manos, core tools, and a single fragment of a slate pendant. In the southeast portion were 12 symmetrical stream cobbles of different sizes. This latter aggregation is of interest. The almost perfect symmetry of the stones suggests selection, and the physiographic location of the Tank Site implies such stones must have been transported to it. None shows any evidence of utilitarian use, and in the light of present knowledge the existence and function of such objects cannot be explained.

_Feature 15b._--Badly weathered, fragmentary metates; altered "lumps" of sandstone; manos; and core tools. Three small pestles were found near association.

_Feature 15c._--Inverted, killed, sandstone metate; sandstone slab; and core tools. Burial 11 was in close proximity, but owing to its badly disturbed condition, no positive association could be made with the feature.

_Feature 15d._--Metates; altered sandstone blocks; core tools; manos; and fragments of human leg bones.

_Feature 16._--Disintegrated, pitted metate and fragments of 2 other metates; mano fragments; core tools; unworked stone; and unidentifiable fragments of human bone.

_Feature 17._--Characterized by a number of symmetrically water-worn cobbles. Contrasts with other features wherein metates, manos, cores, and irregular, unutilized stones predominate. Fragmentary metates, manos, and core tools were also present, as were 2 segments of human femora.

_Feature 18._--Badly weathered, inverted, deep-basin metate in near association to symmetrical sandstone cobble containing a ground depression. The latter may represent the initial stage of mortar manufacture, though the smoothness and regularity of the depression surface somewhat invalidates the idea.

_Feature 19._--Metates (deep basin, shallow basin, and slab); mano fragments; scraper planes; core hammerstones; and fragments of human femora and tibiae. The deep-basin metate was right side up, in contrast to the usual inversion.

_Feature 20._--Deep-basin metate with associated metate fragments; carbon-smudged blocks of disintegrated sandstone core tools; and sections of human femora.

_Feature 21 (pl. 18, b)._--Large, shallow-basin metate and fragments of 2 others; 2 large, reworked, granite boulders; 3 blocks of highly decomposed sandstone; core tools; mano; and fragments of human femur.

_Feature 22 (pl. 20, b)._--Deep-basin metate; 2 slab metates and 3 metate fragments; chunks of altered sandstone; core tools; and a large, chert blade.

_Feature 23 (pl. 20, d)._--This feature constituted by far the largest single concentration of stone, being about 8 feet in diameter. In addition to quantities of unworked pieces of granite and sandstone, the following artifacts were noted: 53 metate fragments (31 deep basin, 13 shallow basin, and 9 slab), 15 manos, 11 scraper planes, 4 side scrapers, 5 bifaced chopper, and 2 abrading stones.

_Feature 24 (pl. 18, d)._--Large, decomposed fragments of fired sandstone (18 × 12 × 11 inches); 2 metate fragments; core tools; and fragments of human long bones.

_Feature 25 (pl. 19, a)._--Cache of 6 manos.

_Feature 26 (pl. 20, a)._--One slab metate; metate fragments; manos; core tools; and limonite pigment.

_Feature 27._--Killed, inverted, deep-basin metate; slab metate; 2 scraper planes; 1 mano; 6 core hammerstones; 1 cobble hammerstone; 1 bifaced chopper; fossil mammal bone; and fragments of human bones.

_Feature 28 (pl. 20, c)._--Killed, inverted, shallow-basin metate; fragments of 2 slab metates; 1 shallow-basin type; 4 mano fragments; and 2 core hammerstones. This feature is of interest due to its very shallow depth (4 inches to top of metate). No disturbance could be detected, indicating either that when Mr. Trujillo plowed the site (1920) his plow was drawing less than 4 inches or the deposit has undergone some degradation since the time of his activity.

_Feature 29._--Inverted, deep-basin metate; hammerstone; granules of red ocher; and fragments of human long bones.

_Feature 30._--Single, inverted, shallow-basin metate.

_Feature 31._--Inverted, deep-basin metate; 9 complete manos and 3 fragments; 2 scraper planes; 6 core hammerstones; 7 chunks of altered sandstone; and fragments of human leg bones.

_Feature 32._--Fragments of highly altered metates and 3 chunks of burned sandstone. Unknowingly, a section of this feature was moved during our 1947 operations.

BURIALS

The number of burials recovered was disappointing in view of the previous summer's find. In 1947 our efforts had been confined to digging a wide L-shaped trench peripheral to the central section of the site, from which six fully extended burials were removed, as well as a disturbed burial and reburial. Considering this a favorable sample, we anticipated the central region at least to be as productive. It proved, on the contrary, to be almost lacking in burials. The few interments we did expose came, again, from the peripheral sectors. This peripheral occurrence of burials suggests the possibility of marginal cemeteries rather than burial plots in the central living area, a feature often characteristic of later cultures.

More apparent from the field notes than in the course of excavation was the repeated occurrence of fragmented sets of long bones still in semiarticulated position. (See features 15_d_, 15_c_, 16, 17, 19, 20, 24, 27, 29, and 31.) The nonarticulated epiphesial extremities were generally lacking. In some instances sections of both femora and tibiae occurred in articulated position; in others, just a pair of tibiae or femora, or a single femur or tibia were left. Burial 1 (Treganza and Malamud, 1950, p. 134; pl. 15, _a_) constitutes a good example of the condition to which we just referred. Earlier, on the basis of merely this isolated example, we assumed it to be simply the remains of a disturbed extended burial. However, the frequent recurrence of the phenomenon this season suggests a distinct and intentional burial pattern. Often, the segmented long bones were encountered in conjunction with those features composed of a concentration of large unworked stone and metate fragments. Some problem exists as to what happened to the rest of the skeleton. At no time during excavation did we uncover scattered skull fragments or teeth, and fragmentary arm bones or other skeletal parts were rare. The bulk of the dissociated bone consisted of tibiae or femora. Until otherwise indicated, therefore, we are led to assume that the manifestation results from some form of sectional body disposal, though its ramifications remain unknown and precisely comparable situations are unreported in terms of a consistant pattern.

The data from the two seasons' work thus demonstrate three methods for disposal of the dead: (1) primary inhumation in the flesh, the disposition of the corpse being extended, either prone or supine, with head oriented southerly; (2) reburial, involving only incomplete skeletal remains, primarily segments of long bones, and covered by a metate, which is generally inverted; (3) fractional burial, with interment of leg bones only. The latter is a tentative form, and should it in reality have existed we are unable to explain such a unique custom that would have involved body dissection. The nature of the finds, however, suggests burial of the dismembered lower extremities and not merely a reburial, hence probably representing a form of primary inhumation.

_Burial 9_[1]

Location: section 22L2.

Depth: 50 in.

Type: fractional burial.

Condition: fair.

Position: indeterminable.

Sex: indeterminable.

Remarks: Partial burial consisting of sections of leg bones. Owing to the depth, preservation of the existing bone was good. Unfortunately, because of a cave-in of the unconsolidated earth of last year's fill, a photograph was impossible.

Artifacts in association: larger part of deep-basin metate. In contrast to other metates associated with reburials, this specimen was not inverted.

[1] Burials 1-8 described in Treganza and Malamud, 1950, pp. 134-135.

_Burial 10_

(Pl. 17, _e_)

Location: section 16R11.

Depth: 24 in.

Type: fractional burial.

Condition: poor.

Position: ?

Sex: ?

Remarks: Double burial involving only the leg bones. In one burial the greater part of both femora was present. The original burial position could have been either flexed or extended, i.e., if the corpse has been interred _in toto_ in the first place. In the second burial most of the two tibiae and parts of both femora remained, their position strongly suggesting flexure. It is impossible to say to what extent the burials were disturbed, or what happened to the rest of the bodies.

Artifacts in association: none.

Table 1

Burials LAn-1

========================================================================= | Burial number Burial data |------------------------------------------------ | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ------------------------|------------------------------------------------ Depth from surface | (inches) | 12 19 18 19 13 7 6 30 50 24 12 26 Primary inhumation | ... x x x x x ... ... ... ... ? ? Reburial | ... ... ... ... ... ... x x x ... ? ? Fractional burial | x ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... x ... ... Extended on ventral side| ... ... ... x ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Flexed | ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ? ... ... Head oriented | ... s ssw s s s ... ... ... ... ... ... Artifacts associated | ... ... x x x x x x x ... ... ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Burial 11_

(Pl. 18, _a_)

Location: section 15R13.

Depth: 12 in.

Type: partial reburial or disturbed primary burial.

Condition: poor.

Position: indeterminable.

Sex: indeterminable.

Remarks: Fragments of long bones, mandible, and maxilla present. Position of mandible and maxilla among the leg bones suggests either a former disturbance of a primary inhumation or a secondary burial.

Artifacts in association: possible feature 15C and a cogged stone found about 18 inches away.

_Burial 12_

Location: section 17R7.

Depth: 26 in.

Type: indeterminable.

Condition: poor.

Position: indeterminable.

Sex: indeterminable.

Remarks: Bone disintegration and what seemed to have been disturbance obviated taking adequate information.

Artifacts in association: none.

DESCRIPTION OF ARTIFACTS

To avoid repetition of description, only those types or groups of specimens not covered in the earlier report will be fully discussed here. Such categories as have already been isolated and defined will be treated in summary fashion. For complete descriptive data, the 1947 account of the Topanga Culture should be consulted. The total tabulations of the major groups of artifacts derived from both season's excavations will be presented in this paper.

The artifacts from LAn-2 constitute a problem of their own and will be described in a later section of this paper covering the excavation of that site.

FLAKED TOOLS

With few exceptions, the additional flaked tools represent roughly the same sample as already revealed. Concave scrapers, thumbnail scrapers, a crescentic stone, and new projectile point types make up the adjunct to the typology. The frequencies for most of the groups of flaked tools are reasonably higher than was heretofore indicated. This is probably the result of the more extensive excavations carried out in the areas of greatest artifact concentration.

_Scraper Planes_

Numerically, scraper planes as an entire class constitute the largest single stylized group of artifacts from the Tank Site. Some forms display a marked perfection in flaking technique, and are comparable to illustrated specimens from the San Dieguito industry (M. J. Rogers, 1929; 1939, pl. 8, _i-j_) on the southern California coast and in the Lake Mohave Culture (Campbell _et al._, pls. XXVI, XXVII) in the eastern desert. The majority, however, exhibit only generalized characteristics with considerable latitude in external form suggesting that their manufacture required little precision on the part of the maker, and probably, also, they served essentially as an all-purpose tool. The nature of the wear on much-used specimens indicated hard usage, such as would result from repeated contact on an unyielding surface.

Figure 2 illustrates "ideal" scraper-plane types and the following description is a brief summary of the recognized forms. (For photographs, see Treganza and Malamud, 1950, pls. 17-19.)

_Type IA_

Round to oval in outline, flat base chipped about the entire perimeter. Top surface flaked to a near symmetrical dome shape.

_Type IB_

Like IA, except that the upper surface rises to a peak or ridge somewhat off-center.

_Type IC_

Like IA, but higher and with more latitude in form. Flakes are struck from the perimeter at a steep angle so that on most specimens height exceeds diameter.

_Type IIA_

Form is variable, but tends toward subrectangular. About three-quarters of the basal margin evidences flaking, the remaining portion consists of an unretouched straight edge caused by the removal of a large primary flake.

_Type IIB_

Like IIA, except that the worked edges display a marked degree of secondary flaking or resharpening, to the point where sections of the steepened sides are notably undercut.

_Type III_

Distinct from other forms in that they are shaped from angular rocks on which two separate working faces have been developed. In other respects the specimens in this category fall essentially into the IIA class.

Table 2

Frequency of Scraper Planes by Depth

========================================================================= | Depth (in in.) | |----------------------------------------------------------| Type |0-6 6-12 12-18 18-24 24-30 30-36 36-42 42-48 48-54 54-60 |Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------- IA | 22 21 16 9 6 4 1 1 ... ... | 80 IB | 11 6 5 8 3 2 1 ... ... ... | 36 IC | 34 52 28 17 14 7 2 1 ... ... | 155 IIA |356 472 385 187 88 43 23 12 2 2 |1,570 IIB | 12 7 10 4 1 ... ... 2 ... ... | 36 III | 29 43 21 17 7 9 3 1 1 ... | 131 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total by| | level |464 601 465 242 119 65 30 17 3 2 |2,008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Scrapers._

_Side scrapers (fig. 3, d-e)._--Ovoid to angular, with convex working edges. Frequently with scalloped working edges.

_Straight-edge scrapers or knives (fig. 3, f)._--Irregular forms with a single straight, monofacial retouched margin along one side.

_Ovoid or discoidal scrapers (fig. 3, a)._--Made from large flat flakes, often showing a percussion bulb on one surface, and worked to a near-symmetrical form. Chipping may extend over the whole of one or both faces.

_End scrapers (Treganza and Malamud, 1950, pl. 20, k-l)._--Subrectangular in outline with one of the narrow ends flaked back to a low angle.

_Snub-nosed scrapers (ibid., pl. 20, f-g)._--Like end scrapers with the exception that the flakes have been removed from the retouched end at a much steeper angle, producing a blunter but stronger working edge.

_Cobble scrapers (ibid., pl. 20, c)._--Made from a split cobble showing wear along the sharp curved margin. Only slight retouching.

_Flake scrapers or knives (fig. 3, g)._--Thin flakes monofacially flaked along portions of their peripheries.

_Concave scrapers (fig. 3, c)._--These are neither common nor are they clearly stylized. They total only nine, all acquired during the second season. Though none are alike, they characteristically display a shallow localized concavity along one edge. In some instances the margin of the concavity shows signs of notable abrasion. Small chips have been sprung from the base of the concavity probably through use. Sizes range from 6 to 10 cm. in diameter with the depressions varying from .5 to 2 cm. Seven specimens were of basalt and one each of chert and porphyry.

One specimen appears to have served a dual function as a tool. A portion of one edge is concave and the remainder convex, as on a typical side scraper. Both working margins display considerable wear.

Examples illustrated by Rogers (1939, pl. 8, _h_, _k_) for the desert Playa industry differ in that they are consistently subrectangular, elongated, and have a broader concave scraping edge along each of two sides.

_Thumbnail scrapers (fig. 3, b)._--Only a single specimen falls in this category. It is roughly circular in outline, thin, lenticular in cross section, and flaked on both surfaces. The example made of a dark-brown chert is 2 cm. in diameter and 4 mm. thick. The lone occurrence of this type of tool would seem to indicate a lack of emphasis on light delicate work. Implements of this nature are usually best associated with cultures of later origin.

_Choppers_

_Unifaced choppers or heavy duty scrapers._--These are produced from large cores of basalt or from a split cobble and exhibit flaking only on one face. (Treganza and Malamud, 1950, pl. 20, _d-e_).

_Bifaced choppers._--These are large cores bifacially flaked along an edge to effect a sharp, sinuous margin that may extend around the entire periphery or only a portion of it (_ibid._, pl. 20, _a-b_).

_Crescentic Stone or "Amulet"_

This class is represented by but a half of a single specimen obtained during the second season (pl. 21, _m_). Though this specimen varies somewhat from illustrated examples there seems to be little doubt as to its general classification. The function of these implements remains open to question, and varient forms appear to have considerable latitude in time and areal distribution in western United States. Similar forms may be noted for the Lake Mohave Culture and the San Dieguito-Playa industry (Campbell _et al._, 1937. pl. XXXVIII, _a-c_; M. J. Rogers, 1939, pl. 8, _a-c_).

_Drill or Reamer_

(Pl. 23, _d-e_)

Two very similar pieces make up the addition to this class. Both are elongated, tapering sections of rose quartzite on which the margins have been retouched and the tip of each is notably abraded. The large ends show no evidence of preparation for hafting, so presumably they were used as a hand reamer or drill. The lengths are 6 cm. and 10 cm.

_Hand Pick_

The two new specimens, roughly triangular in outline, resemble the single piece recovered in 1947. On both, the working end tapers to a heavy, well-formed point, whereas the opposite end is bulbous and fits comfortably into the palm of the hand. Lengths are 9.8 cm. and 13 cm., respectively, with basalt and quartzite as materials.

_Projectile Points_

Since projectile points as a general class have proved to be the best criteria for establishing the stratigraphic differences whereby Topanga Phase I and Phase II may be distinguished, and because projectile points, to some measure, provide useful comparative data, it seems advisable to illustrate all the complete and near-complete specimens collected during both seasons.

With additional information some modification has been made over last seasons presentation. Here are included two groups of projectile points, each of which is associated with a definite phase of the Topanga Culture. Phase I is characterized by large blades and large points, most of which are composed of a highly patinated basalt and have been manufactured through the percussion or rough pressure-flaking technique (pl. 21, _a-l_). Phase II is characterized by small projectile points of the "dart" class which in material range through slightly patinated basalt, glassy basalt, obsidian, chalcedony, and chert. All have been finished in a rough to medium pressure technique (pl. 22, _c-u_). Totally absent in either phase is the light, thin, finely pressure-flaked "arrow point" of the historic or protohistoric periods.

Table 3

Frequency of Flaked Artifacts by Depth

========================================================================= | Depth (in in.) | |---------------------------------------------------------| Type |0-6 6-12 12-18 18-24 24-30 30-36 36-42 42-48 48-54 54-60|Total ---------|---------------------------------------------------------|----- Side | | scrapers|178 129 73 37 12 5 7 3 2 1 | 447 Straight-| | edge | | knives | 75 42 42 19 12 3 ... 2 1 ... | 196 Ovate | | scrapers| 9 10 5 8 1 1 1 ... ... ... | 35 End | | scrapers| 11 14 10 8 2 4 ... ... ... ... | 49 Snub-nose| | scrapers| 8 15 6 1 2 ... ... ... ... ... | 32 Flake | | scrapers| 25 20 14 8 2 1 3 ... ... ... | 73 Cobble | | scrapers| 2 1 3 ... 1 1 ... ... ... ... | 8 Concave | | scrapers| 3 3 2 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... | 9 Thumbnail| | scrapers| 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... | 1 Unifaced | | choppers| 48 56 33 27 12 3 3 3 ... ... | 185 Bifaced | | choppers|152 117 113 49 14 7 6 5 1 ... | 464 Core | | hammer- | | stones |339 422 429 154 93 17 18 9 5 1 |1,478 ---------|---------------------------------------------------------|----- Total by | | level |851 829 730 312 151 42 38 22 9 2 |2,986 -------------------------------------------------------------------------