POLLEN, STARCH, MACROFLORAL, AND CORN COB ANALYSES AT THE KUCK SITE (5RB3157), RIO BLANCO COUNTY, COLORADO

Pollen analysis of samples from Kuck Rock Shelter, site 5RB3157, in northwestern
Colorado focuses on examination of hearths, ash pits, a mano, and several clay chinking
fragments. This study provides a base framework for examination of prehistoric vegetation and
Fremont resource use through pollen analysis. Macrofloral samples were examined from the lower
fill of a clay-lined hearth to identify economic activity associated with this feature. A single pollen
sample was collected from the use surface to the east of the hearth to provide information
concerning food processing activities. Information provided in this study will serve to guide future
archaeological and archaeobotanical work at the Kuck Shelter. In addition, two Zea mays cobs
were recovered near a bark mat and from an ash stain and submitted for analysis. In addition to
the standard physical description of the cobs, innovative morphometric analysis of the opal
phytoliths present in these cobs was conducted to provide information concerning the shape
characteristics of phytoliths produced in Fremont maize cobs. These silica bodies survive burning
without distortion and can be recovered from the cobs and a population measured. This population
is considered a proxy for the genetic signature of the race of corn. At present, data is being
gathered to provide numeric signatures that identify individual races of maize or corn. This study
provides the numeric signature for these two cobs in an effort to help build a data base for Fremont
corn.