Archaeology Franktown Cave

1 archaeology

1.1 rock shelter description
1.2 artifacts
1.3 artifact counts , description category
1.4 excavation , studies

archaeology
rock shelter description

the rock shelter, sheltered extreme precipitation , temperature extremes, faced east. largest documented palmer divide rock shelter of 2005, measuring 40 feet (12 m) wide 20 feet (6.1 m) @ deepest point. @ front edge of cave, large rocks provided protecting barrier. there lower level on southern portion of cave , several yards higher on northern side. southern portion of cave dry preserved of excavated items. upper level had water seep , few artifacts found there.

artifacts

more 4000 artifacts recovered franktown cave in 1940s , 1950s. can divided 4 categories. 2180 chipped stone artifacts excavated. includes projectile points , fragments. 234 groundstone artifacts recovered, , 862 potsherds recovered well. potsherds include cord marked , plain wares. 351 perishable artifacts excavated. includes fibers, animal hide, bones, , wood. 791 ecofacts recovered well. ecofacts such corn , other plant remains, as, animal remains, shells , wood. perishable artifacts , ecofacts unknown sites in platte river basin, , quantity , variety of artifacts found unmatched in northeastern part of state.

examination of ceramic vessels show made of patches of clay bonded , strengthened using paddle , anvil technique. technique common on plains sites. found of materials pottery made local materials. analysis of pottery reflects there more intensive occupation of franktown cave @ end of ceramic , beginning of middle ceramic.

research woven materials indicates technical affinities peoples south , southwest during middle archaic transition. such woven materials include sandals. found different types of sandals made winter , summer. more complex sandal straps meant hold grass socks used in cooler months, while lighter sandal used in warmer months.

hide used production of clothing found in faunal remains. there high number of bison bone , other large fauna. presence of rodent bones, snares , rabbit hide robes suggests small game important. perishable artifact found moccasin, worn use. ams dates on moccasin suggest discarded sometime between ad 980 , 1160. lithic technology suggests extensive reliance on locally available petrified wood, rhyolite, , quartzite. pattern of heavy reliance on local raw materials holds other sites in palmer divide area.

corn may have been significant people living in franktown cave in different ways @ different times. people first began using corn @ franktown cave in transition ceramic middle ceramic era. during middle ceramic climate wetter , milder, , human population in area higher.

excavations conducted intermittently since 1940s focused on southern, lower level of cave. 4000 pre-historic items found @ site, 2180 of chipped stone artifacts. table below shows artifacts found cultural period , period of time, dated accelerator mass spectrometry (ams) , radiocarbon dating.

franktown cave similar trinchera cave archeological district , chamber cave, of showed significant evidence of residence, including wealth of perishable items. trinchera , chamber cave sites located south of franktown cave in arkansas river basin , influenced people of southern great plains.

artifact counts , description category

the counts of artifacts category are:

excavation , studies

franktown cave has been excavated past fifty years. hugh o. capp, jr. first excavate franktown cave in 1942. worked on north end of cave. left university of denver artifacts in paper sacks, along report , sketches , photographs. unfortunately, report has never been found. arnold withers next excavate cave. withers first excavated in 1949 again in 1952. remaining notes associated these excavations map gilbert wenger, shows locations of each “stratitest” , test pits, , stratigraphic profile drawn david breternitz. withers never wrote report of finds @ franktown cave.

gerold “tommy” thompson next excavate franktown cave in 1956 , 1957. recorded great deal excavation. thompson recovered sandal , cordage during excavations. analyzed sandal , determined there @ least 2 types of sandals. winter sandals had more complex straps , grass sock, , summer sandal simpler straps , no grass sock. charles w. manz, analyzed 500 pieces of lithic debitage, waste flakes manufacture of stone tools in franktown cave collection in 1973. found 40% of debitage showed evidence of breakage after deposition , bag wear. suggests breakage after collection due rough or improper handling. study indicated people @ franktown cave used expedient tools locally available raw materials.

sarah m. nelson , sarah studenmund collaborated on paper , found pottery franktown cave can considered single type. found no statistical difference between cord-marked , smooth pottery, except presence or absence of marks.

the site has been subject excavations before 1940s local boy scouts , has been subject looting on time.

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