The Eagle Station impact site

Abstract

The Eagle Station impact site is located along Eagle Creek in Carrol County, Kentucky. Pallasites (23 cm to ≤ 3 mm), a rare form of stony meteorites, occur in a late Archaic cultural period stratum with heat-altered flaked-stone artifacts, carbonized plant remains, and fire-cracked rocks. A calibrated AMS radiocarbon age of 3824 BP to 3593 BP (1875 BCE to 1644 BCE) on the pallasite-bearing stratum demonstrates that the impact event occurred during the late Holocene. The habitation site was abandoned after the impact event and the site was buried within 200 years by alluvium. The Eagle Station impact site increases our understanding of the frequency of late Holocene cosmic events and their possible influence on ancient cultures.