Clovis knapping behaviors: What were they thinking!?

Summary

Clovis biface manufacturing represents a complex flaked stone reduction technology (Bradley, et al. 2010:64) where extant evidence has established that Clovis knappers possessed a high degree of skill in their craft. Most Clovis behaviors have been gleaned from data-rich Clovis caches and kill-sites. However, quantitative data is limited on Clovis flaked stone debris, and thus, remains an open research issue. One issue raised is the careful preparation of striking platforms during biface and blade manufacture (Collins 1999) deemed as necessary to exert control over the removal of flakes (Morrow 1995), including mastering control of overshot flaking (Bradley 2010:466; Bradley, et al. 2010:66). The problem is the consideration of these being manifestly Clovis behaviors. Regardless, with rare exception, (Huckell 2007; Malouf 1989; Pevny 2009, Waters et al. 2011), there are few data to support Clovis striking platforms as being unique, and therefore remain assumptions. This paper highlights reduction techniques and behaviors used by Clovis knappers based on research data of biface manufacturing debris recovered from the well documented, Clovis-age deposits of Area 4 at the Gault Site, TX (41BL323).

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage