STRATIGRAPHIC POLLEN ANALYSIS AND AMS RADIOCARBON DATING FOR A CORE, POLLEN AND STARCH ANALYSIS OF GROUNDSTONE AND A SOIL SAMPLE, AND AMS RADIOCARBON DATING OF CHARCOAL SAMPLES FROM THE BLACKFOOT CAVE (SITE 5DA2358), COLORADO

Summary

Sixteen pollen samples were examined from a core taken at the Blackfoot Cave site, 5DA2358, in southeast Douglas County, Colorado. This rock shelter is unusual in that it has a permanent spring flowing from it, making it a very desirable location for extensive prehistoric and historic use. In 1859, the first house was built at the site. Artifacts attest to Archaic through Historic occupations. The core was taken from a small wetland area in the catch basin of the spring below the cave and historic house. This core was examined for pollen as part of a paleoclimate study of the Eastern Plains. Macrofloral analysis was conducted on the screen contents obtained during pollen extraction to recover organic material appropriate for AMS radiocarbon dating. Six AMS radiocarbon dates were obtained from various levels of the core to anchor the environmental discussion and to better understand the depositional history of the deposits sampled.

Charcoal and groundstone were examined from units within the shelter. Three groundstone artifacts were washed to recover pollen and starch that identify plants processed using these tools. Five charcoal samples were submitted for identification, and four samples were selected for AMS radiocarbon dating.

An additional soil sample collected from a level radiocarbon dated to 4400 BP in front of the rockshelter was submitted for pollen analysis.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• PaleoResearch Institute

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Contact(s): PaleoResearch Institute

Record Identifiers

PRI Technical Report(s): 12-031; 11-154; 14-100

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