Research Projects

Goshute Valley Prehistory Project

PI: Paul Buck

Project Period: 2000 - 2003

Funded by: U.S. Department of the interior, Bureau of Land Management

Right: Orangeboom Cave

Keywords: Goshute Valley, Orangeboom Cave, archaeology

Project Description

This interdisciplinary project aims to examine the prehistory and paleoenvironment of the Goshute Valley in Northwestern Nevada, the location of Pleistocene Lake Waring. Running north-south for about 50 miles south from wells, NV, the Goshute Valley contains dozens of important archaeological and paleoenvironmental sites. The Goshute Valley includes faculty from the Desert Research Institute, Dr. Ted Goebel (UNR) and Dr. Bryan Hockett of the Bureau of Land Management (Elko District).

Buck and colleagues tested and excavated a small rockshelter in the Goshute Mountains called Oranjeboom Cave in 1998 and 1999 (Buck et al. n.d.). This site represents a small single component Eastgate occupation dating to around 1100-1200 years BP. An open lithic site was tested and surface collected at Flowery Lake in the central Goshute Valley in 2000 (ms in prep.). A number of other sites are being investigated by Dr. Goebel and others.

Return to Projects List