Archaeological Pollen Study of Two Dune Sites in New Mexico

Study of the pollen of 4 surface and 41 stratigraphic and archaeological-context sediment samples was undertaken to provide independent evidence of the antiquity of sites LA 11828 and LA 11904, and of the hypothesis the two sites had the same cultural functions. The pollen record suggests the two sites differ in antiquity: the occupation horizon samples from LA 11828 correspond to others that date to the Historic Period, while those from LA 11904 correspond to others that date 1800 - 300 B.C. Palynological differences that are probably indices of seasonality of occupation argue for the sites having different cultural functions.