AMS RADIOCARBON DATING OF CHARCOAL AND BONE FROM THE WAHKPA CHU’GN BISON KILL SITE (24HL0101), MONTANA

Three bison bone samples and two pieces of charcoal were submitted from the Wahkpa Chu’gn bison kill site (24HL0101) in north-central Montana. One bone sample was recovered from a large fire-cracked rock feature found in Area E. Two charcoal samples and two bison bone samples were recovered from Display House #5, the westernmost display area, in Area D. The earliest occupation appears to have been the Besant Complex around 2000-1500 BP. There was a short occupation by the Avonlea Complex, followed by extensive use of the site by the Saddle Butte Complex until around 600 years ago. Two of the bison bones are believed to represent the earliest Besant occupation, while the two charcoal samples and the bison bone from Area E are expected to date to the Saddle Butte occupation around 1200-600 BP.

本次送检的三份野牛骨样本与两份木炭标本均采集自蒙大拿州中北部的瓦克帕丘恩（Wahkpa Chu’gn）野牛猎杀遗址（24HL0101）。其中一份骨样本出土于E区一处大型火烧岩石遗迹。另有两份木炭标本与两份野牛骨样本出土于D区最西侧的展示房5号。该遗址最早的人类居留阶段当属贝桑特文化复合体（Besant Complex），年代约为距今2000至1500年。阿夫昂利文化复合体（Avonlea Complex）曾在此开展过短暂的居留活动，随后萨德尔比尤特文化复合体（Saddle Butte Complex）对该遗址进行了长期使用，直至约600年前。其中两份野牛骨样本被认为对应最早的贝桑特文化居留阶段，而两份木炭标本与E区出土的那份野牛骨样本的年代经推测属于萨德尔比尤特文化居留阶段，年代跨度约为距今1200至600年。