Paleoindians of Yellowstone Lake: Interpreting Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene hunter-gatherer land-use in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem

Douglas H. MacDonald; Matthew R. Nelson

doi:10.1080/00320447.2018.1465802

Paleoindians of Yellowstone Lake: Interpreting Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene hunter-gatherer land-use in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem

Douglas H. MacDonald
, Matthew R. Nelson

Anthropology

University of Montana

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Over the last decade, numerous Paleoindian sites have been identified at Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, North America’s largest, high-elevation natural lake. This study presents results of University of Montana research between 2009 and 2016 at 25 sites that provide information regarding human use of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene. Despite the recovery of Clovis evidence at Yellowstone Lake, Early Paleoindians rarely visited the region, likely due to difficult post-glacial environmental conditions. After 10,000 BP, upon ameliorating climate changes, Late Paleoindian Cody complex hunter-gatherers increased use of the lake area. In order to better understand regional travel patterns, this study compares lithic raw material and tool use between the Fishing Bridge Peninsula and Osprey Beach Late Paleoindian Cody complex sites. The paper’s conclusion discusses the implications of the research on Paleoindian use of the high-elevation Rocky Mountain region.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	23-50
Number of pages	28
Journal	Plains Anthropologist
Volume	64
Issue number	249
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00320447.2018.1465802
State	Published - Jan 2 2019

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Department of Anthropology and the Center for Integrated Research on the Environment at the University of Montana for support during this research. Yellowstone National Park and the National Park Service graciously provided funding and logistical support during the projects. The Yellowstone Park Foundation also provided financial support. Yellowstone archaeologists Elaine Hale, Ann Johnson, Beth Horton, Tobin Roop, Staffan Peter-son, and Tom James were essential to the success of the projects. Beth Horton, Cathy Beecher, Bob Hoard, and three anonymous reviewers provided comments in earlier drafts. Any remaining errors are our own. This work was supported by National Park Service [grant number P16AC00354].

Funders	Funder number
Department of Anthropology
P16AC00354

Keywords

Paleoindians
Wyoming
Yellowstone Lake
lithics
mobility

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1080/00320447.2018.1465802

Cite this

@article{e56df75e17ee4f50a18bbe123a3ca3ab,

title = "Paleoindians of Yellowstone Lake: Interpreting Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene hunter-gatherer land-use in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem",

abstract = "Over the last decade, numerous Paleoindian sites have been identified at Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, North America{\textquoteright}s largest, high-elevation natural lake. This study presents results of University of Montana research between 2009 and 2016 at 25 sites that provide information regarding human use of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene. Despite the recovery of Clovis evidence at Yellowstone Lake, Early Paleoindians rarely visited the region, likely due to difficult post-glacial environmental conditions. After 10,000 BP, upon ameliorating climate changes, Late Paleoindian Cody complex hunter-gatherers increased use of the lake area. In order to better understand regional travel patterns, this study compares lithic raw material and tool use between the Fishing Bridge Peninsula and Osprey Beach Late Paleoindian Cody complex sites. The paper{\textquoteright}s conclusion discusses the implications of the research on Paleoindian use of the high-elevation Rocky Mountain region.",

keywords = "Paleoindians, Wyoming, Yellowstone Lake, lithics, mobility",

author = "MacDonald, \{Douglas H.\} and Nelson, \{Matthew R.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018, {\textcopyright} 2018 Plains Anthropological Society.",

year = "2019",

month = jan,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1080/00320447.2018.1465802",

language = "English",

volume = "64",

pages = "23--50",

journal = "Plains Anthropologist",

issn = "0032-0447",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

number = "249",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Paleoindians of Yellowstone Lake

T2 - Interpreting Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene hunter-gatherer land-use in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem

AU - MacDonald, Douglas H.

AU - Nelson, Matthew R.

PY - 2019/1/2

Y1 - 2019/1/2

N2 - Over the last decade, numerous Paleoindian sites have been identified at Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, North America’s largest, high-elevation natural lake. This study presents results of University of Montana research between 2009 and 2016 at 25 sites that provide information regarding human use of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene. Despite the recovery of Clovis evidence at Yellowstone Lake, Early Paleoindians rarely visited the region, likely due to difficult post-glacial environmental conditions. After 10,000 BP, upon ameliorating climate changes, Late Paleoindian Cody complex hunter-gatherers increased use of the lake area. In order to better understand regional travel patterns, this study compares lithic raw material and tool use between the Fishing Bridge Peninsula and Osprey Beach Late Paleoindian Cody complex sites. The paper’s conclusion discusses the implications of the research on Paleoindian use of the high-elevation Rocky Mountain region.

AB - Over the last decade, numerous Paleoindian sites have been identified at Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, North America’s largest, high-elevation natural lake. This study presents results of University of Montana research between 2009 and 2016 at 25 sites that provide information regarding human use of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene. Despite the recovery of Clovis evidence at Yellowstone Lake, Early Paleoindians rarely visited the region, likely due to difficult post-glacial environmental conditions. After 10,000 BP, upon ameliorating climate changes, Late Paleoindian Cody complex hunter-gatherers increased use of the lake area. In order to better understand regional travel patterns, this study compares lithic raw material and tool use between the Fishing Bridge Peninsula and Osprey Beach Late Paleoindian Cody complex sites. The paper’s conclusion discusses the implications of the research on Paleoindian use of the high-elevation Rocky Mountain region.

KW - Paleoindians

KW - Wyoming

KW - Yellowstone Lake

KW - lithics

KW - mobility

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85046776602

U2 - 10.1080/00320447.2018.1465802

DO - 10.1080/00320447.2018.1465802

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85046776602

SN - 0032-0447

VL - 64

SP - 23

EP - 50

JO - Plains Anthropologist

JF - Plains Anthropologist

IS - 249

ER -

Paleoindians of Yellowstone Lake: Interpreting Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene hunter-gatherer land-use in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this