A Middle Range Research Project in Fire Pit Technology

Summary

During recent excavations at the Maneater Cave site (Zeimens and Baars 1996) a number of slab-lined pit features were encountered (Figure 1). All appear to have been used as fire hearths. Three of these yielded corrected radiocarbon dates of BC 4080 (Beta 84881), BC 4340 (Beta 86401), and BC 4320 (Beta 85550). Located adjacent to some of the slab-lined features were shallow basin-shaped depressions. The hardened floor and blackened zone on the inside surface of these depressions indicate that they had also been heated. In three cases, a flat rock was present immediately adjacent to the basin-shaped depression (Figure 2). Similar features were encountered during excavations of the Yarmony Pit House site (Metcalf and Black 1991), and other Early Archaic and Late Paleoindian sites. Because of questions about the function of these pit features and the associated basin-shaped depressions, we decided that an experimental hearth of the same design might shed light on the use and function of these slab-lined features.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Wyoming Archaeologist 1997

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Contact(s): Marcia Peterson

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