107 Preliminary Report on Archaeological and Paleoenvironmental Studies in the Area of El Cedral, San Luis Potosi, Mexico 1977-1980 JOSE LUIS LORENZO and LORENA MIRAMBELL Instituto Nacional de Antropologga e Historia Departamento de Prehistoria Moneda 16 Mexico 1, DE MEXICO Abstract Geological, archaeological, and paleontological research at El Cedral, S.LP., northern Mexico, revealed evidence of a complex series of lacustrine, marsh, and artesian spring deposits spanning, the late Pleistocene and early Holocene periods. Evidence of human utilization of the Rancho La Amapola site was found together with bones of extinct animal species in undisturbed stratified deposits on horizons radiocarbon-dated at 33,300 BP., 31,850 BP., 21,960 + 540 B.P. and older than 15,000 BLP. INTRODUCTION ‘The research in the El Cedral area was part of major project intended to investigate Pleistocene and early Holocene events in basins with interior drainage and featuring lakes or lake sediments. The perspective was as much archaeological as paleontological, with the objective to obtain a record of paleoenvironmental changes and to ‘examine evidence for the presence of early man in the region, ‘The archacological/paleontological site of Rancho La Amapola is located on the outskirts of the town of El Cedral in the northern part of the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico (Figure 1). The-site is situated only a few kilometers north of the Tropic of Cancer, at 23° 49° north latitude and 100° 43° west longtitude, at an clevation of 1700 1m above sea level. The Rancho La Amapola site is situated in a small structural depression with, almost level floor, once a lake but now a semi-desert. The area of El Cedral now features ‘matorral vegetation of xerophytic type, with cacti, shrubs, and smallleaved trees, Common plants include mesquite (Prosopis julfiora), nopal (Opuntia), Yucca, Acacia, Berbers, Cassia, and various grasses. ‘There are also a few scattered nogales (Juglans), and junipers (Juniperus). The climate is warm, with a prolonged dry season and short wet season,108 New Evidence for the Pleistocene Peopling of the Americas The area of E] Cedral has long been known for Pleistocene fossils. In the past there were many artesian springs, all of them now dry; but evidently until the end of the nineteenth century Sufficient flow existed to form a fairly extensive Take, surrounded by thick vegetation totally distinct from the regional vegetation of today. Now there are only a fewy junipers; and the springs are omly a memory, as at present one can obtain water from only two oF three of the springs by means of dwell and pump. In the past the springs in the Svea of El Cedral attracted many animals, and bones of animals which died at the waterholes were incorporated into the sediments. At Rancho Ta Amapola, many bones now lie scattered on the Surface, removed by historic excavations of deep wells as the water table retreated. 100" Monterrey sanitte Figure 1. Location of El Cedral within Mexico, With the visible abundance of remains of Pleistocene fauna, the site at Rancho La Amapola appeared to. be particularly promising for investigation, Paleontological excavations were therefore initiated at this site, with archaeologists present. to watch for cultural evidence, and peologists, soil scientists, and botanists collecting Bata for paleoenvironmental_ interpretations. The participants in the field work included José Luis Lorenzo, Lorena Mirambell, Azucena Angulo, and Jésus Narez as archaeologists; Rodolfo Casamiquela, Tieul Alvarez Solorzano and Oscar Polaco Ramos a3 paleontologists; Manuel Reyes Cortés as geologist End surveyor. Antonio Flares Diaz as soil scientist: nd Fernando Sanchez Martinez and Juan Gonzales Solis as botanists 98° Q oF x wu = w a ° o ey = o 9DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH ‘There were four seasons of excavation from 1977 to 1980 at the now-dry spring on the Rancho La Amapola, At the same time as the excavations, extensive geomorphological survey work was carried out within the old lake basin in order to determine the paleohydrologic system of the region, Scientific excavations at the spring site on the Rancho La Amapola began with the removal of a thick layer of dark earth and debris which consisted of backfill and slumped material from historic excavations in the spring in search of the retreating water table, This layer of earth and debris contained many fragments of bone and ‘wood, which were salvaged by screening. After the central part of the spring area had been cleaned of this disturbed material, a grid system was established and careful excavation began into, undisturbed sediments. Altogether, in the four seasons of field work, an extensive area was excavated to a maximum depth of 4.5 m. Bones stones, and other features exposed in situ were mapped and photographed; detailed profiles of the stratigraphy were recorded. Sediment samples for palynological and soils analyses were collected: and. samples of organic materials for radiocarbon dating, were obtained. Fragments of bone and wood were collected for identification, and lithic materials analyzed. Study of the materials recovered is continuing, but a preliminary report of the results| to date is possible at this time. GEOMORPHOLOGY Geomorphological study of the ancient lake basin in the area of El Cedral produced evidence of a very ancient stream system which once extended through the atea in a general west 10 east direction. This system discharged into. the Matehuala depression, a karst zone. Changes in the ancient stream system were related to climatic changes in the region, with cycles of cutting and filling due to fluctuations in effective precipitation: A severe erosional cycle resulted in the formation of Jarge alluvial fans which blocked this drainage system in its lower reaches, and the channels filled. Close study of the small basin in which the site at Rancho La Amapola is located produced evidence for a chain of small lakes and two or three terraces, evidently old strand lines at differ- ent lake levels. It appears that an old stream system which once drained the area was converted into a lake or series of lakes when the drainage was impeded by alluvial fan expansion downstream. FI Cedrat 109 ‘The ancient stream system has been covered by calcareous sediments deposited by a fluctuating or ephemeral lake, with dry intervals marked’ by erosional disconformities or paleosol horizons, STRATIGRAPHY ‘The stratigraphy exposed in excavations at the Rancho La Amapola site & the result of complex re- lationships between lake deposition in relatively wet phases and spring discharge in drier periods Fifteen strata have been recognized on the basis of variation in color, texture, and chemical precipitates, and organic material in the stratum (Figure 2). A tentative model of the sequence of events has been constructed. It is hypothesized that strong, flow from the spring resulted in erosion of its banks and redeposition of clayey and calcareous sediments by overflow. At an early stage in the cycle, a forest grew up in the immediate vicinity of the spring, Preliminary identification of the wood preserved indicates that most of the trees were juniper, As the water flow increased and a shallow lake formed, this vegetation was flooded and drowned. Numerous tree trunks, branches, and even stumps traceable to the old land surface were buried in the clayey lake sediments; and samples of this organic material indicate a radiocarbon age over 40,000 years (1-10434) for this event. Subsequently a severe drought set in, and the lake Gried. The sediments indicate a subsequent cycle of Geposition by spring or ephemeral lake, with several intervals of complete desiccation and. erosion, While the spring continued to flow, animals were attracted to the waterhole, and a great number of bones were incorporated into the deposits at the edge of the spring. Bone fragments were recovered from three stratigraphic horizons, A series of 14 radiocarbon dates on organic materials from the complex sequence of lake sediments and spring deposits indicates that the recorded cycle of periodic overflow and periodic drought extended from more than 40,000 years ago ‘until about 2000 years ago, FAUNAL REMAINS Many of the bones recovered from the site at Rancho La Amapola were salvaged from the disturbed material removed from the spring area at the beginning of excavations, and thus were not found in situ, However, more than 50% of the bones were recovered from undisturbed sediments, with some bones found in anatomical position (Figure 3). The range of classes is broad: represented are large and small mammals, various110 New Evidence for the Pleistocene Peopling of the Americas ENVIRONMENT ‘epost Hydrothermal ation @) sis + 10 — sags = sino —4H] Figure 2, Composite stratigraphic column. FRIAR 66666 DESCRIPTION {alee dumper CaCO, & 50, Strongly csboratd tage c2C0, Banded ly. somtimes mined with ured organi mates Laminate peat with naltushs Siigly hui peat wih cares ted trea clay Tee Strongly carbonated white clay andFigure 3. Expored proboscidean bones birds, and reptiles, Remains of ostracods and mollusks were also recovered from the sediments When all remains have been identified, a good data base will be available for paleoenvironmental interpretations. Most notable are the Pleistocene megafauna — glyptodont and mylodont, dire wolf (Canis dinus), shore-faced bear (Arctodus), lion (Felis afyox), mastodont and mammoth, two species of horse (Equus), and camelids (Camelops). EVIDENCE FOR EARLY MAN ‘One would expect that man would also be attracted to the spring or waterhole in order to obtain drinking water, to bathe, and to take advantage of any opportunity to kill game. However, it is unlikely that a campsite would have been situated in the immediate vicinity of the waterhole, a dangerous location due to the movement of numerous large herbivores and carnivores. One would expect, then, that artifacts or other material evidence of human activity in the immediate area of the spring would be rare, ‘Thus only a few artifacts were found in situ in the sediments excavated. One is a fragment of a horse tibia broken and used as a point (Figure 4), EI Cearal ut found in silu in a stratigraphic zone dated at 21,960+540 B.P. (I-10436). Another is a discoidal Scraper of chalcedony, measuring 49 x 45 x 165 mm, made on a primary flake by complete edge trimming on the dorsal surface by direct percussion (Figure 5). This specimen was found in situ in a stratum dated 33,300+2700-1800_B.P. (GX-7684). Found in situ in strata dating older than 15,000 B.P. was a limestone nucleus with evidence of use as hhammerstone (measuring 66 x 60 x 44 mm) (Figure 6), and a chert blade (measuring 67 x 27 x 21 mm). The nearest source of chert is several kilometers distant, and there is no evidence of water transport on the ‘specimen. A stratum dated between 6000 and 6000 B-P. yielded a pebble nucleus; and a chert nucleus was recovered below a zone of gypsum dated 2480+ 180 BP. (GX-6637). ‘A hearth exposed in situ (Figure 7) in the sediments has yielded a radiocarbon date of 31,850 41600 BP. (1-10438), This undisturbed feature consisted of a circle of proboscidean tarsal bones surrounding a zone of charcoal about 30. em in diameter and 2 cm thick. Another feature consisted of a pit approximately 90 em in diameter and 85 tem deep excavated into the deposits; the stratum of its origin can be dated between 6000 and 8000 years ago.m2 New Evidence for the Pleistocene Peopling of the Americas 0. 5 (OTT pl Ta Figure 4, Utilized horse tibia, scm Figure 5. Discoidal scraper. Figure 6, Limestone nucleus used as a hammerstone.Figure 7. Hearth encircled by proboscidean tarsal bones In addition to these finds in situ, nine bone fragments recovered from the zone of disturbed material appear to show evidence of human modification. Three identifiable bone fragments are horse. All specimens are now undergoing careful study in order to determine the nature of the modification. CONCLUSION Regional geomorphological studies combined with excavations at a spring locality in the area of El Cedral have produced evidence which will permit reconstruction of paleoenvironmental changes in late Pleistocene and early Holocene times in this small structural depression situated on the border between the tropical and temperate zones. Below deep lake sediments, researchers have found traces of @ very ancient’ stream system, indicating 2 climatic regime with much more regular precipitiation than at present. A severe erosional cycle produced large alluvial fans which impeded this drainage, and the stream channels were filled and buried. Subsequently, after 40,000 years ago, 2 cycle of lake deposition in moist periods and artesian spring flow in drier periods was initiated, reflected in the complex sequence of sediments exposed in the excavations at a spring on the Rancho La Amapola. In the drier phases, bones of animals utilizing the waterhole accumulated in the spring deposits. Pleistocene megafauna, including. mammoth and mastodont, horse and camel, EI Cedrat 3 glyptodont and giant ground sloth, are well represented in the paleontological collection The excavations at Rancho La Amapola found definite evidence of early man in situ in undisturbed stratified deposits. A discoidal scraper of chalcedony was found in situ in a stratum dated ‘at 33,300+2700-1800 B.P. A fireplace consisting of a Jens of charcoal surrounded by a circle of probos- cidean tarsal bones yielded a radiocarbon date of 31,850+600 B.P. The modified fragment of horse tibia was found in situ in strata dating older than 15,000 BP. ‘The excavations at Rancho La Amapola, then, have produced definite evidence for the presence of man in north-central Mexico by 33,000 years ago. It is hoped that further research in the El Cedral area will provide evidence of early settlement and subsistence patterns in the context of paleoenvironmental changes in the region in late Pleistocene and early Holocene times. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This article is a condensation of preliminary reports on the field seasons at El Cedral in 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980, and 2 paper presented at the X Congress of the IUPPS in Mexico, 4881; edited and translated by Ruth Gruhn,