POLLEN ANALYSIS OF A SEDIMENT CORE AT 8SL17, THE DOUGLAS BEACH SITE

A sediment core and three bulk samples collected from beneath the Gold
Wreck at the Douglas Beach Site in 1978 represent prehistoric sediments
beneath later Spanish material. The core was collected approximately one
meter below the existing beach sand in approximately 12-15 feet of water.
Three bulk samples were collected for analysis above the core. A dark,
organic layer was included in the core, which may represent a backwater
lagoon. The present backwater lagoon is located behind a barrier island.
The top layer of the core was radiocarbon dated to approximately 5000 BP
(Murphy, personal communication, August 1988). Pollen analysis of these
sediments was designed to address questions of local vegetation,
identification of backwater lagoonal conditions, if present, and to
contribute data for analysis and interpretation of site formation processes.
In addition, the vegetation is discussed with respect to possible
availability of edible portions that may have been exploited by inhabitants
of this site.

1978年于道格拉斯海滩遗址（Douglas Beach Site）金沉船（Gold Wreck）下方采集的1件沉积岩心（sediment core）与3件块状样品（bulk sample），代表了后期西班牙时期遗存之下的史前沉积层。该岩心采集于现有海滩沙下方约1米处，所处水深约12~15英尺。研究人员于该岩心上方采集了3件块状样品用于分析。岩心中包含一层深色有机质层，其可能代表一处滞水潟湖（backwater lagoon）环境；现今该滞水潟湖位于障壁岛（barrier island）后方。该岩心顶层经放射性碳定年（radiocarbon dating），年代约为距今5000年（Before Present，缩写BP，Murphy，私人通信，1988年8月）。对这些沉积物开展的孢粉分析（pollen analysis），旨在解答当地植被相关问题、确认滞水潟湖环境是否存在，并为遗址形成过程（site formation processes）的分析与解读提供数据支撑。此外，本文还就该遗址先民可能开发利用的可食用植物部位的潜在可获取性，对当地植被展开了探讨。