Jaguar Cave is a karst cave located in north central Tennessee, named for the jaguar prints found in the soft mud of the cave, and the skeletal remains of two jaguars dated between 10,000 and 35,000 years ago. However, more interesting is that the mud floor of one of the passages, called Aborigine Avenue, has the imprints of bare human feet, representing perhaps as many as nine individuals.
Radiocarbon dates on the small amount of charcoal found at the site range between 4500-4700 years ago, suggesting the prints were made during the Archaic period.
Investigations of Jaguar Cave were completed by a team led by Patti Jo Watson of Washington University at St. Louis.
Sources
This article is a part of the About.com Guide to Archaic Period, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology.
Watson, Patty J., et al. 2005 Prehistoric Footprints in Jaguar Cave, Tennessee. Journal of Field Archaeology 30:25-43.
