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Investigating Correlates of Sedentism and Domestication in Prehistoric North America

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

George H. Odell
George H. Odell*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104
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Abstract

Throughout the Holocene occupation of the North American continent, residential mobility declined while plant domestication increased. Direct results of these processes have been investigated through structural, paleobotanical and ceramic analyses, but have rarely been detected in assemblages of stone tools. This study involves intensive technological and use-wear analyses of lithic materials from five excavated sites in the Illinois Valley that span 7,500 years of the Holocene. Results of functional trends analyzed through time indicate that most of the specific activities and worked materials in which the tools were engaged are stochastic in nature. Nevertheless, certain trends, including increases in the proportion of chopping/percussion damage and the presence of hoeing wear in later components, are consistent with changes in mobility and plant manipulation. The presence of other coeval processes is indicated by increases in wear from drilling and projectile use. In addition, support is found for the contention that highly mobile foragers of the Early Holocene needed standardized, multi-functional implements such as bifaces. The decline in bifacial technologies throughout the Holocene provides a measure of increasing sedentism, as considerations of versatility and portability were eschewed in favor of more expedient technologies.

Résumé

Résumé

Durante toda la ocupación holocénica del continente de Norte América hubo una disminución de movilidad residencial mientras que aumentó el uso de plantas domesticas. Resultados directos de estos procesos han sido investigados por medio de análisis estructural, paleobotdnico y cerámico, pero dichos resultados pocas veces han sido percibidos en conjuntos de herramientas de piedra. El presente estudio comprende un análisis intensivo de la tecnología y de huellas de uso de materiales litícos provenientes de cinco sitios ubicados en el valle del Río Illinois, sitios que entre ellos representan más de 7500 años del Holoceno. Andlisis functional de los implementos litícos durante este tiempo ha definido pocos patrones evidentes. Sin embargo, evidencia que incluye un incremento en elporcentaje de desgaste que resulta de la percusión, más lapresenciade desgaste en componentes tardíos que puede ser atribuido a la actividad de azadonar, estan de acuerdo con cambios en movilidad y en la manipulación de plantas. La presencia de otros procesos coetáneos se indica por el aumento de desgaste atribuible al taladramiento y uso de proyectiles. Ademds, se propone que entre los forrajeros móviles del Holoceno temprano existía la necesidad de producir implementos estandarizados y multifuncionales, tales como bifaces. La disminuciín de la tecnologia bifacial durante el Holoceno provee una medida del sedentismo creciente, cuando la produccion de implementos adaptables y portdtiles fue abandonado en favor de tecnologías más expedientes.

Type
Articles
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 63 , Issue 4 , October 1998 , pp. 553 - 571
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1998

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