Repository logo
 

An analysis of stone circle site structure on the Pawnee National Grassland, Weld County, Colorado

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorLong, Jennifer K., author
dc.contributor.authorLaBelle, Jason, advisor
dc.contributor.authorSibold, Jason, committee member
dc.contributor.authorOre, Janet, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T08:22:03Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T08:22:03Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this research is to create a context of stone circle site information on the Pawnee National Grassland that will contribute to the overall study of this valuable resource within Colorado, as well as throughout the Great Plains region. These data will provide a solid base for future research to be conducted on stone circles in Colorado. In order to better understand stone circle site structure, cluster analysis was utilized to expose patterns for three analyses which included overall site structure based on the landforms on which the site resides, stone circle gap direction as compared to overall site structure, and comparing prevailing wind directions and the portion of the stone circles with the highest stone counts. To accomplish this, center points were collected with a GPS unit for each of the 249 stone circles recorded. Attributes were then documented including exterior diameters, circle definition, gap direction, stone counts per octant, and associated artifacts and features. To determine overall site structure, nearest neighbor analysis was run in ArcGIS 9.3 yielding a spatial pattern of clustered, dispersed, or random. Next, an attribute was included in the cluster analysis using the spatial autocorrelation test with the gap direction in degrees. This analysis also yielded a result of clustered, dispersed, or random. Finally, for the wind direction analysis, rose diagrams were created to compare each stone circle feature with the prevailing wind directions. The findings for the site structure based on landform types consisted of the lowland sites being random in pattern, or consisting of less than three features. The midland sites were dispersed, and the highland sites were clustered or random. When comparing overall site structure with the direction of the gap, the random and clustered sites had a random pattern for gap direction. The dispersed site, however, had a clustered pattern. The clusters consisted of three stone circles facing the same direction, though each cluster faced a different direction. Finally, the result for prevailing wind direction and the highest stone counts was inconclusive. Additional research is necessary to provide more conclusive interpretations of this analysis.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierLong_colostate_0053N_10809.pdf
dc.identifierETDF2011400308ANPO
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/70810
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.titleAn analysis of stone circle site structure on the Pawnee National Grassland, Weld County, Colorado
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineAnthropology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts (M.A.)

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Long_colostate_0053N_10809.pdf
Size:
8.66 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

Collections

2000-2019
Theses and Dissertations