POLLEN, PHYTOLlTH, STARCH, AND MACROFLORAL ANALYSIS OF PALEOFECES FROM CONNLEY CAVE 5 (SITE 35LK50), FORT ROCK BASIN, OREGON

The Connley Caves, situated on the west side of the Connley Hills, have been the subject
of archaeological excavation several times. Five paleofeces (coprolites) were recovered recently,
which were submitted for microscopic examination to identify elements of the diet and identify and
evidence of parasites. Pollen, phytoliths, starch, and macrofloral remains were examined to inform
concerning the vegetal portion of the diet. In addition, bones and fish scale were recovered and
reported, which represent the animal portion of the diet. Cultural materials recovered from the
Connley Caves have a general Late-Middle Holocene association, which ranged from 6000 to 3000
years ago. Although fish netting and basket fragments from a rat midden produced AMS dates
ranging from 4240 to 4590 RCYBP, Rose Spring and Elko projectile points also were present.
Therefore, four of the five human paleofeces selected for analysis were also radiocarbon dated,
producing calibrated ages between 4100 and 5880 RCYBP.