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Comments on the Pleistocene Age Assignment and Associations of a Human Burial from the Yuha Desert, California

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Louis A. Payen ,
Carol H. Rector ,
Eric Ritter ,
R. E. Taylor  and
J. E. Ericson
Louis A. Payen
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
Carol H. Rector
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
Eric Ritter
Affiliation:
United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Riverside, CA 92507
R. E. Taylor
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
J. E. Ericson
Affiliation:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA 90036
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Abstract

Questions are raised concerning the Pleistocene age assignment of a human burial from the Yuha Desert, California. Evidence is presented demonstrating that the C-14 dates of around 22,000 years B.P. should be viewed with extreme caution, especially because of the inherent problem in soil carbonate dating. Both the degree of soil development and the landform associated with the burial appear inconsistent with the reported age. In addition the presence of late-appearing cultural material at the locality conflicts with the purported antiquity of the site.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 43 , Issue 3 , July 1978 , pp. 448 - 453
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1978

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References

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