Bat Cave

Information

Located on the San Augustin Plain, Bat Cave is one of several rock shelters that overlook the southwestern edge of the plain. It was originally excavated by Herbert W. Dick in 1948 and 1950, and then again in 1981 and 1983 by Wirt Wills. The cave has a long occupation well into the early Holocene and abundant evidence of many activities and well-preserved artifacts. Famous for its well-preserved organic remains and stone tools, the site has directly dated maize samples that range from perhaps as old as 3700 b.p. to 2300 b.p. (Wills 1988).

ID Other ID Type Subtype Uncal BP (years) ± 1 σ (years) Median cal BP (years) Lower cal BP (years) Upper cal BP (years) δ13C Contaminated?
33 A-4188 MacroSample unknown 3120 70 3388 3548 3083 No
129 A-4187 MacroSample unknown 3740 70 4101 4382 3894 Yes
130 A-2791 MacroSample cupule 2430 420 2517 3557 1537 No
131 A-4167 MacroSample cupule 3010 150 3184 3555 2796 No
133 AA-679 MacroSample kernel 2420 170 2491 2859 2051 No
132 A-4166 MacroSample unknown 2780 90 2904 3158 2746 No

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References Cited

Dick, H. W.
    1965    Bat Cave. Monograph No. 27. School of American Research, Santa Fe.

Ford, R. I.
    1985    Patterns of prehistoric food production in North America. In Prehistoric Food Production in North America, edited by R. I. Ford, pp. 341-364. Anthropological Papers No. 75.  University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology, Ann Arbor.

Matson, R. G.
    1991    The Origins of Southwestern Agriculture. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.

Merrill, W. L., R. J. Hard, J. B. Mabry, G. J. Fritz, K. R. Adams, J. R. Roney and A. C. MacWilliams
     2009     The diffusion of maize to the southwestern United States and its impact. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 106(50):21019-21026.

Wills, W. H.
    1988    Early Prehistoric Agriculture in the American Southwest. School of American Research Press, Santa Fe.