MACROFLORAL AND AMS RADIOCARBON AGE DETERMINATION OF SAMPLES FROM SITES LA 183229 AND LA 183231, EDDY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO

Prehistoric sites LA 183229 and LA 183231 are located northeast of Carlsbad in Eddy County, New Mexico. Burned caliche concentrations with ash and charcoal staining lacked any diagnostic materials. Soil samples collected from the stained areas at both sites were submitted for macrofloral analysis to provide information regarding paleoenvironment, plant processing, and fuel strategies of sites’ occupants. In addition suitable charred plant remains identified in these two samples were submitted for AMS radiocarbon age determination to ascertain period of use.

史前遗址LA 183229与LA 183231坐落于美国新墨西哥州埃迪县卡尔斯巴德东北部。含灰烬与炭渍的灼烧钙结壳（caliche）集合体未发现任何诊断性遗存。研究人员采集两处遗址染痕区域的土壤样本，送至实验室开展大植物遗存（macrofloral）分析，以获取关于遗址先民的古环境、植物加工策略与燃料使用策略的相关信息。此外，从这两份样本中识别出的合格炭化植物遗存被送检以开展加速器质谱（Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, AMS）碳十四年代测定，以此明确遗址的使用时段。