Date of Award:

5-2021

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Sociology and Anthropology

Department name when degree awarded

Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology

Committee Chair(s)

Judson Byrd Finley

Committee

Judson Byrd Finley

Committee

Erick Robinson

Committee

Tammy Rittenour

Committee

Jacob Freeman

Abstract

Alm Shelter, located in north-central Wyoming, is an archaeological site with a long history of human occupation. This study addresses new contextual information in the form of dated sediment deposits, analysis of sediment types, and a computer model to assist with identifying climate conditions that may have led to periods of significant change. Using the model, it is possible to estimate the timing of environmental shift as well as other events that may not be directly dateable. This information is then compared to other sites containing climate records to determine if conditions at Alm Shelter are connected with other locations in a larger pattern. The results indicate that this model is not ideal for precise connections with other sites but does demonstrate two clusters of possible dry conditions that are loosely connected with other locations, including other archaeological sites in the Bighorn Basin and geological and climate studies at sites in Wyoming, the eastern Great Basin, and the northern Great Plains. This information is important for understanding patterns of human movement and decision-making when conditions become very dry.

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