POLLEN ANALYSIS, MACROFLORAL ANALYSIS, AND ARCHAEOCLIMA TIC MODELING AT SITE 26OR3 FOR THE CARSON CITY FREEWAY PROJECT, NEVADA

Pollen and macrofloral samples were examined from site 26Or3 for the Carson City Freeway project in Carson City, Nevada. Twenty-two pollen and twenty macrofloral samples were analyzed during Phase II testing. An additional 60 pollen and 71 macrofloral samples were examined for Phase III. Radiocarbon dates suggest eight occupation periods. The earliest occupations of the site from AD 230 to AD 410 and AD 410 to AD 620 appear to have been fairly minor periods of site use. Five features are believed to be associated with an occupation between AD 790 to AD 910. The majority of features at 26Or3 are associated with occupations around AD 1180 to AD 1280 and AD 1290 to AD 1310. A few features are associated with later occupations of the site at AD 1400 to AD 1420, AD 1450 to AD 1510, and AD 1550 to AD 1650. In addition, an archaeoclimatic model was developed for the site and the Eagle Valley region of the Northern Great Basin. Since the model was developed using climatic "normals" from Carson City, it is considered specific to the area immediately surrounding Carson City. Pollen and macrofloral analyses will be used to provide subsistence information concerning plant resources utilized by the site occupants.