GRAND CANYON SPLIT TWIG FIGURINE COMPLEX AND THE ROLE OF FOSSIL REMAINS AT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

Since 1933, hundreds of split twig figurines, in the shape of artiodactyls, have been recovered from caves in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. These figurines are most likely associated with a hunting ritual performed by the Middle to Late Archaic peoples who inhabited the canyon from 4200 to 3100 14C years BP. Unlike similar figurines from other areas of the American Southwest, the placement of Grand Canyon split twig figurines show an apparent correlation with significant Quaternary megafauna cave deposits, specifically the bones, teeth, and dung of the extinct Harrington mountain goat (Oreamnos harringtoni) and extant Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). To determine if the Archaic peoples were selecting caves for paleontological remains or accessibility, we analyzed the relationships between these variables for Grand Canyon caves containing split twig figurines or features known to be associated with the presence of the figurines (cairns, partially split twigs) as potential sites to all non-figurine Grand Canyon caves. While there is no significant relationship between the ease of access, measured in slope angle of entrance, and presence of split twig figurines, 80% of figurine caves and 40% of potential figurine sites are known to contain the remains of artiodactyls. This relationship is significant when compared to non-figurine Grand Canyon caves, where only 12% of caves contain the confirmed remains of artiodactyls. Given that O. harringtoni has been extinct in the canyon since 11,060 years BP, this relationship may represent the earliest occurrence of prehistoric people deliberately placing cultural remains near in situ fossil deposits (Emslie et al., 1995). This apparent correlation between artiodactyla deposits and the Grand Canyon split twig figurine complex highlights a unique relationship between prehistoric peoples and their environment amidst an increase in climate variability during the Late Holocene in the American Southwest.