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A large quantity of economic data was recovered from the fire hearths in this study documenting a transition to the exploitation and regional reliance on Great Plains Yucca (Yucca gluaca) as a dietary staple.  A total of ten different types of plant remains were recovered and identified as Specimens 1 through 10.  Specimens 1 and 2 occurred in almost every feature associated with Types 3 through 5 suggesting the regional inhabitants had a long tradition of utilizing Great Plains Yucca as a staple in the Mescalero Sands as early as the Middle Archaic (nearly 5,000 years ago). Great Plains Yucca (Yucca gluaca) Specimen 1 The bumps or spines are of the interior and are the ends of fibro/vascular bundles that extend into the stem interior On the exterior, the grooves are the remains of broken off leaf bases with monocot fibro/vascular bundles Specimen 2 This type is flat with grooved segments along broken edges. Pieces separate forming geometrically opposed male and female ends. Surfaces on both sides are smooth and include lightly visible or delicate wavy striations. There is a lot of variety in shape or outline and widths but the specimen is always the same approximate thickness with a similar surface pattern

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