ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC RESIDUES (FTIR) AND AMS RADIOCARBON DATING FOR SAMPLES FROM TWELVE SITES ON THE FORT BLISS MCGREGOR RANGE, NEW MEXICO, FOR EVALUATION PROJECT 560-031

Samples were examined from twelve sites (FB 9317, FB 9324, FB 9326, FB 9330, FB 9331, FB 9334, FB 9339, FB 9385, FB 9389, FB 9390, FB 9392, FB 9393) located on Fort Bliss in El Paso County, Texas. Twenty-two samples representing feature fill and ceramic sherds were examined for organic residues using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR analysis will examine the sediments and sherds for evidence of proteins, lipids, and/or carbohydrates and matches with plant and animal residues in our reference library. Eleven of the feature fill samples also were examined to recover charcoal or other charred botanic remains for AMS radiocarbon dating. Two of the samples did not yield sufficient charcoal for AMS dating; therefore, the sediment was processed to recover microscopic charcoal for dating. A total of 11 AMS radiocarbon dates were obtained.本次研究对位于美国得克萨斯州埃尔帕索县布利斯堡（Fort Bliss）的12处遗址（编号依次为FB 9317、FB 9324、FB 9326、FB 9330、FB 9331、FB 9334、FB 9339、FB 9385、FB 9389、FB 9390、FB 9392、FB 9393）所采集的样本开展了检测分析。本研究选取22份遗迹填充土与陶片样本，采用傅里叶变换红外光谱法（Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy，FTIR）对其中的有机残留物进行检测。该FTIR分析旨在检测沉积物与陶片样本中的蛋白质、脂类及/或碳水化合物类残留迹象，并与本参考标本库中的动植物残体样本完成匹配比对。其中11份遗迹填充土样本还被用于提取炭屑或其他炭化植物遗存，以开展加速器质谱放射性碳测年（AMS radiocarbon dating）。有2份样本未获得足够炭屑用于AMS测年，因此研究人员对其沉积物进行处理以提取显微炭屑用于测年。最终共获取11组AMS放射性碳测年数据。