A Smithsonian trinomial (formally the Smithsonian Institution Trinomial System , abbreviated SITS ) is a unique identifier assigned to archaeological sites in many states in the United States . Trinomials are composed of a one or two digit coding for the state, typically two letters coding for the county or county-equivalent within the state, and one or more sequential digits representing the order in which the site was listed in that county. The Smithsonian Institution developed the site number system in the 1930s and 1940s, but it no longer maintains the system. Trinomials are now assigned by the individual states. The 48 states then in the union were assigned numbers in alphabetical order. Alaska was assigned number 49 and Hawaii was assigned number 50, after those states were admitted to the union. There is no Smithsonian trinomial number assigned for the District of Columbia or any United States territory.
7-546: The Borax Lake Site , also known as the Borax Lake—Hodges Archaeological Site and designated by the Smithsonian trinomial CA-LAK-36 , is a prehistoric archaeological site near Clearlake, California . The site, a deeply stratified former lakeshore, contains evidence of the earliest known period of human habitation in what is now California , dating back 12,000 years. A portion of the site, designated
14-551: A National Historic Landmark in 2006, is owned and preserved by the Archaeological Conservancy . The Borax Lake site is located near the community of Clearlake, in the North Coast Ranges of northern California near Mount Konocti . The site is deflated surface site and quarry, with cultural deposits reaching a depth of more than 10 feet (3.0 m). The stratigraphy of the site suggests repeated occupation of
21-518: The area across a long time period, from about 12,000 to present day. Important finds include Clovis-style projectile points fashioned out of obsidian , which was probably obtained from Borax Lake. The site was discovered in the 1930s by Chester Post, an amateur collector. He brought the site to the attention of Mark Harrington of the Southwest Museum , who performed the first formal archaeological investigation. Questions were raised then about
28-484: The early dates he estimated for the site, which were previously unknown in the region. In the 1960s a technical analysis of his finds yielded confirmation of dates to 12,000 years ago. Subsequent investigations have uncovered more details of the site stratigraphy, which is described as that of a lakeshore that is gradually receding. It was one of the first human habitation sites in northern California to be found with this type of setting. A portion of Borax Lake, including
35-457: The rectangle, and a code identifying the agency issuing the sequential number. California uses a three-letter abbreviation for counties. Connecticut and Rhode Island do not use any sub-state codes, with site identifiers consisting of the state abbreviation and a sequential number series for the whole state. Delaware uses a single letter code for counties and adds a block code (A-K) within each county, with sequential numbers for each block. Hawaii uses
42-595: The site, was acquired by the Archaeological Conservancy in 1989; it was that organization's first California site. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Smithsonian trinomial Most states use trinomials of the form "nnAAnnnn", but some specify a space or dash between parts of the identifier, i.e., "nn AA nnnn" or "nn-AA-nnnn". Some states use variations of
49-463: The trinomial system. Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont use two-letter abbreviations of the state name instead of the Smithsonian number. Alaska uses three-letter abbreviations for USGS map quadrangles in place of the county code. Arizona uses a five-part identifier based on USGS maps, specifying quadrangles, then rectangles within a quadrangle, a sequential number within
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