The purpose of my research is to use Experimental Archaeology to explore how individuals relate to, and behave in, their environment.  For this study, I chose to use materials and techniques that would have been available to pre-contact populations in what is now the Commonwealth of Virginia, to manufacture lithic tools, or projectile points and knives (PP/Ks).https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1051/thumbnail.jp

Bush, John

VCU Scholars Compass

Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVCU Scholars CompassUndergraduate Research Posters Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program2014Have I Made My Point?John BushVirginia Commonwealth UniversityJohn BushVirginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters© The Author(s)This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at VCU Scholars Compass. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Undergraduate Research Posters by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, pleasecontact libcompass@vcu.edu.Downloaded fromBush, John and Bush, John, "Have I Made My Point?" (2014). Undergraduate Research Posters. Poster 52.http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/52Methodology:I wanted to conduct my research as true to life as possible; using only materials I collected myself, were given, or were able to trade for.  In Virginia, some of the most common lithic materials are quartz, quartzite, and shale (Frye: 1986); so I began with those.Using a smooth quartz river rock as a hammerstone, I was able to quickly shape a few points from my shale.  As shale is not a particularly sturdy material, I moved on.  When struck, quartzite splits into sharp, often serrated, flakes.  The quality of my quartzite was not really good enough to make nice points, however I was able to create an expedient tool from one of the flakes, which I used to cut through a deer antler to make a tool for pressure flaking.I traded some of the nicer quartz material and antler I had for some yellow and red jasper nodules, as well as a small piece of chert; all of which can be found in Virginia. Using hard hammer and soft hammer techniques, I was able to make a few points that I was satisfied with.After creating a satisfactory point, I began looking at hafting techniques.  First, I needed pitch.  There are many methods for creating pitch, but pine sap is a key ingredient.  I would also need tallow, to make the pitch more workable, and some form of binding agent to make it stronger (Burch: 2004).  In this case, I used rabbit fur and wood ash as my binding agent.Once the decision to manufacture pitch was made, I realized I had to make some form of vessel to mix the pitch in.  Luckily, I was able to collect the sap for the pitch and the materials for the vessel in one location.  For the vessel, I used a silty, oversaturated mud, tempered with crushed oyster shells to add strength and prevent cracking.  This type of pottery is believed to have appeared in the Tidewater region of Virginia in approximately 100 CE; and its manufacture continued well into the Colonial period (Herbert: 2008)Gathering the sap proved somewhat difficult, so I chose to produce a tool to make it easier in the future.  I used a strong, relatively sharp chert point, another piece of deer antler cut to length with quartzite, my newly produced pitch, and some animal sinew I traded several jasper points for.Abstract:The purpose of my research is to use Experimental Archaeology to explore how individuals relate to, and behave in, their environment.  For this study, I chose to use materials and techniques that would have been available to pre-contact populations in what is now the Commonwealth of Virginia, to manufacture lithic tools, or projectile points and knives (PP/Ks).Findings:Gathering the materials was a relatively quick process: 2 hours for a half pound of pine sap, approximately 50 pounds of mud, and 2 pounds of oyster shells.  About an hour for collecting the lithic material needed.Processing the shells and mud prior to manufacturing the pots, approximately 24 hours.Creating and firing the pots, approximately 8 hoursProcessing the pitch, approximately 2 hoursThe hardness and physical structure of each stone determined the processing time for each point (along with much trial and error!); but an average of approximately three hours for each point is not unreasonable.Making my sap harvesting tool, approximately one hour.I am confident that if I had not been doing this for the first time and had a better knowledge of where to get high quality resources, these times would be shortened drastically.Conclusion:Due to limitations of access and modern infrastructure, several resource gathering and processing sites (Sutton: 2009) were used, and my travel time was therefore greatly increased.  These restrictions would not have presented as much of a challenge to populations during the Late Woodland Period. Also, the knowledge of manufacturing processes and material gathering sites would have been consigned over generations, making the production of these items a relatively straightforward process.Burch, M. (2004). Making Native American hunting, fighting, and survival tools. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press.Drewett, P. (1999). Field archaeology an introduction. London: UCL Press.Frye, K. (1986). Roadside geology of Virginia. Missoula: Mountain Press Pub. Co..Herbert, J. (2008). The History and Practice of Shell Tempering in the Middle Atlantic: A Useful Balance. Southeastern Archaeology, 27(2), 265-285.Sutton, M. Q., Arkush, B. S., & Schneider, J. S. (2009). Archaeological laboratory methods: an introduction (5th ed.). Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co..RichmondLynnhavenInletFront RoyalShenandoah ValleyAcknowledgements:I wish to thank Ms. Ivy Bush for her moral support, assistance, and guidance.  I also wish to thank Ms. Sarah Morr for her incredible patience, unwavering positive attitude in the face of adversity (me), research assistance, and photography.  I would also like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Bernard K. Means for his advice and mentorship.  Lastly, Michael MacNabb and Tom Hughes for 15+ years of friendship and giving me randomly found objects, rocks, and animal parts.Have I Made My Point?John BushVirginia Commonwealth University

Have I Made My Point?

Virginia Commonwealth University
VCU Scholars Compass
Undergraduate Research Posters Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
2014
Have I Made My Point?
John Bush
Virginia Commonwealth University
John Bush
Virginia Commonwealth University
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters
© The Author(s)
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been
accepted for inclusion in Undergraduate Research Posters by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please
contact libcompass@vcu.edu.
Downloaded from
Bush, John and Bush, John, "Have I Made My Point?" (2014). Undergraduate Research Posters. Poster 52.
https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/52
Methodology:
I wanted to conduct my research as true to life as possible; using 
only materials I collected myself, were given, or were able to 
trade for.  In Virginia, some of the most common lithic materials 
are quartz, quartzite, and shale (Frye: 1986); so I began with 
those.
Using a smooth quartz river rock as a hammerstone, I was able to 
quickly shape a few points from my shale.  As shale is not a 
particularly sturdy material, I moved on.  When struck, quartzite 
splits into sharp, often serrated, flakes.  The quality of my 
quartzite was not really good enough to make nice points, 
however I was able to create an expedient tool from one of the 
flakes, which I used to cut through a deer antler to make a tool 
for pressure flaking.
I traded some of the nicer quartz material and antler I had for 
some yellow and red jasper nodules, as well as a small piece of 
chert; all of which can be found in Virginia. Using hard hammer 
and soft hammer techniques, I was able to make a few points that 
I was satisfied with.
After creating a satisfactory point, I began looking at hafting 
techniques.  First, I needed pitch.  There are many methods for 
creating pitch, but pine sap is a key ingredient.  I would also need 
tallow, to make the pitch more workable, and some form of 
binding agent to make it stronger (Burch: 2004).  In this case, I 
used rabbit fur and wood ash as my binding agent.
Once the decision to manufacture pitch was made, I realized I had 
to make some form of vessel to mix the pitch in.  Luckily, I was 
able to collect the sap for the pitch and the materials for the 
vessel in one location.  For the vessel, I used a silty, oversaturated 
mud, tempered with crushed oyster shells to add strength and 
prevent cracking.  This type of pottery is believed to have 
appeared in the Tidewater region of Virginia in approximately 100 
CE; and its manufacture continued well into the Colonial period 
(Herbert: 2008)
Gathering the sap proved somewhat difficult, so I chose to 
produce a tool to make it easier in the future.  I used a strong, 
relatively sharp chert point, another piece of deer antler cut to 
length with quartzite, my newly produced pitch, and some animal 
sinew I traded several jasper points for.
Abstract:
The purpose of my research is to use Experimental Archaeology to explore how 
individuals relate to, and behave in, their environment.  For this study, I chose 
to use materials and techniques that would have been available to pre-contact 
populations in what is now the Commonwealth of Virginia, to manufacture lithic 
tools, or projectile points and knives (PP/Ks).
Findings:
Gathering the materials was a relatively quick process: 
2 hours for a half pound of pine sap, approximately 50 pounds of mud, and 2 pounds 
of oyster shells.  
About an hour for collecting the lithic material needed.
Processing the shells and mud prior to manufacturing the pots, approximately 24 
hours.
Creating and firing the pots, approximately 8 hours
Processing the pitch, approximately 2 hours
The hardness and physical structure of each stone determined the processing time 
for each point (along with much trial and error!); but an average of approximately 
three hours for each point is not unreasonable.
Making my sap harvesting tool, approximately one hour.
I am confident that if I had not been doing this for the first time and had a better 
knowledge of where to get high quality resources, these times would be shortened 
drastically.
Conclusion:
Due to limitations of access and modern infrastructure, several resource 
gathering and processing sites (Sutton: 2009) were used, and my travel time was 
therefore greatly increased.  These restrictions would not have presented as 
much of a challenge to populations during the Late Woodland Period. Also, the 
knowledge of manufacturing processes and material gathering sites would have 
been consigned over generations, making the production of these items a 
relatively straightforward process.
Burch, M. (2004). Making Native American hunting, fighting, and survival 
tools. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press.
Drewett, P. (1999). Field archaeology an introduction. London: UCL Press.
Frye, K. (1986). Roadside geology of Virginia. Missoula: Mountain Press Pub. 
Co..
Herbert, J. (2008). The History and Practice of Shell Tempering in the Middle 
Atlantic: A Useful Balance. Southeastern Archaeology, 27(2), 265-285.
Sutton, M. Q., Arkush, B. S., & Schneider, J. S. (2009). Archaeological 
laboratory methods: an introduction (5th ed.). Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt 
Pub. Co..
Richmond
Lynnhaven
Inlet
Front Royal
Shenandoah Valley
Acknowledgements:
I wish to thank Ms. Ivy Bush for her moral support, assistance, and guidance.  
I also wish to thank Ms. Sarah Morr for her incredible patience, unwavering 
positive attitude in the face of adversity (me), research assistance, and 
photography.  I would also like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Bernard K. 
Means for his advice and mentorship.  Lastly, Michael MacNabb and Tom 
Hughes for 15+ years of friendship and giving me randomly found objects, 
rocks, and animal parts.
Have I Made My Point?
John Bush
Virginia Commonwealth University


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Have I Made My Point?

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