POLLEN AND MACROFLORAL ANALYSIS AT FIVE PREHISTORIC AND HISTORIC SITES IN NORTHERN LARAMIE COUNTY, WYOMING

Seven pollen, six macrofloral, and three wood samples were examined
from five prehistoric and historic sites in northern Laramie County,
Wyoming. Radiocarbon ages indicate that these sites were occupied during
the Late Plains Archaic and Historic time periods. Pollen analysis was
conducted to identify the past vegetation, and hence paleoenvironmental
conditions. Both pollen and macrofloral samples were collected from
features, in an effort to understand the vegetal portion of the subsistence
base. The macrofloral and wood samples were also examined for evidence of
use of wood as fuel and construction elements. Virtually no juniper are
noted in the vicinity of these sites, at present. A small relic stand is
located to the south and west of these sites. One question of the
paleoethnobotanic study was whether or not there is evidence that juniper
was more abundant during the Late Plains Archaic and/or Historic occupations
of these sites than it is at present.