Settlement Organization of Paleoindian Caribou Hunters: Inferences from the Other Side of the Valley–The Potter Site, Randolph NH.

Summary

In the Northeast and especially New Hampshire, Paleoamerican small lithic sites or scatters represents one of the most common site types. Even though represented by small lithic scatters some of these sites also contain evidence of short-term habitation, food preparation and tool production activities. Twenty km to the east, opposite the Israel River Complex, is situated a site with an area of 2 ½ acres, 11 excavation units (1m x 1m or greater) and approximately 15,900 lithic artifacts, known as the Potter site (27-CO-60). This portrayal suggests similarities between the Potter, Whipple and Bull Brook regional sites manifest in terms of the significant number of "hotspots" or loci, rarity of its large size, earliest fluted point styles, low number of lithic material sources, rich artifact assemblages, site positioning overlooking a remnant of a glacial pond, and a chokepoint topography. As characterized by earlier researchers, was Potter a large single occupation marshaling or hunting aggregation; or alternatively, a seasonal social aggregation site type, or something altogether different?

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Person, Place or Thing: Ongoing Questions and Evidence for New England Settlement and Material Culture   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17646