My name is Madeleine (Mallie) Balser, and I am a senior at the University of Oregon studying Archeological Anthropology, Philosophy, and Classics. My senior honors thesis examines the coprolites discovered at Danger Cave, Utah. I have had the opportunity, under the guidance of Dr. Sanchez, to sort, analyze, and catalogue various faunal remains. I am incredibly honored and excited to finish my thesis and join the Collaborative Archeology Field School in June! 

Abstract:

Since time immemorial, Mytilus californianus, commonly known as the California mussel, has played and continues to play an important role in the lives of native people along the California coast. Mussels are loaded with nutrients that are critical to sustaining life and are an abundant addition to the diets of native Californians. Previous studies have focused on developing methodologies to estimate the size and nutritional value of mussels using morphometric linear regression. In this paper, I employ morphometrics to gain insights into a previously unrecorded site within Año Nuevo State Park. Through these methods, I interrogate evidence of Indigenous seascape stewardship practices. Over the course of this project, I have analyzed 899 mussel umbo samples using morphometric analysis to provide insight into the site's mussel diversity.  

Abstract:

In the summer of 2024, members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, the Amah Mutsun Land Trust, California State Parks, and the University of Oregon conducted excavations at a previously unrecorded archaeological site threatened by coastal erosion. The site contained two discrete hearth features with carbonized botanical and faunal remains as well as two fire-affected rock features. In this study, I provide insights into the macrobotanicals recovered from the site through paleoethnobotanical analysis, including wood charcoal analysis. Wood charcoal analysis was conducted at the University of Oregon Center for Advanced Materials Characterization (CAMCOR). Using a Leica DM2500 with a magnification range up to 500x, I examined microscopic features of wood anatomy using transverse and radial sections of the charcoal specimen. The anatomical features observed were cross-referenced using the Central California wood charcoal identification key to identify specimens to the genus level. Through this study, I contextualize past human-environmental interactions and historical baselines with relevancy to archaeology, biology, and ecology.