4, Rowse, anon ey west 78 0 ei, wr Zimerman, sil 19%, ss asm. 10, Re Rowlett M. Mankeviley E. Zoller, Pro Prens Soe. 8, 3795 Welk he Mintoan Sate Hihar Camas. Son the Feder Hiphesy Adminsaion, Be 979, fin Frye Sek nivenity of Misicus-Columtia, tod the neneat atlases Svat afte Besar Tet Anietelgy, to meh wont tnd the Thermolumincsccoce Anaiysi Labora Se ihcnay et Misano, SO November 1977 Muvioaria Geledn Lis Molina An El Jobo Mastodon ill at Taima-taima, Venezuela Abstract. Excavation at Taima-taima in 1976 recovered artifacts of the El Jobo complex in direct association with the butchered remains of a juvenile mastodon. Radiocarbon dates on associated wood evigs indicaie a minimum age of 13,000 years before the present for the mastodon kill, a dating significantly older than that Of the Clovis complex in North Ameri indepenttently in rarthern South America ‘The EI Jobo lithic complex was first defined by one of us J.M.C.) from a sur- face collection consisting of distinctive long lanceolate projectile points wi thick cylindrical crass section, large faces, choppers, and flake tools found on a high fat in the valley of the Rio Ped- regal in the state of Falesn approximate- ly 70 km southwest of the town of Coro, Venezuela (0). Subsequently, several fragments of El Jobo projectile points were found in excavations at the water hole of Muaco, approximately 10 km east of Coro, together with bones of ‘mastodon, glyptocon, and other extinct taxa Q). Burned bone from Musco was radiocarbon dated between 16,000 and 14,000 years before the present (B.P.) @). Since modern artifacts such as glass fragments were also found in the spring deposits, many archeologists doubted the association of man with the early. dated extinct faunal assemblage at Muaco despite published Mlustration of modifed mastodon bone from the site @. In 1962 another waterchole ste yield- ing bores of extinct Pleistocene Fauna was found by J.M.C. and Alex Krieger at Taimotaima, about 3 km north of Musco. J.MCC. subsequently excavated an extensive area at this site during four field seasons (5). In a basal gray sand unit, among bones of mastodon and ghypiodon, he found thice fragments of El Jobo points and one uniface knife or scraper, together with rough stones probably used as choppers or pounilers fand scarred long bores. of mason puobsbly used as anvils. A series of 16 Fafivcsrbon dates ranging between 14,600 and 12.000 yours B.P. from the water-saturated gray sand unit in which the buses and artificts occurred were announced by 1971 6). Archeulogists continued to express deukt about the antiquity of El Jobo 2m, TUNE IL Sees vo The El Jobo complex must have evolved points (7). Taima-taima was perhaps like Muaco: the deposits disturbed by spring action, the evidence of association of ‘man with the extinct fauna perhaps for- tuitous, the series of radiocarbon dates Questionable. In view of the doubts, JMC. agreed with A.LB. and R.G. 10 conduct further excavations jointly at the site of Taima-taima in the summer of 1976 in order to confirm the association (of man with extinct animals and to clari- Fg 1. The cerns ofthe slain juvenile mas toon as exposed in the omer part of a sat aed gray casey sand sesurn (oni 0. The fosietor portion ofthe vheleton by nthe fore round fy the stratigraphy and dating. C.0. con- nibuted to paleaenvironmentat siudies at the site, and the faunal remains recov fered were analyzed after the excavation by RM.C. The results of these rasearch- esare conclusive. Fl fobo artifacts were found in direct association with the skeleton of a young mastodon killed and Ddutchered in situ approximately 13,000 years 960. ‘The mastodon, a juvenile Haplo- ‘mestodon to judge from the mandibular molars and the unfused epiphyses, had collapsed on its left side (Fig. 1). The mandible was lying about 3 m to the left of the skeleton. The cranium, all of the ‘cervical vertebrae, and 2 number of the upper thoracic vertebrae had been re- ‘moved: the entire right forelimb had also evidently been carried away. The left forelimb was dism@inbered, with six sharp cut marks at a tendon attachment poiat on the left humerus. Ribs remained in articulation with the lower thoracie vertebrae, and two ribs bore the marks of sharp Knife cuts, Most of the remain- ing thoracic vertebrae were in line, but the lower part of the spinal column had been forcibly tumed to the left. The pel vvic bones were in anatomical relation- ship although splayed by collapse. The bones of the tight hind Timb were in ana tomical relationship but the left ind limb had been dismembered. Most of the foot bones were missing. as weil as all of the caudal vertebrae. No bones showed ia tentional breaking for mactow. Most im portartly, there was no evidence of sub- sequent geological disturbance of the purtially dismembered skeleton after it ‘was buried by gray clayey sand. ‘Two Maked stone artifacts were ex: posed in situ in ditect association with the skeloton of the young mastedon. The midsection of a quartzite El lobo projes- tile point was situated within the cavity of the right pubis (Fig. 2). A uilized jas per flake was situated within 3 em of the Imilshaft of the left ulna. tn addi rough pointed stone cobble had been jammed in the right acetabulum between, the head of the right femur and the ace: labulum. Other rough stones fourd in the thebutchering process are being 2 “The mastodon skeleton was embe Sed * in a water-saturated fire clyey gray ssund zone (unit I) just above a pavement of cobbles and pebbles ferwied from a Mioceae limestone, The ars of the Taimataima water hole isa much fasted and uplified region of marine sand and cunsolidares fossilferous limestone beds eterinined to be of Miocene uge Below the cobble pavement is a compact mais dipping at an lying sand by headward erosion of the oblique angle t0 the overiying deposits. stream draining the small valley in which ‘The pebbles and cobbles forming the the site is located, Erosion of the Mio- pavement had apparenily been let down cene marine sand has been hastened vertically from a solid bed of fossilfer- by active artesian springwater flowing cus limestone by removal of the under- through the sand and emerging horizon Fig. 2 The mid section of a quani- fe El Jabs proje ‘le poiat in sta swihin the cavity of the ight pubis. of the joven masto sen. Fig. 3. Schematic pro- fle of sesigraphy a8 Tamaaima THe mus todeo seleton with seiociated BI Jobo frifacts was buried in the lower part of unit Tijut above the cob- bie pavement TNT Bek ae Gor ee sesloe!ducatenty wy PDE. LL ELD Fig. 4. Stewed woud owig fragments. found 3b is clove ‘tain mastouon and Sized to be stamech contents Peeerved in saturited gtay Clayey sand. A sample of tis fratoral has been raliocatbo Guid at bevwcen 12.980 = 85 Set 14200 = 300 years 8 P The Sle is in centimeiers [Proseyroph from Bash Moe Stumm (Ratural History), eoue teoy of A Suicliffe), tally near the center ofthe valley. There i8 no single large springhead, but rather an extensive area of seepage where the aquiferous sand is exposed. The source of the aquifer is about 10 km south near the base of the Sierra de San Luis. The area where the water emerges was evi- dently a major water hole frequented by rmacrofauna in late Pieistocene times. The late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments at Taima-taima can readily be ided into four major stratigraphic units clearly separated by erosionor new deposition (Fig. 3). Remnants of three palgosols, badly disturbed by eresion or reduction, are situated in the major stra- tigraphic units. Color ranges, caused by repeated oxidation and reduction events, sre variable within each major stratigra phic unit. The details within each unit ‘are complicated, but the overall stratig~ raphy is clear and there iso mixture be- tween the major units. ‘Thee of the major units (I Il, and IV) are composed principally of sand which was deposited as colluvium. The ulti- mate source of the sand is the old Mio cene foreshore beds, which outerop on the valley slopes. In addition to colluvial epasitian by slope wash, some of the sray sand in unit I, which is 30 to 80 cm. in total thickness, has evidertly moved upward from the undedying Miocene ‘sind bed with water rising through the interstices between the cobbles in the pavement. After the pavement was x posed by excavation, tiny “voleanoes”” of upwelling water and sand were noted fand photographed uring their inter mmittent activity. The profes of unit 1 ex- hibit narrow necks of relatively clean sand exiending upward from openings between the cobbles of the underlying pavement, These funnel-shaped necks fre only # to 3 cm wide, and they never enetrate the highes sand units in the area excavated. A.tbough the original fine horizontal bed , ia unit I have been focally distorted asd consoluted by the pwelting water (Jeich also sorted out tay fraction) evidenily the hydro- stare pie vires were 01 sulicicet 10 nove buncs enclosed in ueit Ty any sg rilfcant amount. The uppes 20 cm of unit Thave been locally oxidized toa reddish color : In ation t@ the skeleton of the does oF other a dons of varying age (ord ako glypioton ermine a well a5 rare horse, sloth. fe Hid, and hear) were found scattered inthe water-saturated Iaaet part of unit Nu oyun bone Fr fay meats are ems Wed in the Jeet: Mutury ard mats sent, a the esicate cobble arccspecially fodindividuals of all ages. Two of these bones embedded in the pavement are ‘adult mastodon femora exhibiting cuts ‘and striations that were produced by use of the bones as chopping blocks. Pos- ble stone artifacts embedded in the pavement are under study. Water-worn bone fragments were also fourd on an erosional disconformity cap- ping unit 1, and these belong 10 a dif ferent faunal assemblage than that of unit 1 Mastodon remains were absent. Bones and tecth of horse, glyptodon bones and scutes including an inverted carapace, and tortoise scutes were excavated from this erosional disconfarmity, as well as a few bones tentatively identified as Ma rauchenia. No indisputable cultural evi- dence was found on this horizon. No rmacrofaunal remains were recovered above the base. of unit I. The lower part of unit Il, a reddish sand deposit approximately 50 em thick, was cemented to a hardaess requi easy pick or hammer ard chisel for ex cavation, Paleosol remnants were found With the borse and glyptodon bones at the base of unit Mand again near the top (of unit 11 where they are expose Undistuched position beneath aw duced sand. The upper part of the unit IL deposit was apparently drowned and al- ‘most all of the A horizon of the soil which had formed on the unit 11 colluvial sand was completely reduced to a white color to a depth of 10 to 15 em. ‘A black organie clay (anit 111), about 30cm in maximum thickness, overlies the white sand. The organic carbon con- tent of the clay yielded six strati graphically consistent radiocarbon dates Between 10,260 = 90 years B.P. and 9650 + 80 years BLP. (6). The origins of the black clay, which contains uniden- sd woody plnt remains, are uncer although ponding must be involved. Collavial yellowish brown sand (unit IV) overlies the black clay to a thickness of 100 to 300 cm. The collavium contains rolled fragments of cemented red sand, indicating that another palcosol had de- veloped on the slope above the site and hud been incorporated intaa landslide of rmudfow that covered much of the site, thus seating and preserving the earlier suatigraphie section. Four radiocarbon dates have been ob: tained on a wood sample collected in as sociation with the butchered mast in unit 1. The sample consisted af a ean- centrated mass of small wood twig frag meats which were notably sheared at both ends as if masticated (Fig. 4). The twig fragmenis mere found abundantly and in fresh condition in the saturated fond of unit Tin clove assoc vtion with the skeleton of the young mastodon. We hypothesize that the material is derived from the contents of the slain beast’s stomach of intestines. The radiocarbon dates obtained on this material are Ga years before present): 12,980 = 85 (SI- 3316), 13,000 = 200 (Birra 802), 13,880 + 120 (USGS-24), and 14,200 = 300 FCLA2133). ‘The minimum radiocarbon age of the EL Jobo mastodon kill is thus 13,000 years. The field data from Taime-taima demonstrate that a big-game hunting complex of a completely different tech- nological tradition existed in northern Venezuela at least a millennium and a half cavlier than the well-known Clovis ‘complex of North America. In the south western United States, the radiocarbon age of the Clovis complex has been es- tablished at between 11,500 and 11,000 ‘years B.P. @). At present itis widely be- lieved that big game hunters using fluted projectile points of Clovis type were the tarliest inhabitants of the Americas. On this premise, a statistical model of wave- front expansion of Clovis big-zame hunt- 1S from north 10 south throughout the New World has been presented by Mar- tin @), The minimum dating of 13,000 years B.P. for the El Jobo complex at Taima-taima demonstrates a significant temporal priority over the Clovis com- plex. The Martin model of the eailiest peopling of the New World is thereby re futed by field evidence. “Technologies for the procurement of Pleistocene megafauna must have evolved independently in northern South America and on the North American plains. The Clovis complex and the El Jobo complex must have developed mu- tually distinctive faking traditions from simpler technological bases. which had probably entered the New World much, ‘earlier. We believe that evidence of the technological traditions ancestral to the various early projectile point technol ‘gies of the Americas is to be found by concerted investigation of promising Pleistocene deposits in the New World 9). Avas L. Bayan, Department of Anthropology. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canade TOG 2H8 ROvOLFO M. CasaigueLa Centro de Investigaciones Cientificas, Provincia de Rio Negro, Viedna, Rio Negro, Argentina Jose M.CRUXENT Departamento de Antropotogia. Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas* Apartado 1827, Caracas i Rurn Grunn Department of Anthropology. University of Alberta CLAUDIOOCHSENIUS. Centro de Investigacioneswel Palecindio ‘y Cuaternario Sudamericano, ‘Apartado 7482, Coro, Faleén, Venezuela 1. 3.M. Creat an 1. Rene, Am Anti 22,172 in 2 ho y Gomes Mem, Con, Geo Yee 2 a Eat Beant Roxy Ses BR Me CL Leet Cee ie weeny Dep pel Bak, es 2. PyRalae an JM. Crsent Ar. Ang 28,597 8) 4 veoesetan Archoraogy (ale, Ui Nee Tact en BER, An Grant Aes Choa Ven Sap. 3,2 * isting 25 (tom. 6. Wn tines Revert 2% (60) i, Be Set ae 2309 (vane 8 dit A's uae Moe tN St (2) stony sania 1 EV Rey ae) 4 8TH Pecans 5 EY Dit cB um SBS Many tae 199,904 O08) 1, Mos ee eee See inerrant aay ns a Goa cman rece eect ier 1 Soybean Lines Lacking the 120,000-Dalton Seed Lectin Abstract. Seeds of 102 lines of Glycine ms (L.) Mere. the sosbean, were sereened quantitatively for the presence of the 120,000-delton soxbean lectin. Wide variation in the content of thi lectin was nated, and five lines of soshean whose seed totally lacked the lectin were identified Roots of all five lines were effectively nocatored by several strains of Rhizobium japonicum, thus indicating that the 120,000-dalton soy beun seed lectin is probably snbios’. Approximately 175 million metric tons of ctnpspheric nitrogen are biclosically fixed cach yeur by microorganisms. The Raation of almost half of this amount is the result of symbiosis between legumes and bacteria of the genus Rhizobium $9000 Copyrgy © 19H AAAS not required Jor the initiation of soybean Rhizobium (, Legume-Rhizobium symbioses are markedly species-specific in that a given legume is usually nodulated by only a small group of rhieobial strains. The mo- lecular mechaniam whecehy leguminous plants differentiate their symbiotic thi