Gypsum Overlook: an Early Holocene Occupation in the Northern Tularosa Basin, New Mexico

The remains of several 8800 year old structures and associated hearths/roasting features were recently discovered along the trailing edge of the White Sands gypsum dune field in southern New Mexico on the White Sands Missile Range. Formed of anhydrite (burned gypsum), these had been exposed by erosion and in some instances form pedestals above the surrounding ground surface. Found with the features were chipped and groundstone tools, some of the latter likely elements of site furniture, along with debris from artifact use and resharpening. The activities at the site, designated Gypsum Overlook (LA 199959), appear to have taken place at brief, possibly seasonal, intervals and focused on the extraction and processing of plant resources in the eastern Tularosa Basin. Gypsum Overlook provides evidence of a rare Early Holocene site and activities and the earliest dated structures associated with hearth/roasting features currently known from the American Southwest.