Archaeological Investigations at Nonhabitation and Burial Sites, Chief Joseph Dam Project, Washington.

Of the 98 nonhabitation sites recorded for the reservoir, 13 which were in danger of inundation by the planned pool raise were recommended for Phase I mitigation and 45 which were not directly threatened, for Phase II mitigation. All rock art sites recommended for recording in Phase I or Phase II and all other accessible rock art sites in the reservoir were recorded. Recommended actions were taken at all Phase I rock feature sites. None of the features were found to mark burials; instead they either had no associated cultural materials or were of historic origin. Phase II sites were examined more selectively to insure that cairns from different contexts were examined. The only conclusively demonstrated prehistoric function for cairns is burial markers, and the best demonstrated historic feature types are fence supports and traps. The identification of some rock piles as homestead boundary markers, rock piles created by clearing rocks from fields, or placer mine deposits, is dependent on context, as artifacts were not found in association. Likewise, some rock features are interpreted as hunting blinds or trap anchors on the basis of location and lack of other demonstrated function. They cannot be certainly assigned to either the historic or prehistoric period. Burials were located during investigation of two rock feature sites and one prehistoric habitation site, and another was exposed by erosion at a prehistoric habitation site after the 1981 pool raise. All were relocated under a separate contract modification.