Archaeological Research Grants

The Archaeological Society of Central Oregon offers research grants for projects in the field of Archaeology, Anthropology, Ethnology, History, or related areas, with a focus on central Oregon.

Download Grant Application Guidelines

2023 ASCO Research Grant Awards

Richie Rosencrance, University of Nevada, Reno

Reinvestigation of Cougar Mountain Cave, Lake County, Oregon

Cougar Mountain Cave (CMC), located in the Fort Rock Basin of central Oregon, has one of the largest and most continuous organic artifact records in the region. Richie and his team of researchers from UNR & UofO, are focusing on radiocarbon dating of organic artifacts to investigate the chronology of the site, the raw materials and techniques used in the organic items, the sequence of diagnostic lithics, and more.

ASCO’s Grant of $3,165.17 will fund 13 radiocarbon dates and 11 taxa identifications on wooden artifacts.

Thank you members for your donations!!

Pat O'Grady

On behalf of a generous ASCO member, we were able to present a grant of $3,000 to Pat O’Grady for two studies to enhance our understanding of the paleoenvironement of the Rimrock Draw Rockshelter site.

• Archaeobotanical analysis, by Dr. Margaret Helzer, of charcoal recovered in the oldest deposits will tell us about the vegetation at the earliest period of human use.
• Diatom analysis, by Dr. Barbara Winsborough, will aid in our understanding of the site in relation to the stream channel and associated hydrologic features.