Geoarchaeology of the Kilmer Site: A Paleoindian Habitation in the Appalachian Uplands

Abstract

Kilmer is a multicomponent Paleoindian site located in the Appalachian Uplands of New York State. It is situated on high and low late Pleistocene outwash terraces (T2 and T1). In mountainous areas, these landforms are susceptible to weathering and erosional processes. The paucity of sites in the Appalachian Uplands is likely the result of geologically active landscapes. The occurrence of Paleoindian sites in the mountainous terrain of eastern North America suggests economic diversification, a cultural response to unpredictable food resources near the end of the Pleistocene.