Meadowcroft Rockshelter
Meadowcroft Rockshelter (36WH297)
Pre-Clovis to Late Woodland·Pre-Clovis (Meadowcroft) to Woodland·🇺🇸 Pennsylvania, Washington County, United States
About
About Meadowcroft Rockshelter
Deep stratified sandstone rockshelter on Cross Creek 48 km west of Pittsburgh, preserving 11 cultural strata from 16,000 BCE (Miller Lanceolate) through 1450 CE. James Adovasio excavated 1973–1978 with extraordinary preservation of basketry, cordage, wooden foreshafts due to dry shelter microclimate. Stratum IIa yielded Miller lanceolate and hearth charcoal dated 16,000–13,000 BCE, controversially pre-Clovis but with excellent stratigraphic control via roof spall layers and rock-fall lenses. Historic Landmark 2005.
Why it mattersEarliest east-coast stratified rockshelter — 16,000 BP dates anchor pre-Clovis with perishable preservation.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Validity of 16,000 BP dates vs coal-contaminated ancient carbon
- 02Association of Miller lanceolate with later Clovis
Theories
- 01Meadowcroft as ice-free corridor refugium with perishable basketry tradition
- 02Roof-spall stratigraphy as unmixed despite depth
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.16,000 BCE–1450 CE (11 strata, Meadowcroft)
- Period
- Pre-Clovis to Late Woodland
- Culture
- Pre-Clovis (Meadowcroft) to Woodland
- Builders
- Pre-Clovis (Miller) foragers
- Purpose
- Sandstone rockshelter camp with dry preservation of perishable technology
- Abandoned
- c.1450 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1955 by Albert Miller; excavated 1973–1978 J. Adovasio (Univ. Pittsburgh)
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.16,000 BCE
Initial Stratum IIa occupation — Miller lanceolate and hearth
c.13,000 BCE
Stratum III Clovis-like horizon
1973–1978
Adovasio excavations with 12-year stratigraphic analysis
2005
National Historic Landmark designation
On the ground
Structures & features
40.2800° N · 80.2800° W · 250 m · 2 mapped features
Rockshelter stratigraphy wall profile
feature4 m wall with 11 strata, rock-fall lenses and hearth charcoal layers
40.2810° N · 80.2790° WMiller lanceolate point horizon (Stratum IIa)
feature1.2 m lanceolate points and basketry fragments in pre-Clovis level
40.2789° N · 80.2808° W