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Trampling Experiments in the Search for the Earliest Americans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Neal H. Lopinot  and
Jack H. Ray
Neal H. Lopinot
Affiliation:
Center for Archaeological Research, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri 65897 (neallopinot@missouristate.edu)
Jack H. Ray
Affiliation:
Center for Archaeological Research, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri 65897 (jackray@missouristate.edu)
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Abstract

Experiments were undertaken to evaluate a natural versus cultural origin for a set of modified pebbles and cobbles found in pre-Clovis-age contexts at the Big Eddy site (23CE426) in southwest Missouri, U.S.A. Two experiments involving Asian elephants and American bison provided evidence that pre-Clovis-age modified cobbles, pebbles, and flakes probably were produced by the trampling of large mammals traversing alluvial gravel bars in search of food and water in a riparian environment. The production of “zoofacts” and behavioral aspects of elephants are described with respect to research on the earliest Americans.

Résumé

Résumé

Experimentos fueron emprendidos para evaluar el origen natural verus el origen cultural de un grupo de piedras y guijarros modificados que fueron encontrados en un contexto de la edad pre-Clovis en el sitio llamado Big Eddy en la región Suroeste del estado de Misuri, EE.UU. Dos experimentos que incluyen elefantes asiáticos y bisontes americanos proveyeron evidencia de que las piedras, los guijarros y las astillas modificadas de la edad pre-Clovis fueron probablemente producidos por el pisoteo de mamíferos grandes mientras cruzaban las barras de grava aluvial en busca de alimento y agua en un ambiente ribereño. La producción de “datos zoológicos” y de aspectos de comportamiento de los elefantes son descritos en cuanto a que se refieren a la investigación relacionada a los americanos originales.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 72 , Issue 4 , October 2007 , pp. 771 - 782
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2007

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