RADIOCARBON DATING, POLLEN, STARCH, AND ORGANIC RESIDUE (FTIR) ANALYSIS FOR SITES LA 97941, LA 97943, LA 97944, AND LA 97945, FORT BLISS, NEW MEXICO

Summary

Four sites (LA 97941, LA 97943, LA 97944, and LA 97945) on the Ft. Bliss Military

Reservation yielded a variety of samples for radiocarbon dating, and/or pollen/starch and

organic residue (FTIR) analysis to more fully understand the sequence of occupations and the

foods that people were processing. These sites included pithouses, burials, and very large

quantities of artifacts. Evidence of contact with the Mimbres to the west was noted by the

presence of turquoise and shell. Charcoal was submitted from 19 contexts for identification to

plant type, followed by radiocarbon dating, which indicates that occupations at these sites

spans the interval between approximately 1290 ± 20 BP (AD 660-780) and 935 ± BP (AD 1030-

1160), representing Mesilla and Doña Ana Phase occupations. In addition, 21 samples

representing ground stone, FCR, a pestle, stones, ceramics, and a pipe were examined for

pollen/starch and organic residues using the FTIR. Two additional samples that appeared to be

coated with orange to dark red hematite were submitted for XRD (x-ray diffraction) analysis to

identify the powdery substance conclusively.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• PaleoResearch Institute

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