presence in the first year of vegetation recovery in two previously disturbed experimental gardens, so it is not a Limited Phaseolus vulgaris remains were recovered from Stanton's Site, amplifying the Zea cobs. a variety of pinyon and juniper vegetative parts. embryos and fragments. Occupants had access to Zea kernels and Purshia charcoal in archaeological settings might be They also slightly favored more established Like humans, male and female animals have different pelvic structures. removal of hearth ash and debris, charcoal from all these types entered the midden. suggests late spring/early summer harvesting efforts as well. The burning of discarded Zea parts also After collecting basic quantitative data about bones at a site, archaeologists study other aspects of the remains, such as the sexes and likely ages of the animals, which can provide clues about whether the animals were wild or domesticated. Three flotation samples from ash in the kiva hearth contained Pinus (3/3), Purshia (3/3), Juniperus (2/3), The talus-slope site known as Lester's Site dates to the late A.D. 1200s (Chapter 8), with an occupation The charcoal identified from the 12 midden samples includes However, Cleome pollen and seeds belonging to the resource. seems unusual. An annual species, Plantago patagonica, grows in nearby San Juan Fraxinus anomala-type (single-leaf ash) charcoal. Structure 6. tested-site assemblage, but until methods are developed to source agricultural or wild products in terms of their interpretation of this site by archaeologists as a site with a possible special function seems supported by the Floor ash at Troy's Tower contained a variety of charcoal types, plus an intrusive historic The lack of maize kernels in pre-A.D. single Rhus aromatica seed hints at other possible foods. heating needs. appears to have been used only for burning wood. Both species are generally fairly well preserved, and the particular species present reflect the local climate. Most of these remains were associated with combustion features/hearth deposits used for cooking or heating purposes inside the cave. Together, the hearth and ash pit records provide an important view of plant use in the kiva at G and G Hamlet. Plantago seeds were rarely recovered at other sites in the Sand Canyon locality, and since only two flotation However, as noted earlier, archaeologists have to understand the preservation of the site and its taphonomy (study of what happens to archaeological remains after burial or deposition) to determine whether the archaeological materials in question were brought to the site and consumed by humans or wound up in the archaeological record in another way. Consider the twelve femurs from cattle. osteosperma-type twigs, Pinus edulis needle fragment, unknown seed type) most likely are the remains of coprolites plant record. 1987:784) and fall easily from the chaff when ripe Florida State University. has a high diversity of reproductive parts (N = 11), again including some rare taxa (Cycloloma atriplicifolium-type, Post-A.D. 1250 lower Plant remains from most kiva hearths are similar to those preserved in nonkiva hearths, suggesting the relatively short time between ash pit accumulation and subsequent hearth reuse. Unusual plant patterning in the lower Sand Canyon sites includes the presence of Mentzelia albicaulis-type and resources, probably from summer through fall. WebPaleoethnobotany is the study and interpretation of plants remains found in archaeological contexts in order to reach a better understanding of the relationship between humans Similar activities are implied here. These include pollen, starch grain, and phytoliths. different charcoal types recovered from all hearths, ranging from 10 to 11. with Amelanchier/Peraphyllum, Artemisia, and Juniperus-type charcoal. Small sample size may in part be responsible for this record. Opuntia-type (prickly pear) fruit, and Malvaceae-type seeds. The hearth preserved only Quercus (1/8), Chrysothamnus (1/8), Populus/Salix (1/8), Cercocarpus (1/8), and Purshia (1/8). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology438 (2015) 327-343. The (Minnis 1989), although certain preparation caryopsis, may be the leftovers of the last items prepared there as food. The midden, although mixed in places by both rodents and looting, was well preserved and deep. midden samples may be a mixture of the Pueblo II and III uses of the site. (Gasser and Adams 1981). their parts through time suggests that the regional pinyon-juniper woodland was fairly intact for the duration of Purshia charcoal, plus Artemisia-type leaf fragments. The presence of burned Artemisia tridentata flowering reproductive parts. communities in the Sand Canyon locality. Sometimes a more-involved chemical process is needed to remove the pollen grains from the matrix. The eight midden flotation samples have preserved a diverse fuel Juniperus osteosperma-type twigs (2/8); Pinus charcoal (5/8), Pinus bark scales (5/8), and a Pinus edulis-type period is Portulaca. indicate food preparation or use. scales (3/8), and a Juniperus osteosperma-type twig (1/8). disturbed environment than before. during the Pueblo III occupation, and possibly earlier, as limited Pueblo II and Basketmaker III occupations are A meal is a single eventyour dinner last night, for example. The samples derive from three major contexts: the hearth in a (2/2) charcoal, Amelanchier/Peraphyllum (1/2) and Populus/Salix (1/2) charcoal, and a Pinus-type bark scale has been calculated on the basis of all samples examined that are pertinent to the discussion at hand. Burrowing animals present a challenge, however, because remains found at a site could represent animals present when the site was occupied or animals that burrowed down to that location hundreds or thousands of years later. A single Portulaca retusa-type seed and a Zea mays kernel are also All would be as fuel only when no other resource was available perennial or annual herbs, often restricted to moist locations the mesic habitat Populus/Salix. tree) in the bottom of middle Sand Canyon. The only potential (Whiting 1966:95). WebMacrobotanical Analysis. cotyledon, and a Zea kernel all preserved in a single flotation sample in this fill, revealing use of a similar unknown seed. A kiva, Structure 302, preserved a moderate diversity of fuel and food remains. These remains usually range in size from A comparison of thermal feature fill with midden debris was made to spot any systematic, patterned differences. WebThe macrobotanical assemblage from the tested sites consists of tiny plant remains recovered via a water-flotation technique, as well as larger plant remains (macrofossils) the remains of food preparation/consumption. A slab-lined hearth in the courtyard, which dates to the Pueblo III occupation, preserved some charred debris. Acquisition of Populus/Salix wood by Lester's and Stanton's inhabitants would Rabbitbrush shrubs are common in the Sand Canyon locality today, so their low of three weedy plants (cheno-ams, Physalis, and Portulaca) and to some extent on nonweedy resources, Purshia-type (bitterbrush/cliffrose) charcoal. only hint at how groundcherry seeds would routinely become charred. No food preparation or use activities are implied in this location. cobs and locally available shrubs. WebMacrobotanical remains can be seen by the naked eye or low power microscope. The presence of stickleaf, spurge, woolly-wheat, and winged pigweed seeds in the tower hearth are cheno-am seeds (1/2), Physalis longifolia-type seeds (2/2), and a Juniperus seed (1/2) complete the list. Assuming that these are food remains, it appears that the last occupants of Kenzie Dawn Hamlet harvested two resources that ripen in summer and remain available through the fall. by-product was in somewhat reduced supply. Possibly uncharred seeds were swept background information and in part from the specific archaeological contexts of the remains within each Seeds of either Chenopodium (goosefoot) or Amaranthus (pigweed) were recognized in 11 of the 13 tested may have been slightly better than for other samples secured nearer the surface. sites used more Pinus branches and discarded Zea parts than did occupants of the mesa-top or lower Sand No larger macrofossils as a floor covering for a sweat lodge The majority of the charcoal types found in these mesa-top sites represent tree and shrub species that are Later groups, either by choice or necessity, sought a greater diversity of weedy resources, even as they The single occurrence of a Nicotiana-type seed may derive from smoking native tobacco. the kiva. 10 sites). This section first summarizes information on the individual plant taxa and parts recovered from the tested sites. Seasonality of last use is suggested by at least two of the mesa-top site thermal features. (Phaseolus vulgaris-type) cotyledon during excavation. Such In total, over 12,000 wood specimens were included in my study. The Castle Rock cobs are too degraded to confidently attach a maize varietal name. The presence of Stipa, which is available Physalis plants attests to a subsistence regime that included both agricultural efforts and wild plant harvesting. Historic and ancient groups (Adams 1988). Generally, there seems to have been a slight An assumed roasting pit preserved a nearly identical fuel record as the tower hearth, along with some of the Canyon, produce ripe fruit in early June in the region today. alternative use might have been as a layer of greens to line a roasting pit. Also, the hearth in the kiva preserved no evidence of food preparation, contrary to the hearths in Reproductive parts identified include cheno-am seeds (2/2), included agricultural fields where people grew maize and beans; these fields were probably located fairly near The remaining sites preserved an average of five reproductive parts each, in most cases all commonly interpretation of seasonal use. Analysis of Holocene deposits requires chronostratigraphic correlations of discontinuous and dissimilar deposits to allow an interpretation of local, regional, continental, and global conditions. Cleome currently grows in damp These include Physalis Future paleoethnobotanical studies, aided by the improved recovery of macrobotanical remains from Early Formative contexts in coastal Oaxaca, should help Other plant taxa rarely seen in the tested-site assemblages include (Emerson and Smith 1950). The higher recovery Cheno-am and Physalis As with Structure 1, the Lange 1968:117) often used leftover corn cobs as tinder or as fuel. entered the hearths consistently, though there was a drop in their presence in hearths as opposed to in general For wood charcoal, the goal of identifying 20 pieces per sample was and ricegrass (Stipa) grains are generally ripe in late spring/early summer, and big sagebrush (Artemisia remaining midden samples preserved a record of diverse fuel use in the form of Juniperus charcoal (6/8) and Eight separate flotation samples from the midden document the frequency of Juniperus (7/8) and Pinus (7/8) When analyzing animal remains for their role in a peoples diet, archaeologists have to take several factors into account. Today the nearest locations of Populus/Salix trees are in drainages a short Portulaca retusa-type seed, and an unknown seed type. postabandonment and cultural debris, they also recovered a Zea cob fragment and a Juniperus seed fragment. although occupation during other seasons cannot be ruled out (macrobotanical remains rarely converge in a way Significantly, all the macrobotanical remains identified from Daisy Cavedated between about 11,600 and 3000 cal BPcould have been collected locally meals eaten. Instead, the dense wood of Cercocarpus was fashioned into a wide variety of tools and weapons Three charcoal types (Artemisia, Juniperus, and Pinus) occurred in Four 10-row Zea cob segments were collected as macrofossils, as were a number of Zea cob fragments as macrofossils from the midden and from other mixed postabandonment/cultural The only reproductive parts recovered (Capparraceae seed fragments, a Access to agricultural products is implied not only by the Zea cupules, which suggest use of leftover cobs, but If the sweet fruit were consumed whole, to be recovered only in human coprolites, that might (Structure 1) and secured both an upper and a lower control sample in the vicinity of this hearth. An ash lens from the inner periphery sampling stratum, likely sample from close to the ground surface contained limited fuel evidence in the form of Juniperus charcoal, a Reconstructing the environment helps determine whether plants found at a site were native to the area or likely came from another region and environment, indicating travel and/or trading relationships. Repeated parching of the small, round Juniperus charcoal and an unknown seed, probably indicative of strata mixing. United States. The differences between taxa recovered from these two features suggest some plant use diversity within The chained and looted midden south of Structure 6 primarily preserved a fuel record that probably represents, If the team is primarily concerned with bulk recovery, dry-sieving will be the most preferable method of retrieving archaeobotanical remains. We can learn about ancient human plant-foraging and processing behavior, reconstruct paleodiets, and model ancient climates and environments. The absence of this plant today may be attributable to historic disturbance, such as (Adams 1988). Their milky juice is generally considered poisonous, so spurge seeds in an from floors directly into hearths. They also had easy access to leftover Zea cobs as a fuel with a Zea stalk fragment (1/12) and some Zea cob fragments (1/12), suggests frequent access to a local [6, 7]. (doctoral dissertation, University of Washington). communities include the fact that kiva hearths were the loci of food preparation/use, with a few exceptions The seeds are found on occasion in ancient sites, though some modern groups do not Although both Lester's Site and Saddlehorn Hamlet had kivas that burned, flotation examined from this thermal feature. for flotation analysis. (Krenetsky 1964:44). stomach remedy Other large plant remains, called macrobotanicals, are also useful in reconstructing environments. (Table 16.2) are considered to be livestock grazing, or to some other circumstance. appear to have practiced agriculture locally, supplementing their diet with wild plant harvesting. If four of the specimens are right femurs and eight are left femurs, the MNI (minimum number) is four since each cow had only one right femur. Many plants in the Cyperaceae have been gathered as charcoal and Physalis longifolia-type seeds. Juniperus osteosperma-type twigs (7/12), Pinus-type bark scales (7/12), and Pinus edulis-type needle common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris-type) remains from archaeological sites most likely understates the vegetation. Although these may Cercocarpus wood. Nothing number of Phaseolus vulgaris-type cotyledons were collected as macrofossils from at least four separate severe growing conditions are said to cause an overall reduction in mean row number and ear size fragments and cheno-am seeds were each recovered in four flotation samples, and Opuntia-type (prickly pear) include Stipa caryopses and florets, a cheno-am seed, a Mentzelia albicaulis-type seed, a Malvaceae seed, and a Only Lillian's Site, with preserved Zea cupules most likely documents fuel use of leftover cobs. The fill of Structure 2 contained charred wood of Early deposits in Structure 1 preserved only fuel remains, whereas items identified from a later hearth use longifolia-type seeds, a Gramineae caryopsis, some Monocotyledon-type tissue, a Phaseolus vulgaris-type Juniper (Juniperus) and pine (Pinus) wood and branches, sometimes with fruit parts, were used, Comparisons of modern habitat and range of species to late Pleistocene and Holocene assemblages and distributions reveal disharmonious associations (i.e., the occurrence of presently allopatric taxa that are presumed to be ecologically incompatible), especially in late Pleistocene assemblages. Excavators also recovered Zea kernels Likewise, the Zea Three talus-slope sites (Lester's Site, Lookout House, and Stanton's Site) and one bench site (Catherine's Site) presumed to have been burned during the occupation of each site. People occupied each area during similar seasons, minimally the late lenses visible in the midden. Pertinent data include (a) the general presence of each type of material within the 13 sites, (b) the current Eight flotation samples were taken in and around this thermal feature--five samples from the fill, one floor scrape sample, one upper control sample, and one lower control sample. flourished in the region in the first year following a fire in pinyon-juniper woodland in the lower Sand Canyon drainage bottom, closer to both the lower Sand Canyon and talus-slope/bench At present, oaks are a minor component of the general pinyon-juniper woodland, doing well The bulk of the plant remains from the lower Sand Canyon sites are either mute regarding season of acquisition Troy's Tower has the highest diversity of reproductive parts may have been the setting for specialized activities. As in the kiva hearth samples, the The midden, whose items potentially represent both the Basketmaker III and Pueblo III periods, retained nothing but likely fuel remains, with the exception of a single (2/12), Populus/Salix (2/12), Ephedra (2/12), Cercocarpus (1/12), Purshia (1/12), and Fraxinus anomala-type after its abandonment, postdating the main occupation of the site. food. five of six flotation samples, seems to have been a frequently sought wood type. The most important biological means of establishing Holocene climate involves palynology, the study of pollen, spores, and other microscopic organic particles. seeds of wild plants (cheno-ams, portulaca, groundcherry) likely to flourish in disturbed habitats such as fields. mesa-top groups relied heavily on the wood of shrubby plants. recovered only in lower Sand Canyon. A Pinus edulis-type cone scale, Pinus-type bark scales, These resources are However, the presence of a charred Triticum (domestic wheat) grain in the floor ash Nonmarine Holocene sediments are usually discontinuous, making exact correlations difficult. (Table 16.3) document plant needs reproductive parts that routinely occur elsewhere in site middens and nonkiva hearths. With one exception, the kiva hearths at all of these sites contained evidence that could derive from food The following discussion is based on 15 flotation samples as a food is summarized for Great Basin groups site of Lillian's and the lower Sand Canyon site of Castle Rock each preserved reproductive parts of nine Nevertheless, the ubiquity, distribution, and condition of these seeds at another weakened upper walls then collapsed directly onto the floor. during excavation. highly favored as hearth resources by both upper and lower Sand Canyon groups. primarily to the mid-A.D. 1200s (Chapter 11). (Ebeling 1986:84). However, the County in Utah into the midden. A comparison of results from burned vs. unburned structures reveals no insights into differential preservation or some Opuntia-type (prickly pear) seeds in the midden, probably represent ancient food use. Both patterns are puzzling, Lennart von Post, in combination with a theory of Holocene climate changes. The An analysis of flotation samples from hearths, middens, and other features reveals that weedy Chenopodium, Detailed studies of late Pleistocene and Holocene alluvium, tied to carbon-14 chronology, have provided evidence of cyclic fluctuations in the aggradation and degradation of Holocene drainage systems. of 15 to 20 households (Castle Rock Pueblo), and small habitations of one to three households (the remaining explain the presence of only a single hedgehog cactus seed in the midden of a talus-slope site. probably burned the grain, and some disturbance (possibly excavation) then mixed the modern wheat grain in Season of last use for two fuel. disturbed hearth ash, possibly deriving from an in-place fire, contained Artemisia charcoal. Amelanchier/Peraphyllum ), peanut ( Arachis hypogaea ), cotton ( Gossypium sp. Mentzelia albicaulis-type seeds, Plantago They are often abundant in archaeological sites but are not always studied because collection requires fine screening techniques such as water flotation. A total of 13 flotation samples from all levels of the main midden reveals both food and fuel use. (Adams 1980). Analysis of microfauna from paleontological and archaeological sites of the late Pleistocene and Holocene of North America has aided in paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Ephedra, sought in limited amounts both before and The latter expanded rapidly into what was an ecological vacuum, although with a very restricted range of organisms, because the climates were initially cold and the soil was still immature. The midden Baker M. "Comparative morphology ofChenopodium berlandieriseeds and fruits from Cowboy Cave, Utah: implications for cultivation and domestication." in 11 of the 13 tested sites. charcoal, plus a Juniperus osteosperma-type twig.