POLLEN, PHYTOLITH, STARCH, AND ORGANIC RESIDUE (FTIR) ANALYSIS OF A MORTAR AND ORGANIC RESIDUE (FTIR) ANALYSIS OF A SOIL SAMPLE FROM THE TULE CREEK VILLAGE (CA-SNI-25), SAN NICOLAS ISLAND, CHANNEL ISLANDS, CALIFORNIA

A sandstone mortar recovered from the Tule Creek Village (CA-SNI-25) on San Nicolas Island in the Channel Islands of California was submitted for pollen, phytolith, starch, and organic residue analysis. Phytolith and starch analysis provides microbotanical evidence of plant-parts that may have been ground. Organic residues were tested for using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). This analysis provides information concerning the compounds that were extracted from the mortar. FTIR-based information concerning foods that might have been ground using the mortar is derived from matches with our reference library of raw and processed plants and animals. An additional soil control sample was submitted for organic residue analysis to determine if matches found on the mortar qualify as environmental or cultural signatures.