The Cold Springs Phase

[26] Introduction. This phase takes its name from Cold Springs (35UM7), a site located on the south bank of the Columbia River approximately 13 miles downstream from the mouth of the Walla Walla River (Shiner 1961:179-91). No phase designation was applied to the early component at this site until Butler (1961:30-36) used the term Cold Springs Horizon to designate components, like that at Cold Springs, which were about 4000 to 6500 years old and characterized by large side-notched projectile points in association with Cascade projectile points. Recent work at Three Springs Bar (Daugherty 1965: personal communication), Windust Caves (H. S. Rice 1965), Marmes Rockshelter (Fryxell and Daugherty 1962), 45C01 (C. M. Nelson 1966), Thorn Thicket (Roderick [26/27] Sprague 1966: personal communication), and Weis Rockshelter (Butler 1962a), indicates that this horizon is a widespread phenomenon deserving of the phase designation.

Although no Cold Springs Phase component was encountered at the Sunset Creek site, its presence at the Sourdough Creek site (45YK5; Greengo 1963: personal communication) and at Meyer's Caves (Bryan 1955) indicates that it is an important part of the Vantage sequence. Moreover, Cultural Component III (see below) contains some traits which document the influence of this phase in Vantage locale.

Definition of the Cold Springs Phase. The Cold Springs Phase is most easily defined by the presence of Cold-Springs Side-Notched projectile points (Butler 1962a: Fig. 9, ss; Shiner 1961: PI. 35b; H. S. Rice 1965: Fig. 10, b, d; C. M. Nelson 1966: Fig. 9), also known as the Bitterroot Side-Notched projectile point in parts of the southern Columbia Plateau and Idaho. Cascade, other leaf-shaped, and unstemmed lanceolate projectile points are also found in small numbers in most Cold Springs components. Evidence from 45C01 suggests that the faceted platform technique is retained and that some artifacts are manufactured on blades with faceted striking platforms (C. M. Nelson 1966). Other characteristic features include manos, conical pestles, grinding stones or mortars, atlatl weights like the Type II specimens of Butler and Osborne (1959: Fig. 1, g, i), and cairn burials placed in rockshelters. Antler wedges and projectile points, eyed bone needles and metapodial awls, Olivella beads, shaft smoothers, burins, and a wide variety of flake tools are also present. Unifacially flaked cobble tools are very common. Basalt is more frequently used in the manufacture of flake tools than during any other period of Plateau prehistory, and obsidian becomes common for the first time.

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In the southern Columbia Plateau, Cold Springs components are frequently found immediately overlying deposits of volcanic ash attributed to the eruption of Mount Mazama approximately 6,500 years ago (cf. Pryxell 1965). Although this provides a limiting date on the appearance of the Cold Springs Phase, there are as yet no firm dates on its termination. Rough geological estimates and a single C-14 date from the Vantage locale in the northwest Columbia Plateau suggest a terminal date of ca. 4000 B.P.

In the Vantage locale there is a C-14 date of ca. 4200 B.P. from the Sourdough Creek site (Greengo 1963: personal communication). Since Cold Springs components are very rare along the Upper Columbia River and extremely common along the upper part of the Middle Columbia and Lower Snake rivers, it is probable that the phase spread northward through the Columbia Plateau and is more recent in the Vantage locale than in the southern Columbia Plateau.

Origin of the Cold Springs Phase. The Cold Springs Phase is important in interpreting Plateau prehistory because it marks the introduction of the basic food grinding complex which is characteristic of the Great Basin. Manos, conical pestles, and food-grinding stones first appear in Cold Springs components and are accompanied by other traits such as large side-notched projectile points which also probably originated in the Great Basin and spread northward into the Columbia Plateau. The probable northward spread of the phase within the Plateau further supports this interpretation.

Since the Cold Springs Phase is a mid-Altithermal phenomenon, it is possible that it represents an out migration from the northern Great Basin into the southern Columbia Plateau. It is also possible, however, that under the stress of the Altithermal climatic episode, Great Basin forms of adaptation diffused northward into the Plateau. The retention of Cascade projectile points and the faceted platform technique may be interpretated to support this view. In any event, the Great Basin flavor of Plateau prehistory between about 6500 and 4000 B.P. almost certainly derives from Great [27/28] Basin influences during the Cold Springs Phase. The routes along which this influence might have traveled are still unknown, pending much more detailed work in the northern Great Basin and the southern Columbia Plateau.

Until larger samples are analyzed and their contents shown to be generally distributed among Cold Springs Phase components, the definition of the phase as an historically significant entity must necessarily rest with the large side-notched points. A few other characteristic traits may also be tentatively suggested. These are based principally on the preliminary analysis of cultural materials from Mamies Rockshelter (Fryxell and Daugherty 1962), and include the dominant use of basalt in the manufacture of chipped stone artifacts, flexed cairn burials, and long slender atlatl weights. [28]

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LAST REVISED: 24 DEC 2014