Bonfire Shelter & Eagle Caves

Introduction to eagle caves, bonfire shelter and pecos canyon

Bonfire Shelter
Bonfire shelter tour

11700 years ago 60 3000lb buffalo were smashed here
Partially enclosed entrance before human occupation a huge portion of canyons cliff-face collapsed
1st major excavation was 63 and 64′
its a semi-circular cave vault with buffalo smashing ground on other side
Excavations here were deeper than previously accepted ones (6m)
bones around limestone anvil or butchers block
10,000 BC charcoil and fireplace hearths
burned montell dart points
basketry and sandal fragments from zone 3
Bison horn
typical late archaic castroville and montell points
crude biface and flake scrapers
Large rockshelter hidden behind massive roof fall and desecrated bison skeletons
Eagle cave trim
Bonfire shelter & eagle caves bathing pool

Bibliography: Fagan, Brian. Ancient North America. Thames & Hudson, London. 2005, p 125.

TSHA | Bonfire Shelter. (n.d.). https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/bonfire-shelter

Adovasio, J. M., & Pedler, D. (2016). Strangers in a New Land: What Archaeology Reveals about the First Americans. Firefly Books.

Day Trips: The Bonfire Shelter. (2020, January 17). https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2020-01-17/day-trips-the-bonfire-shelter/

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