Colorado Council of Professional Archaeologists
2005 Annual Meeting
March 4-5, 2005, Grand Junction, CO
ABSTRACT
Rifle Wickiup Village Assessment
Brian O'Neil, Principal Investigator
Dominquez Archaeological Research Group conducted an Archaeological Assessment of 5GF308, the Rifle Wickiup Village in 2003-2004. Results indicate 5GF308 is a multi-component fall/early winter hunting camp or residential locality. Remnants of 80 structural features indicate 73 lean-to and 7 free-standing structural features. There are 56 multi-pole habitation structures, 9 paired-pole features which may be sun shades, or small huts, and 15 single pole features possibly representing meat drying or hide preparation activities. Forty hearth fetures were also identified. Testing was conducted under the auspices of the BLM in 1982, 1986, and 1996. The assemblage indicates a focus on hunting, food preparation, hide preparation, and tool maintenance, but very little tool manufacture. Radiocarbon and tree ring dates indicate cultrual afiliations in the Historic Ute Antero Phase (AD 1650-1881) and Protohistoric Eara Canalla Phase (AD 1100-1650), with a possible Formative Era Aspen Tradition component.