Dry Cave: Animal Fair, Chalies Parlor, Hampton Court

Animal Fair Room, Hampton Court, Charlies Parlor UTEP 22

NM: EDDY CO.: DRY CAVE. 1280 m.

General Description.—Includes all areas under UTEP 22 (thus Charlies Parlor and Hampton Court as well as Animal Fair proper). ¹⁴C date from lower part of Charlies Parlor (just above level of A8 L1) of 15,030 ± 210 BP on bone collagen. Charlies Parlor lies in the fissure itself, with upper deposits sharing some individuals with UTEP 31; Animal Fair Room lies east of the fissure and Hampton Court to the west—the fissure is the source of the material in both cases. At one time during excavation, a short tunnel connected Animal Fair and Hampton Court.

Animal Fair Room originally gridded with A through F from south to north and 1 to 8 (later 9 or 10 at south end) from east to west. Grids were 3 ft square and levels 10 mm. Animal Fair deposits spilled from the vertical Entrance Fissure, with some water deposition at lower levels (apparent in lower levels of grids farthest from fissure). Additional collections made later without reference to the grid system. Charlies Parlor within the fissure itself—access dug into from A8 - A9 grid area. Hampton Court on opposite side of fissure (west side), with most material from equivalent of northern portion of Animal Fair; eventually (toward end of excavations), a passage made between Hampton Court and Animal Fair, but somewhat dangerous and little used.

Age.—¹⁴C date on bone collagen from a low level of Charlies Parlor of 15,030 ± 210 (I-6201). Harris (1989) estimated Animal Fair grids A and B, Levels 1 - 4, represented full-glacial conditions of about 18,000 - 20,000 BP on the basis of relationship to the Charlies Parlor date and faunal characteristics. Fauna apparently older to north and at greater depths, probably approaching the mid Wisconsinan at oldest deposits.

Publications.—Applegarth, 1979; Buckley, 1973; Harris, 1973, 1977b, 1984, 1985, 1989; Harris and Mundel, 1974; Harris and Porter, 1980; Magish and Harris, 1976.

Fauna.—The list of taxa in the table below is of all taxa recognized from UTEP Loc. 22—all levels are represented, which include pre-pleniglacial, pleniglacial, and post-pleniglacial times.