ARCHIVED REPORTS LEC APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION

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LODI ENERGY CENTER PROJECT(LEC);CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT Berkeley Pattern sites and are characterized by intensive fishing, hunting, and acorn gathering. Population densities are much higher; exchange systems are more sophisticated and include the advent of using clam shell disk beads for good exchange. High variability in funerary artifacts seems to indicate more social stratification. Cremations and flexed burials are common. Artifacts associated with the Augustine Pattern include the bow and arrow, shaped mortars and pestles, and pottery in some parts of the central San Joaquin Valley (Moratto 1984). Ethnographic Setting The project area was occupied ethnographically by the Yokuts (Kroeber 1925,Wallace 1978). The Yokuts are unique among Native Californians in that they were divided into true tribes. Each tribe had a unique name, a distinctly different dialect, and a defined territory (Kroeber 1925). The Yokuts language is a member of the California Penutian stock that includes four other groups found in central California, Miwok, Costanoan, Maiduan, and Wintuan. Yokuts were divided into three groups: the Southern Valley Yokuts, the Northern Valley Yokuts, and the Foothill Yokuts. Specifically, the project area is situated within the traditional lands of the Northern Valley Yokuts, of whom the least is known. The Northern Valley Yokuts rapidly disappeared once Europeans reached the area as a result of disease, missionization, and most importantly,the gold rush. The San Joaquin River was the center of the Northern Yokuts territory and their settlement and subsistence were heavily reliant on the river and its sloughs. Villages were placed on low mounds, above the flood levels and near larger bodies of water. The structure of the Northern Yokuts village is unknown but assumed to be quite similar to the groups to the north and south of the Northern Yokuts and based on the single family (Wallace 1978; 466). Members of a tribe lived in one principal settlement, periodically leaving the settlement during the spring floods to move to higher ground. The group would divide into smaller groups during different harvesting seasons, leaving a small group at the main settlement. Generally, the tribes stayed at the main settlement as food near the village was very abundant. Fish, mussels, pond turtles, waterfowl, tule elk, pronghorn antelope,jackrabbits, squirrels, and quails were all found in abundance in and near the water. Salmon, in particular, is noted as a prime source of food in historical accounts of the Northern Yokuts. Acorns from valley oaks and tule roots were ground into a meal and cooked as a thick soup or gruel. Northern Yokuts dwellings were small with round or oval floors, a light frame of poles tied together at the top, and covered with tule stalks. In addition to dwellings, Northern Yokuts also built sweat lodges and ceremonial assembly structures in their villages (Wallace 1978). Sweat lodges appear to have been earth covered, though. Weaving of baskets, mats, and other items appears to have been done with tule stalks and bone awls made of large mammal bones were used to weave the stalks. Mortars and pestles were used to process acorns and other larger milling tools were not frequently used. Preferred lithic materials include chert, jasper, and chalcedony. Ceramics were not particularly important; only occasionally are potsherds are found at Northern Yokuts sites (Wallace 1978;465).