POLLEN, PHYTOLlTH, MACROFLORAL, PROTEIN RESIDUE, AND X-RAY DIFFRACTION ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES FROM SEVERAL SITES ALONG THE KERN RIVER GAS PIPELINE, CALIFORNIA, WITH SUPPORTING ARCHAEOCLIMATIC MODELING FOR THE AREA

Summary

Pollen, phytolith, macrofloral, protein residue, and/or X-ray diffraction samples were recovered from seven sites along the Kern River Gas Transmission Pipeline through southern California where it crosses the eastern and central sections of the Mojave Desert. Pollen/phytolith columns were examined at sites CA-SBR-140, and CA-SBR-264 to provide paleoenvironmental information. Pollen and macrofloral analysis of feature and unit fill at sites CA-SBR-6470 and CA-SBR-6605 will be used to provide information concerning plant resources utilized at these sites. Lithic artifacts from six of the sites were analyzed for possible protein residues to determine use of the artifacts for processing animal and plant resources. The majority of the artifacts were surface finds, and they all had been washed prior to submission for analysis. One slab metate was washed to recover pollen and starches that would identify plant resources ground on the metate. One core was washed to recover visible residue that was submitted for X-ray diffraction to determine mineralogic composition in order to substantiate the suspected grinding of hematite (oxides of iron). Archaeoclimatic models were constructed to further aid in interpreting the context for prehistoric occupation of the area and to aid in deciphering lake levels of pluvial Lake Mojave and post-glacial ephemeral lakes in the area such as Silver Lake.

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