Argues that the canons of evidence that apply to artifactual evidence of prehistoric behavior patterns are sometimes distinct from those that apply to non-artifactual evidence, and the logic and archaeological value of the latter is not less simply because it is different. The essay is intended to instruct and sensitise archaeologists to this issue as much as it is to allay concern that the pollen evidence for Archaic maize cultivation at the Koster site may not be credible. 49 p. Also see Schoenwetter 1994

Studied modern pollen rain/vegetation pattern relationships through discriminant functions analysis in Mammoth Cave National Park, KY, and archaeological-context pollen records from local Middle Woodland and Late Woodland sites. Concludes that analysis of this sort identifies control data for interpreting archaeological pollen records in terms of paleovegetation and paleoecological patterns.

Modern, Early Woodland, Middle Woodland