Abstract
Despite several decades of archaeological work in Owens Valley, lands along the river have been neglected. This thesis investigates prehistoric use of the Owens River and its surrounding environment. The research seeks to identify how use of riverine and wetland environments have changed over time. A distributional or non-site" approach to archaeology was used to survey transects along the river. Spatial associations of artifacts were recorded and samples collected for analysis. In addition to techno-morphological analysis, some obsidian artifacts were subjected to visual sourcing and obsidian hydration analysis. Results of the analysis identified distinct temporal patterns in riverine use that change in terms of both subsistence focus and the duration of occupational stays. Causes for these changes may be due in part to technological, environmental, and social factors.