POLLEN AND MACROFLORAL ANALYSIS FROM 48CR1929, 48CR3961, AND 48CR3962, CARBON COUNTY, WYOMING

Summary

Pollen and macrofloral samples were collected from three sites twelve

miles southeast of Wamsutter, Wyoming during the course of archaeological

mitigation along the Mapco Pipeline. The sites represent Altithermal,

Middle Archaic, and Late Archaic/Late Prehistoric occupations. These sites,

48CR39l, 48CR1929, and 48CR3962, are located within two miles of each other

in the Red Desert/Great Divide Basin area of western Carbon County. The

present environment at these sites is a mixed desert shrub community

dominated by Artemisia (sagebrush), with Chrysothamnus (rabbitbrush),

Atriplex (hopsage), Atriplex (shadscale), and several species of grass

(Graminae) noted. Sarcobatus (greasewood) was observed mainly along the

drainages. The soils in the area are generally regolith and aeolian with

snaIl complexes of sand dunes dotting the ridge tops (O'Brien, personal

connunication, December 1982). Pollen and macrofloral analysis of fill from

twelve features from sites 48CR3962, 48CR1929, and 48CR3961 was undertaken

in an effort to identify probable function of the various hearth types.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• PaleoResearch Institute

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