T109 The Legacy of Kenneth L. Pierce: Interdisciplinary Studies along the Track of the Yellowstone Hotspot and Beyond II

Monday, 10 October 2022
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
605

THE ROLE OF GEOMORPHOLOGY AND GIS IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF PALEOINDIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES AT YELLOWSTONE LAKE, WYOMING, U.S.A

Paper number: T109-12
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 4:10 PM – 4:25 PM

Authors

Abstract

We discuss the role of geomorphology in identifying early Paleoindian archaeological sites at North America’s highest-elevation natural lake, Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming. Prior research by Kenneth Pierce and his colleagues has proposed geomorphological models for the ages of Yellowstone Lake paleoshorelines after Late Pleistocene glacial retreat. In addition, recent research by Lisa Morgan and her colleagues indicates that the Yellowstone Lake glaciers likely melted earlier than previously thought, as early as 12-13,000 radiocarbon years ago. As such, it should be considered possible that people were in the high-elevation Yellowstone Plateau prior to Clovis. Finally, based on results of 10 years of archaeological research at the lake, we confirm the accuracy of Pierce’s paleoshoreline models and present a geographic-information-systems (GIS) predictive model for Paleoindian site locations. Results of an archaeological survey for Paleoindian sites along ancient shores of the northeastern portion of Yellowstone Lake indicate that the GIS and the paleoshoreline models are robust Paleoindian site location predictors.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 54, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2022AM-381305

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