Anthropology 2233F/G Lecture Notes - Glacial Lake Iroquois, Great Lakes Region, Lake Whittlesey
Document Summary
Environmental context and time space systematics in archaeology. Palynology (study of fossilized pollen) can identify species microscopically to reconstruct vegetation. Samples are obtained by extracting cores from the bottom of ponds, bogs, or lakes and these can produce pollen diagrams which summarize the vegetational history of the fossil site (based on the pollen"s respective shape) Each layer in the core represents in the best case scenarios a separate level and when combined with dendrochronology can provide dates for the sediments. Once this is done over a region pollen data can be combined and diagrams can be made showing changes in vegetational history. The site is meromitic meaning is has limited oxygen and bacteria in the upper half of the lake with little circulation with good organic preservation as a result. 14 dates have revised the chronology to 1280-1490 ad. J. mcandrews believes the pollen was deposited into the lake via goose droppings.