PHYTOLITH, STARCH, AND PROTEIN RESIDUE ANALYSIS OF TOOLS AND AMS RADIOCARBON DATING OF CHARCOAL FROM THE MEDHOLD SITE, 45PI728, WASHINGTON

Bifaces and tools from the Medhold Site, 45PI728, in western Washington were submitted for protein residue analysis. This analysis was used to detect plant and animal residues that might have been preserved within the microscopic crevasses on the working surfaces of these tools. Four of the cobble tools and an expedient tool also were analyzed for phytoliths and starches. Some plants produce opal silica phytoliths that are unique to those plants and/or specific plant parts. Starch grains can be found in the seeds and roots of some plants utilized for subsistence. Charcoal from this site was submitted for identification and AMS radiocarbon dating.

采自华盛顿州西部编号45PI728的Medhold遗址的两面器（bifaces）与各类工具，已提交开展蛋白质残留物分析。该分析旨在检测可能留存于这些工具工作表面微观裂隙中的动植物残留物。其中四件砾石工具（cobble tools）与一件权宜工具（expedient tool），亦针对植硅体（phytoliths）与淀粉粒开展了分析。部分植物会产生仅为该类植物及/或特定植物部位所特有的蛋白石二氧化硅植硅体。淀粉粒可在部分用于生计的植物的种子与根系中被检出。该遗址出土的木炭已提交用于物种鉴定与加速器质谱法（AMS）放射性碳定年。