PHYTOLITH AND STARCH ANALYSIS FOR A HANDSTONE FROM SITE CA-SBR-14, SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Site CA-SBR-14, a rock shelter situated south of Pilot Knob Valley, is situated at an elevation of 3,500 ft on the South Range east of the Naval Air Weapons Center, China Lake in San Bernardino County, California. Radiocarbon dates of AD 1485–1650 and diagnostic artifacts indicate the site represents a Late Prehistoric occupation during the Rose Spring time period. Located in the ethnographic region of Kawaiisu, the site is culturally affiliated with the Numic. Feature 1 contained three handstones, a digging stick, and additional artifacts. Additionally, there is evidence of animal disturbance as previous coprolite analysis, conducted by PaleoResearch Institute, determined them to be non-human. A rhyolite handstone was recovered in Feature 1 at a depth of 10–20 cm below surface and submitted for phytolith analysis.