Doors open at 12:30 pm with refreshments. Lecture begins at 1:00 pm.

Lecture Title: Hall’s Cave, Kerr County, Texas, A Unique Paleoenvironmental Site with Associated Archeology

Speaker: Steve Stoutamire

Location: Riverside Nature Center – 150 Francisco Lemos, Kerrville, Texas 78028

Abstract:

Hall’s Cave is typical of many caves within the karsted limestones of the Edwards Formation of the Edwards Plateau. It is very atypical, however, in that its sediments have recorded a nearly complete history of at least the last 17,000 years. Within these sediments are remains of plants and animals which lived within the cave or whose remains were washed into the cave or were brought there by carnivores. The cave has been studied by numerous scientists including vertebrate paleontologists, paleobotanists, geologists and archeologists.

Native Americans used the cave and surrounding area intermittently from at least the late Paleo Indian period to the Late Prehistoric period. Studies of the floral and faunal remains within the cave sediments have enabled scientists to interpret Central Texas ancient temperatures and moisture levels, ancient soil cover and depths and, ultimately, past landscapes and floral coverage. Hall’s Cave is considered by some scientists to be the best site in Texas to study ancient environments. It is also considered to be one of the top sites in the United States and the world for these type of studies.

 

Bio:

Steve Stoutamire is a retired petroleum geologist with an MS in geology from Texas Tech University and a BA in Anthropology/ Archeology from Florida State University. Since retirement in 2007 he has devoted much of his time to the archeology of the hill country of Texas through both site work and public education of professional archeology standards and topics. He is a member, and past president, of the Hill Country Archeology Association (HCAA), member of the Texas Archeology Society and serves as a Texas Archeology Steward for the Texas Historical commission.