APPENDIX H GLOSSARY
| Archaeological resources | See Cultural resources (prehistoric). |
| Archival research | Examination of records at the regional offices of the State Historic Preservation Office for evidence of recorded historic and/or prehistoric sites; the use of other archival sources (libraries, private collections, museums) to gather information on historic and prehistoric sites that have not been formally recorded or that have not been completely documented. |
| Area of Potential Effect (APE) | In the context of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the area in which planned development may directly or indirectly affect a cultural resource. The area is determined by the federal lead agency in the Section 106 process. |
| Augering | Use of a hand or power auger to investigate areas for evidence of archaeological midden deposits. |
| Bedrock mortar | Depression worn in the floors of rock shelters or on the flat portions of exposed bedrock where prehistoric peoples ground grass seeds and acorns into meal. The depression is created by the continual grinding motion of a stone pestle, which is alternately used to pound and grind from side to side. |
| Cultural resources (historic) | Material remains, such as trash dumps and architectural features, including structures, foundations, basements, and wells; any other physical alteration of the landscape, such as ponds, roads, landscaping, and fences. |
| Cultural resources (prehistoric) | Any material remains of items used or modified by people, such as artifacts of stone, bone, shellfish, or wood. Animal bone, fish remains, bird bone, or shellfish remains used for food are included. Physical alteration of the landscape, such as hunting blinds, remains of structures, excavated house pits, and caches of artifacts or concentrations of stones (such as cooking stones) are also prehistoric cultural resources. |
| Hispanic era | The period in California history from the arrival of the Spanish missions in central California, circa 1776, to the start of the Gold Rush era in 1849. |
| Historic resources | The sites, districts, structures, and objects considered limited and nonrenewable because of their association with historic events or persons, or social or historic movements. |
| Lithic scatter | Concentrations of stone once used for the manufacture of artifacts. The stone includes finished artifacts, roughly formed artifacts, the cores of the stone from which they were made, and the waste flakes from the manufacturing process. |
| Midden | Characteristic soils containing cultural resources and other evidence of use of an area, such as the decomposed organic remains of vegetal foods, animals, and evidence of fires (e.g., ash, carbon, charcoal). Because of the organic content, midden soils tend to differ from surrounding soils in texture and color. |
| National Register of Historic Places | A register of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. It is in the Department of the Interior and was established pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. section 470a). |
| Paleontological resources | Fossils. |
| Petroglyph | Art that was carved or inscribed into bedrock by historic or prehistoric people. |
| Prehistoric resources | See Cultural resources (prehistoric). |
| Rock shelter | An opening in exposed rock of sufficient size to allow people to be sheltered from the weather. Used by both historic and prehistoric people, rock shelters contain midden deposits, grinding holes, evidence of fires, artifacts, and sometimes artwork carved or inscribed onto the walls of the shelters. |
| Section 106 process | A historic preservation review process involving identification and evaluation of historic properties, consideration of project effects on them, and resolution of these effects in the public interest through consultation. |
| Trinomial designation | A numeric site designation assigned by the regional offices of the State Historic Preservation Office for recording a prehistoric or historic site. |
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