POLLEN, STARCH, PARASITE, PHYTOLITH, MACROFLORAL, PROTEIN RESIDUE, AND ORGANIC RESIDUE (FTIR) ANALYSES AND AMS RADIOCARBON DATING OF A COPROLITE FROM THE EAGLE POINT SHELTER (5RB4662), RIO BLANCO COUNTY, COLORADO

A coprolite fragment recovered near a midden at the Eagle Point Shelter (site 5RB4662) in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, was submitted for pollen, starch, parasite, phytolith, macrofloral, protein residue, and organic residue analyses, the latter using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). An AMS radiocarbon date was obtained on botanic material recovered during macrofloral analysis. The fecal material fell from an area above the midden into an excavated portion of the feature. The combination of multiple analyses is used to determine if the coprolite is human in origin, as well as to gain information regarding diet and local vegetation.