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~~ <br />1 <br />' 6.1.2 Chronology <br />Previous survey efforts have documented a total of six <br />' prehistoric or protohistoric sites and four prehistoric isolated <br />artifacts within or immediately adjacent to the Study Area <br />containing temporally diagnostic artifacts (Tables 2 and 3). All <br />' but one of these sites and isolated artifacts are affiliated with <br />the Late Prehistoric (Early to Late Ceramic) period. One site <br />' (5BL9151) is associated with protohistoric grave remains; one <br />isolated artifact is a possible fragment of a late Paleo-Indian <br />' period projectile point. In addition, absolute (radiocarbon) age <br />estimates are available from two sites within the Study Area <br />(SBL876, SBL2431). <br />Sites SBL876 and SBL2431 contained two datable components. <br />Radiocarbon age estimates of 2, 190 +/- 200 years, 1280 +/- 195 <br />' years, and 1,120 +/- 200 years B.P. were obtained from charcoal <br />found in buried fire pits within three different stone circles on <br />' site SBL876 (Cassells and Farrington 1986:131). These or similar <br />dates would normally indicate the presence of a Late Archaic or <br />Late Preceramic period occupation (c. 3,000 - 2,000 years B.P.) and <br />an Early Ceramic period occupation (c. 2,000 - 1,000 years B.P.). <br />' However, the charcoal that yielded the earliest date was associated <br />directly with a small piece of pottery, an artifact type that is <br />generally indicative of later cultural episodes in eastern <br />Colorado. This unexpected association makes the site's temporal <br />placement problematic and significant since this is the earliest <br />t recorded date for a ceramic artifact in the foothills region <br />(Cassells and Farrington 1986:136-138). <br />Mean radiocarbon age estimates of 2,660 +/- 90 years and 990 <br />+/- 60 years B.P. were obtained from buried charcoal excavated from <br />two different stratigraphic levels on site SBL2431 (Grant 1990). <br />The upper or younger component was associated with pottery and <br />artifact styles indicative of the Early Ceramic period; no pottery <br />' was found within the earlier component. These results were <br />65 <br /> <br />