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Feature 1

Charcoal samples 104 and 121 were collected from the fill of Feature 1. A radiocarbon
date of 4340 ± 40 BP (Beta-262301), with a two-sigma calibrated age range of 5030-5010 and
4980-4840 CAL yr. BP, was previously obtained on charred material recovered from this
feature. Sample 104 was taken from a depth of 12 cmbd within heated rocks that might
represent a cooking platform in Feature 1 (Table 1). This sample contained four small
fragments of a hardwood charcoal too vitrified for further identification (Tables 2 and 3). Vitrified
charcoal has a shiny, glassy appearance due to fusion by heat. Two items submitted as
possible live oak acorn caps are curved dirt/sand casts.

Sample 121 consists of charcoal from the firing zone above a central stone firing
platform at a depth of approximately 30-40 cmbd. This sample was dominated by
Arctostaphylos fragments, most of which were vitrified. Local manzanita wood appears to have
been burned as fuel. In addition, a piece of Platanus racemosa-type charcoal was present,
suggesting that California sycamore wood also was burned.

Feature 2

Feature 2 is the second stone-lined earth oven. A radiocarbon date of 3990 ± 40 BP
(Beta-262302), with a two-sigma calibrated age range of 4530-4410 CAL yr. BP, was previously
obtained on charred material recovered from this feature. Sample 145 represents additional
charcoal from the firing zone above a multiple rock slab firing platform in Units A and C of the
stone-lined earth oven taken from a depth of approximately 20-30 cmbd. This sample contained
a variety of charcoal types. Several fragments of Arbutus menziesii, Arctostaphylos, and
Platanus racemosa charcoal indicate use of Pacific madrone, manzanita, and California
sycamore wood as fuel. Smaller amounts of Adenostoma, Juniperus, and Rhamnaceae
charcoal also note burning wood from chamise, juniper, and a woody member of the buckthorn
family. Several fragments of hardwood charcoal were too vitrified for further identification. Two
charred monocot stem fragments might reflect use of monocots, such as grasses or sedges, as
tinder or in a buffering vegetation layer when cooking foods. A piece of charred vitrified tissue
might reflect charcoal or other charred plant tissue too vitrified for identification.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Charcoal samples were identified from two stone-lined earth ovens at site CA-LAN-857
in southern California. Several large chunks of vitrified manzanita charcoal were recovered
from Feature 1. A few pieces of non-vitrified manzanita charcoal, California sycamore-type
charcoal, and unidentified hardwood charcoal too vitrified for further identification also were
noted. A variety of woods appear to have been burned in Feature 2, including Pacific madrone,
manzanita, California sycamore, juniper, chamise, and a woody member of the buckthorn
family. Unidentified hardwood charcoal in this sample was too vitrified for identification and
might reflect one of the identified hardwoods from this sample or another type of hardwood.
Charred monocot stem fragments might reflect use of monocots as tinder or in a buffering
vegetation layer.

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