EARLY SUNFLOWER HEAD REMAINS FROM MAMMOTH CAVE, KENTUCKY, U.S.A. RENE ´ E M. BONZANI, a GEORGE M. CROTHERS, b PATRICK TRADER, c ROBERT H. WARD, d and RONALD R. SWITZER e a Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work, Eastern Kentucky University, 521 Lancaster Ave, Richmond, KY 40475 ^Renee.Bonzani@eku.edu& b William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506 ^gmcrot2@uky.edu& c Gray and Pape Inc., 1318 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 ^ptrader@graypape.com& d Mammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259 ^Bob_Ward@nps.gov& e 505 West Carrier Rd., Enid, OK 73701 ^ronaldswitzer@att.net& ABSTRACT.—We report on the recovery of sunflower head (disk) remains and associated achenes (Helianthus annuus L.) from Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, U.S.A. These remains were directly dated to 2560 6 40 BP (810-540 cal BC) and indicate the use of weed sunflower before obvious signs of domestication. Although sunflower achenes are more commonly found at archaeological sites, sunflower head remains have been reported previously at only four other rock shelter sites in North America (Dick 1965; Heiser 1978; Smith 1950; Yarnell 1978; Young 1910). The various uses of sunflower in rock shelter and cave contexts are discussed. Key words: Helianthus annuus, Kentucky, Mammoth Cave, rock shelters, sunflower. RESUMO.—En el yacimiento Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, se han encontrado restos de capı ´tulos de girasol (Helianthus annuus L.), tanto recepta ´culos como aquenios, que datan del 2560 6 40 BP (810-540 an ˜ os cal AC). Estos restos demuestran que el uso del girasol es anterior a la existencia de pruebas evidentes de su domesticacio ´ n. Aunque es comu ´n encontrar aquenios de girasol en yacimientos arqueolo ´gicos, anterior- mente so ´lo se habı ´an registrado restos de capı ´tulos en cuatro abrigos rocosos de Norte Ame ´rica (Dick 1965; Heiser 1978; Smith 1950; Yarnell 1978; Young 1910). Se discute sobre los usos del girasol por pobladores de cuevas y abrigos rocosos. RE ´ SUME ´ .—Notre article traite de la de ´couverte sur le site de Mammoth Cave du Kentucky de capitules (disques) de tournesol (Helianthus annuus L.) et des ake `nes qui y sont associe ´s. Ces restes sont date ´s de 2560 6 40 AA (810-540 av. J.-C.) et indiquent l’utilisation de graines de tournesol avant que n’apparaissent les signes e ´vidents de domestication. Quoique les ake `nes de tournesol se rencontrent re ´gulie `rement sur les sites arche ´ologiques, des restes de capitules de tournesol n’ont e ´te ´ signale ´s jusqu’a ` pre ´sent que dans quatre abris rocheux en Ame ´rique du Journal of Ethnobiology 27(1): 73–87 Spring/Summer 2007