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Prehistoric Springs and Geochronology of the Clovis Site, New Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

C. Vance Haynes Jr.  and
George A. Agogino
C. Vance Haynes Jr.
Affiliation:
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
George A. Agogino
Affiliation:
Paleo-Indian Institute, Eastern, New Mexico University, Portales, New Mexico
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Abstract

Geologic investigation and radiocarbon dating of a newly exposed stratigraphic section at the famous Early Man site of Blackwater No. 1 (Clovis) in eastern New Mexico show the Brown Sand Wedge to be in part a contemporaneous facies of the Diatomaceous Earth (10,000 to 11,000 years old) and in part older (11,000 to 11,500 years old). The Gray Sand is probably more than 12,000 years old. Artifacts contained therein are concentrated in the upper 6 in. and are believed to have intruded the sand via the tramplings of the surface by man and animals.

The discovery of ancient spring-feeder conduits confirms the springhead origin for the Brown Sand Wedge and the Gray Sand suggested by Sellards and Evans (1960). In addition to well-sorted, nearly spherical, graded, quartz grains the conduits contained Clovis, Folsom, and Agate Basin artifacts bearing an extremely high polish. Some Agate Basin points appear to have been coeval with Folsom points; others are younger. Deposition of the Carbonaceous Silt containing Scottsbluff points, Frederick points, and points of the Portales complex began as early as 9,800 years ago, and possibly continued as late as 7,000 years ago.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 31 , Issue 6 , October 1966 , pp. 812 - 821
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1966

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References

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