POLLEN AND MACROFLORAL ANALYSIS AT FIVE PREHISTORIC AND HISTORIC SITES IN NORTHERN LARAMIE COUNTY, WYOMING

Summary

Seven pollen, six macrofloral, and three wood samples were examined

from five prehistoric and historic sites in northern Laramie County,

Wyoming. Radiocarbon ages indicate that these sites were occupied during

the Late Plains Archaic and Historic time periods. Pollen analysis was

conducted to identify the past vegetation, and hence paleoenvironmental

conditions. Both pollen and macrofloral samples were collected from

features, in an effort to understand the vegetal portion of the subsistence

base. The macrofloral and wood samples were also examined for evidence of

use of wood as fuel and construction elements. Virtually no juniper are

noted in the vicinity of these sites, at present. A small relic stand is

located to the south and west of these sites. One question of the

paleoethnobotanic study was whether or not there is evidence that juniper

was more abundant during the Late Plains Archaic and/or Historic occupations

of these sites than it is at present.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• PaleoResearch Institute

Record Identifiers

PRI Technical Report(s): 90-022

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