Dating North America's oldest petroglyphs, Winnemucca Lake subbasin, Nevada

摘要: Abstract On the west side of Winnemucca Lake subbasin, Nevada, distinctive deeply carved meter-scale petroglyphs are closely spaced, forming panels on boulder-sized surfaces a partially collapsed tufa mound. The large, complex motifs at this formed by lines and cupules. A carbonate crust deposited between 10 200 9800 calibrated years B.P. (ka) coats base mound elevations 1202 1206 m. Petroglyphs above into branching form that dates to 14.8 ka. Radiocarbon multiple-layered algal east basin, which an elevation 1205 m, as well sediment-core-based total inorganic carbon record for period 17.0–9.5 ka indicate water level in subbasin was constrained spill over Emerson Pass Sill (1207 m) most time 12.9 ± 0.3 ≥9.2 ka. These other data lake fell beneath its point 14.8 13.2 ka also 11.3 10.5 ka (or 11.5 11.1 ka), exposing petroglyph carving. tufa-based 14C supports decreased levels 14.8–13.2 ka 11.3–10.5 ka. Native American artifacts found Lahontan Basin date latter interval. This does not rule out possibility carving occurred when Pyramid relatively shallow had desiccated.