A Possible New Paleoindian Area of the Hell Gap Site: The 2018 Shovel Test at Locality IV

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Hell Gap at 60: Myth? Reality? What Has It Taught Us?" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

During the 2018 field season, a fluted preform was recovered during surface survey at Hell Gap Locality IV. A shovel test was dug at the location of the preform to investigate the stratigraphy, landform characteristics, and assess the possible age of the deposit. The test uncovered 675 very tightly vertically clustered artifacts, suggesting a Pleistocene age surface. Paleoindian artifacts such as fluted projectile points and paleo aged scrapers, along with C. Vance Haynes' analysis of paleo-sediments support the Pleistocene age living surface conclusion. As excavation of Locality I of the Hell Gap National Historic Landmark is coming to completion, the findings at the 2018 Locality IV shovel test offer the possibility of an additional Pleistocene age occupation area for future investigation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)   •
• Hell Gap at 60: Myth? Reality? What Has It Taught Us?

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24957