New Research at Paisley Caves: Applying New Integrated Analytical Approaches to Understanding Stratigraphy, Taphonomy, and Site Formation Processes

Figures & data

Figure 1 Profile from Cave 2 of the Paisley Caves, Unit 2/4C, showing location of pilot study micromorphology blocks (adapted from Jenkins et al. 2012).

Figure 2 Thin section micrographs showing (A) water-lain sedimentary crust of silt lens slide 3; (B) charcoal fragments slide 7; (C) preserved plant tissues in dung pellet slide 4 in PPL; (D) showing same as C in XPL highlighting cellulose preservation; (E) bone fragment showing signs of dissolution and calcite hypocoating; (F) showing same as E in XPL highlighting calcite hypocoating.

Table 1 Micromorphology samples collected from Cave 2, Unit 2/4C.

Slide	Field description	Preliminary micromorphology summary observations	Associated date (cal yr BP, approximate; from Jenkins et al. 2012)
2	Mazama ash and underlying layers	Biogenic with mix of plant tissues, micro bone fragments, with discontinuous lenses of water laid sediments in lower part	6790
3	Silt lenses, softer top layers, firm middle lenses, softer lower layers with hard “fleks”	Alternating mixed windblown debris and alluvial lenses, increased biogenic component in lower part	7490–8180
4	Underlying slide 3, hard “fleks”, looser at base	Continues biogenic material from base of slide 3, shifts to mixed microfaunal pellets with larger mammal pellet present	8180
5	Continues sequence between 4 and 6	Majority of deposit microfaunal pellets, occasional plant tissues and bone with areas showing calcite coatings. Shifts to mixed pellet/windblown sediments at base	8180–9565
6	Another silt lens	Shift to fine grained silts and clay mixed with sub-rounded sand grains and basalt from cave wall/roof	9480–9565
7	Oldest deposits at base of slide	Increased frequency of large basalt fragments, mixed biogenic and minerogenic material, with occasional charcoal fragments towards base	11,560–12,275

Jenkins, D. L., L. G. Davis, T. W. Stafford Jr, P. F. Campos, B. Hockett, G. T. Jones, L. S. Cummings, et al. 2012. “Clovis Age Western Stemmed Projectile Points and Human Coprolites at the Paisley Caves.” Science 337: 223–228. doi: 10.1126/science.1218443

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