Casita de Piedra

This rockshelter site is located less than 1 km upstream from Trapiche rockshelter on the west side of the Rio Chiriqui. Anthony Ranere excavated the site in 1971, discovering preceramic period occupations in the approximately 1.4 m of deposits (Ranere 1980:26). Two artifacts, a base and a chopper, were found in preceramic level C2 and yielded maize starch grains (Dickau et al. 2007:3651). This level of the preceramic deposits overlays level C3 which has one radiocarbon date on associated charcoal (I-5614--see sample page). Tools from stratigraphically earlier layers (with radiocarbon dates) did not yield any maize starch grains (Dickau et al. 2007:Table 1). Maize starch grains were, however, found on tools in the more recent layer B3, but there is no radiocarbon date associated with this level. Dickau et al. (2007: Table 1) estimate that it may be approximately 3600 cal BP.