Paleo-Indian were primarily hunters of large mammals called megafauna, such as the Bison antiquus,[3] during a transitional period from Ice Age to Ice Age summer. As the climate warmed, glacial run-off created lakes and savannas. At the end of the summer period the land became drier, food was not as abundant for large animals, and they became extinct. People adapted by hunting smaller mammals and gathering wild plants to supplement their diet.[3]
Mammoth bones at the Lamb Spring site may pre-date the earliest known human culture, the Clovis culture, which flourished 11,000-13,000 years ago. Mammoth bones at the site are dated at 11,735 +/- 95 years ago and 13,140 +/- 1,000 years ago. Many large bones appear to have been broken at the site, which may indicate butchery by early man. There were also some broken rocks with the bones, but it has not been determined that they were used as tools. It has not yet been conclusively determined to be a pre-Clovis site, but continued excavation may find pre-Clovis tools and evidence that more conclusively finds that the mammoth died as a result of hunting.[5]
The camelops bones and artifacts date back to about 11,000 BC.[4] The site has Colorado's largest collection of Columbian mammoth bones. Pronghorn and rodent remains were also found.[6] After 11,000 BC the climate changed and all of the megafauna except the bison antiquus were extinct. About 7000 or 6500 BC, Paleo-Indians hunted bison and smaller mammals at the spring.[6]
Discovery
In the summer of 1960, while constructing a pond at a spring on his property, Charles Lamb found mammoth tusks and bones from about 13,000 years ago. Also found were bison, camel, and horse bones. His find quickly initiated a series of archaeological investigations and excavations.[6][7]
Visited the Lamb Spring site and found bison, camel, horse, mammoth, pronghorn, and rodent bones. They also found, at the same depth and in the same sediment, late Pleistocene era flint chips, meaning that the mammoth were likely hunted by Paleo-Indians.
Eight geological layers were identified. Most of the remains found were from the earliest period, about 5–6 feet below the surface. The second deepest layer, dated about 6870 (+/- 350 years) BC, contained Cody complex projectile points and knife, bison remains, and other cutting and hide scraping tools.
Found bones for 30 mammoth and evidence that they had been hunted and dated bones at 10,140-12,140 BC. Bison bones and Cody implements were found at the next most recent layer of sediment and remains.
2002
Dr. James Dixon Dr. Paul Murphy
University of Colorado-Boulder Museum Studies Program, Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Excavated a Columbian mammoth skull, likely a juvenile, dated about 11,000 BC.
The excavation and study were conducted with the participation of Douglas County and the Archaeological Conservancy.
Fisher, Jr., John W. N.D. Observations on the Late Pleistocene Bone Bed Assemblage from the Lamb Spring Site, Colorado. In Ice Age Hunters of the Rockies by Dennis Stanford and Jane S. Day, pp. 51–81. Denver Museum of Natural History; Niwot: University Press of Colorado, 1992.
Mandryk, Carole A.S. "A geoarchaeological interpretation of the Lamb Spring Site, Colorado." Geoarchaeology. Vol13, (8):819–846, 1998
Rancier, Jim. (1981) Field Note from Smithsonian Institution Excavations at Lamb Spring Site. On file at University of Colorado Museum and Field Studies Program.
Scott, Glenn R. N.D. Geology of the Lamb Spring Site. Denver, Colorado: United States Geological Survey.
Stanford, Dennis J.; Wedel, Waldo R.; Scott, Glenn R. (1981). Archaeological Investigations of the Lamb Spring Site. Southwestern Lore 47(1) March 1981 pp. 14-27.
Stanford, Dennis J.; Fisher, Jr., John W. (1992) Analysis of the Lamb Spring Archaeological Site. Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Studies Program. On file at University of Colorado Museum of Field Studies Program.
