RADIOCARBON DATING, POLLEN, STARCH, AND ORGANIC RESIDUE (FTIR) ANALYSIS FOR SITES LA 97941, LA 97943, LA 97944, AND LA 97945, FORT BLISS, NEW MEXICO

Four sites (LA 97941, LA 97943, LA 97944, and LA 97945) on the Ft. Bliss Military
Reservation yielded a variety of samples for radiocarbon dating, and/or pollen/starch and
organic residue (FTIR) analysis to more fully understand the sequence of occupations and the
foods that people were processing. These sites included pithouses, burials, and very large
quantities of artifacts. Evidence of contact with the Mimbres to the west was noted by the
presence of turquoise and shell. Charcoal was submitted from 19 contexts for identification to
plant type, followed by radiocarbon dating, which indicates that occupations at these sites
spans the interval between approximately 1290 ± 20 BP (AD 660-780) and 935 ± BP (AD 1030-
1160), representing Mesilla and Doña Ana Phase occupations. In addition, 21 samples
representing ground stone, FCR, a pestle, stones, ceramics, and a pipe were examined for
pollen/starch and organic residues using the FTIR. Two additional samples that appeared to be
coated with orange to dark red hematite were submitted for XRD (x-ray diffraction) analysis to
identify the powdery substance conclusively.