THE ROLE OF GEOMORPHOLOGY AND GIS IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF PALEOINDIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES AT YELLOWSTONE LAKE, WYOMING, U.S.A

We discuss the role of geomorphology in identifying early Paleoindian archaeological sites at North America’s highest-elevation natural lake, Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming. Prior research by Kenneth Pierce and his colleagues has proposed geomorphological models for the ages of Yellowstone Lake paleoshorelines after Late Pleistocene glacial retreat. In addition, recent research by Lisa Morgan and her colleagues indicates that the Yellowstone Lake glaciers likely melted earlier than previously thought, as early as 12-13,000 radiocarbon years ago. As such, it should be considered possible that people were in the high-elevation Yellowstone Plateau prior to Clovis. Finally, based on results of 10 years of archaeological research at the lake, we confirm the accuracy of Pierce’s paleoshoreline models and present a geographic-information-systems (GIS) predictive model for Paleoindian site locations. Results of an archaeological survey for Paleoindian sites along ancient shores of the northeastern portion of Yellowstone Lake indicate that the GIS and the paleoshoreline models are robust Paleoindian site location predictors.