Paleoindian and Early Archaic Organic Technologies: A Review and Analysis

Abstract

A literature review indicates that many Paleoindian and Early Archaic bone, antler, and ivory implements have been recovered from sites across North America. Unfortunately, few of these early organic objects have been described with the detail necessary for comparative analyses of tool functions and manufacturing trajectories. This article represents an attempt to stimulate the reporting of such detailed microtrace data by presenting the results of a study of a transitional Paleoindian/Early Archaic bone pointed implement from the Flora Mastodon site in Carroll County, Indiana. Given appropriate attention, organic implements can provide a more than adequate means of developing and testing hypotheses concerning prehistoric technological organization, social interaction, and settlement distributions.