Patterns of Lithic Raw Material Exploitation and Use in Western Pennsylvania

Summary

During the Late Prehistoric period, at least four major lithic raw material types were used for the manufacture of a limited variety of tool types. The major tool forms were small triangular projectile points and flake tools. The major raw material types used in this region include Onondaga, Loyalhanna, and Shriver cherts and Vanport Siliceous Shale. Workshops and quarries have been identified have been identified and are found on the north, south, east and west sides of this region. An analysis of the lithic assemblages from several villages has found that all of these raw materials were used throughout the area. Analysis of the raw material types used in the villages suggests that although the percentage of a raw material type used in any particular village generally reflects the distance to sources, there are some materials that are present in much greater than expected quantities. In some cases, the most commonly used material is from quarries that are twice as far from a site as closer quarries. Analysis of the assemblages suggests that the use of raw materials reflects not only proximity to source areas, but also either perceived qualitative differences in the materials or access to different cultural networks.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Case Studies in Chert Sourcing and Identification   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage