Ventana Cave

Ventana Cave

AZ: PIMA CO. 750 M.

General Description.—Kurtén and Anderson 1980: Large rock shelter (ca. 55 m long with possible living areas varying in width from 6 to 20 m) at S tip Window Mountain. About 141 km W Tucson and 125 km S Phoenix. Present vegetation is low desert (paloverde, saguaro, etc.). There is a spring in the cave. Cave divided into two areas, a lower with fill from human activities and an upper, with bones and artifacts from the conglomerate layer (Layer E) and volcanic debris (Layer D). Kurtén and Anderson 1980: Suggest savanna-like conditions with permanent water, with climate probably slightly cooler and wetter than now.

Age.—11,300 ± 1200 (A-203) on charcoal from volcanic debris level (Haynes 1964).

Comments.—Harris (1985) listed taxa, but without breakdown to stratigraphic levels.

Publications.—*Colbert 1950; Harris 1985; Haury 1950; Haury and Hayden 1975; Haynes 1964; Kurtén and Anderson 1980; Lance 1959; Mehringer 1967; Nowak 1979; (Willig and Aikens 1988)

Fauna.—

REPTILIA

• Chelonia (large) Colbert 1950

MAMMALIA

• Canis lupus Nowak 1979 (citing Colbert 1950, but I don't have Colbert as listing—)

VOLCANIC LAYER

MAMMALIA

• Nothrotheriops shastensis Colbert 1950;
• Lepus californicus Colbert 1950;
• Cynomys ludovicianus Colbert 1950; Kurtén and Anderson 1980;
• Neotoma sp. Lance 1959;
• Taxidea taxus Colbert 1950;
• Panthera leo atrox Colbert 1950; Harington 1969;
• Tapirus sp. Colbert 1950; Kurtén and Anderson 1980;
• Equus occidentalis Colbert 1950;
• Tayassu sp. Colbert 1950 (as Pecari sp.— recognized that may be Platygonus sp.);
• Cervidae (large) Colbert 1950;
• Stockoceros cf. conklingi Colbert 1950 (but possibly Antilocapra); Kurtén and Anderson 1980

CONGLOMERATE LAYER

MAMMALIA

• Spermophilus lateralis Colbert 1950; Kurtén and Anderson 1980;
• Canis dirus Colbert 1950; Nowak 1979
• Canis latrans Colbert 1950;
• Vulpes macrotis Colbert 1950;
• Tapirus sp. Colbert 1950; Kurtén and Anderson 1980;
• Equus occidentalis Colbert 1950;
• Stockoceros cf. conklingi Colbert 1950 (but possibly Antilocapra); Kurtén and Anderson 1980;
• Bison sp. Colbert 1950;

Last Update: 18 January 1999.