Lithics in the West: Using Lithic Analysis to Solve Archeological Problems in Western North America

Lithics in the West seeks to link the rich archaeological lithic data base from the western United States with some of the contemporary theoretical and analytical approaches used in global settings in stone tool and debitage analysis today. The book highlights the role that lithic analysis (in all its forms) plays in solving research problems in the prehistory of western North America. The book covers important archaeological sites and projects in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, and Washington. Contributors include William Andrefsky, Jr., Robert Kelly, Nicole Waguespack, Pei-Lin Yu, Doug MacDonald, Robert Brunswig, Scott Carpenter, Jackie Cook, David Diggs, Philip Fisher, Katie Harris, Brian Ostahowski, Mary Prasciunas, Ken Reid, and Todd Surovell.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/umpress-oabooks/1000/thumbnail.jp

Stone Tool Perforating and Retouch Intensity: A Neolithic Case Study

A measure of retouch intensity, the EKCI, was devised based upon function and archaeological context. To arrive at the function of Pre-Pottery Neolithic A el-Khiam points from the Near East, controlled experiments were performed to determine the relative density of the contact material, which could affect use and retouch patterns. It was shown that el-Khiam points were likely used to pierce and scrape soft materials such as leather. The EKCI was then devised, measured, and tested. Experimental replication showed that the EKCI was an accurate measure of retouch intensity, and application of the EKCI to the lithic assemblage at Dhra’ reaffirmed the EKCI’s utility for analyzing PPNA archaeological assemblages. Although this curation index is effective for el-Khiam points, it may not be applicable toother hafted point types, which highlights the need for independently developed measures of retouch that account for the form, function, and context of the artifacts rather than attempting to generate universal measures of curation

Lithic Technological Organization and Hafting in Early Villages

Hafting is an important part of lithic technology that can increase our understanding of socioeconomic behavior in the past. In this article, we develop a holistic approach to studying hafting by using the concept of curation within a broader assessment of lithic technological organization in early villages. Early villages were loci of socioeconomic transformation as part of the shift from mobile foraging to more sedentary cultivation lifeways. We suggest that an examination of hafting can provide new insights into how early villagers negotiated technological requirements, economic decision making, and social interactions in these novel contexts. As a case study, we develop a curation index and apply it to an archaeological context of hafted and unhafted pointed tools from the early Neolithic village of Dhra’, Jordan. This curation index allows for a discussion of the technological, economic, and social dimensions of hafting strategies at Dhra’. The presence of multiple hafting traditions within early Neolithic villages of Southwest Asia is evidence of persistent social segmentation despite food storage and ritual practices that emphasized communal integration. Through the lens of lithic technological organization, we demonstrate that hafting and curation patterns can increase our understanding of technological, economic, and social strategies in early villages