Late Holocene Climate Change at Beaver Creek Rockshelter, Southwestern Montana

The 2011 Carroll College Archaeological Field School conducted an exploratory excavation within the Beaver Creek Rockshelter (24LC1993/2186) in southwestern Montana. Excavations revealed four cultural occupation layers dating to 1280 +/- 50 B.P., 1730 +/- 40 B.P., 1980 +/- 50 B.P., and between 1980 +/- 50 B.P. and 2470 +/- 30 B.P. Each occupation layer exposed limited lithics, faunal materials, and features. Valuable paleoenvironmental data were also collected. Our research revealed a connection between the visible changes in late Holocene faunal assemblages, vegetation, siltation, and charcoal content. All of these point to the possibility of climate change or a large fire event nearly 2,000 years ago.