Granado Cave - Excavation

Granado Cave

Granado Cave Home | Site Discovery | Excavation | Artifacts | Kiâhâ | Sandals | References

Excavation

Archaeologists at work using fluorescent lights to light the inside of the cave.

Click on thumbnails to view larger images.

The field crew with their vehicle.

A vacuum cleaner was essential for removing the fine dust.

An archaeologist using a fine
brush to recover artifacts.

View of the fan system used to
vent the cave and remove dust.

Dr. Hamilton reconstructing the
large Mata Red-on-Brown jar.

Mapping
A preliminary map was drafted in July 1976 by Dr. Hamilton and James Malone of the Texas Historical Commission. Ronald Fiesler and three associates from the Texas Speleological Society created a more accurate map of the cave's interior in November 1976. A transit was used to map in excavation units, although it was difficult to read the angles and scales due to the almost complete darkness of the interior of the cave.

Excavation
Test excavations were conducted in November 1976 around the area from which burials had been removed by Mr. Granado. Dr. Hamilton returned in 1978 with a crew of four archaeologists to conduct formal excavations. A theodolite with battery-operated lights on all the scales was adopted. Also, eight fluorescent light fixtures were suspended from the cave ceiling and run from a gas-powered electric generator. Excavation units consisted of 1-m squares and profiles were recorded for each unit.

All fill was screened through 6-mm mesh. To reduce the amount of dust in the cave as a result of screening, a large smoke-evacuating fan was installed. It was vented to the outside with a length of tubular plastic.

Laboratory Work
After the excavation, work continued in the laboratory, as site maps were drawn and data were analyzed. Tasks included the reconstruction of a large Mata Red-on-Brown ceramic jar from over a dozen sherds. The jar was found by Mr. Frank Granado, although additional pieces were recovered during the archaeological excavation.

Human coprolites were studied to gain insight regarding the diet of the prehistoric inhabitants of Granado Cave and Caldwell Shelter. A large variety of local plants were eaten, with grass seeds and cactus playing significant roles, along with mesquite, waterleaf, peas, wild grapes, mint and sunflower. Mormon tea (Ephedra sp.) may have been consumed as an antidiarrhetic to counteract the magnesium sulfate contaminated water ubiquitous across the region. An economic pollen spectrum characteristic of the Castile Phase was developed and compared to the pollen spectrum of the Lower Pecos and Chihuahua regions. Bones from rodents, rabbits and birds were also found, indicating that these animals were consumed.

Please consult the recently published book about Granado Cave for further details on all aspects of the project.

Archaeologists at work inside the cave.

Removed matrices were carefully screened
for artifacts, seeds and other materials.

A hearth feature in Unit 4.

A researcher collects pollen and
seeds from a human coprolite.

Click to view percentages
of pollen types.

Granado Cave Home | Site Discovery | Excavation | Artifacts | Kiâhâ | Sandals | References

Citation Information
Donny L. Hamilton
2002, Granado Cave: Excavation, World Wide Web, URL, http://nautarch.tamu.edu/granado/excavation.htm, Conservation Research Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University.

This page is maintained by the staff of the Conservation Research Lab in the Department of Anthropology at Texas A&M University (crl@tamu.edu). Last update: February 12, 2002. The contents of this site and the linked pages - text, images, and data - are intended for personal information only. Downloading of information or graphic images contained herein for private use is not discouraged; however, written permission from the Conservation Research Laboratory is required for the publication of any material. For additional details, contact Donny L Hamilton (dlhamilton@tamu.edu).

Granado Cave	Granado Cave Home \| Site Discovery \| Excavation \| Artifacts \| Kiâhâ \| Sandals \| References
Excavation
Archaeologists at work using fluorescent lights to light the inside of the cave.
Click on thumbnails to view larger images.
The field crew with their vehicle. A vacuum cleaner was essential for removing the fine dust. An archaeologist using a fine brush to recover artifacts. View of the fan system used to vent the cave and remove dust. Dr. Hamilton reconstructing the large Mata Red-on-Brown jar.	Mapping A preliminary map was drafted in July 1976 by Dr. Hamilton and James Malone of the Texas Historical Commission. Ronald Fiesler and three associates from the Texas Speleological Society created a more accurate map of the cave's interior in November 1976. A transit was used to map in excavation units, although it was difficult to read the angles and scales due to the almost complete darkness of the interior of the cave. Excavation Test excavations were conducted in November 1976 around the area from which burials had been removed by Mr. Granado. Dr. Hamilton returned in 1978 with a crew of four archaeologists to conduct formal excavations. A theodolite with battery-operated lights on all the scales was adopted. Also, eight fluorescent light fixtures were suspended from the cave ceiling and run from a gas-powered electric generator. Excavation units consisted of 1-m squares and profiles were recorded for each unit. All fill was screened through 6-mm mesh. To reduce the amount of dust in the cave as a result of screening, a large smoke-evacuating fan was installed. It was vented to the outside with a length of tubular plastic. Laboratory Work After the excavation, work continued in the laboratory, as site maps were drawn and data were analyzed. Tasks included the reconstruction of a large Mata Red-on-Brown ceramic jar from over a dozen sherds. The jar was found by Mr. Frank Granado, although additional pieces were recovered during the archaeological excavation. Human coprolites were studied to gain insight regarding the diet of the prehistoric inhabitants of Granado Cave and Caldwell Shelter. A large variety of local plants were eaten, with grass seeds and cactus playing significant roles, along with mesquite, waterleaf, peas, wild grapes, mint and sunflower. Mormon tea (Ephedra sp.) may have been consumed as an antidiarrhetic to counteract the magnesium sulfate contaminated water ubiquitous across the region. An economic pollen spectrum characteristic of the Castile Phase was developed and compared to the pollen spectrum of the Lower Pecos and Chihuahua regions. Bones from rodents, rabbits and birds were also found, indicating that these animals were consumed. Please consult the recently published book about Granado Cave for further details on all aspects of the project.	Archaeologists at work inside the cave. Removed matrices were carefully screened for artifacts, seeds and other materials. A hearth feature in Unit 4. A researcher collects pollen and seeds from a human coprolite. Click to view percentages of pollen types.

Granado Cave Home \| Site Discovery \| Excavation \| Artifacts \| Kiâhâ \| Sandals \| References
Citation Information Donny L. Hamilton 2002, Granado Cave: Excavation, World Wide Web, URL, http://nautarch.tamu.edu/granado/excavation.htm, Conservation Research Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University. This page is maintained by the staff of the Conservation Research Lab in the Department of Anthropology at Texas A&M University (crl@tamu.edu). Last update: February 12, 2002. The contents of this site and the linked pages - text, images, and data - are intended for personal information only. Downloading of information or graphic images contained herein for private use is not discouraged; however, written permission from the Conservation Research Laboratory is required for the publication of any material. For additional details, contact Donny L Hamilton (dlhamilton@tamu.edu).