STRATIGRAPHIC POLLEN ANALYSIS AT MEL'S SITE, MONUMENT RIDGE, BEAVERHEAD NATIONAL FOREST, SOUTHWEST MONTANA

Summary

Mel's site is one of at least three lithic procurement areas associated with the Monument

Ridge Quarry site located in southwestern Montana. Twenty-one pollen samples were collected

at 10 cm intervals from a two meter pollen column. A bulk soil sample collected from the bottom

of the column provides a radiocarbon age of approximately 5,150 + 60 BP (BC 4055 - 3795).

A second radiocarbon age of 2630 +60 BP (BC 890 - 765 or 615 - 600) was obtained from the

collagen of ungulate bone recovered at the 20 cmbgs level. These two radiocarbon ages

suggest that the bulk of the pollen record represents approximately 2500 years beginning a little

over 5,000 years ago. Four major pollen zones are recognized and correspond well with

previously recognized soil/sediment horizons within the two meter column, and likely represent

changing environmental conditions for this area.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• PaleoResearch Institute

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