40RD299, TN Faunal Data

Ancient Native American use of caves in the Eastern Woodlands occurred throughout the entire span of regional prehistory; however, the ways that these natural features were used varied considerably over time. To date only 25 cave sites containing deposits dated to the Archaic period (ca. 10,000–3000 B.P.) are recorded in the state of Tennessee, representing just 0.4% of the total known Archaic sites. In 2014 the authors conducted a salvage operation, bucket auger survey, and limited testing at the site of Black Cat Cave (40RD299) in Rutherford County, Tennessee to assess looting damage and assist in the installation of a security gate across the cave entrance. These investigations identified Black Cat Cave as the site of significant mortuary activity during the Middle Archaic (ca. 6460–6360 B.P.), and resulted in the recovery of rare Archaic faunal data from a cave setting. Analysis of faunal materials from the site allows us to add important new information to our understanding of ancient Native American landscape use in the Eastern Woodlands during the mid-Holocene.

美国东部林地（Eastern Woodlands）的古代原住民使用洞穴的行为贯穿了该区域史前史的完整时段；不过，这类自然地貌的使用方式随时间推移发生了显著变化。截至目前，田纳西州（Tennessee）仅记录有25处存有古风期（Archaic Period）堆积、年代可追溯至约10000–3000 B.P.的洞穴遗址，仅占已发现的古风期遗址总数的0.4%。2014年，研究团队在田纳西州拉瑟福德县（Rutherford County）的黑猫洞穴（Black Cat Cave，遗址编号40RD299）开展了抢救性发掘、螺旋钻探调查与有限试掘，以评估该遗址遭盗掘的破坏程度，并协助安装封堵洞穴入口的安全栅栏。此次调查确认黑猫洞穴为中古风期（Middle Archaic，约6460–6360 B.P.）存在大规模丧葬活动的遗址，并从洞穴堆积中获取了极为罕见的古风期动物群数据。对该遗址动物遗存的分析，可为我们进一步理解全新世中期美国东部林地原住民的土地利用模式提供重要的新证据。