The Nials Site: An early Holocene occupation in the Harney Basin, Oregon

This thesis presents the results of excavations and analyses of materials from the Nials Site (35HA28228) in the Harney Basin of southeastern Oregon. The site contained artifacts of the Great Basin Stemmed Tradition found in stratigraphic context resting on a gravel beach deposited by Pluvial Lake Malheur approximately 8,700 bp. Analysis of lithic and faunal remains recovered during site excavations reveal that the site occupants were using toolstone from nine sources that bound a territory used historically by the Harney Valley Paiute. Activities represented at the site include lithic analysis and possibly cooking, clustered in two activity areas. The protected embayment, close marsh resources and available toolstone played a role in site selection.