Climate Change, Rock Coatings, and the Archaeological Record

Rock varnish, commonly found in arid environments, provides a novel method for dating prehistoric stone artifacts and rock art that are otherwise undateable. This study demonstrates that thin sections of varnish coatings reveal microlaminations that reflect significant shifts between wet and dry paleoclimates. These microlaminations can be used to assign minimum ages to the underlying rock surfaces, offering crucial insights into the peopling of the Americas and how native populations adapted to changing climatic conditions over time.

Whitley, D. S., Santoro, C. M., & Valenzuela, D. (2017). Climate Change, Rock Coatings, and the Archaeological Record. Elements, 13(3), 183–186. https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.13.3.183