What Are the Chances? Estimating the Probability of Coincidental Artifact Association with Megafauna Remains

Summary

There has long been a debate about the frequency of megafauna hunting or dismemberment by early Paleoindians in North America. Proposed megafauna kill sites are heavily scrutinized. Sites which contain limited artifacts, but no projectile points are often discounted or classified as ‘possible’ kill sites due to their limited cultural materials. This begs the question, just how likely (or unlikely) are artifacts to be accidentally associated with megafauna remains? Using a computer model, the likelihood of accidental cultural association with animal remains (in this case proboscidean) can be estimated. In the model proboscidean remains and archaeology sites were realistically distributed on a landscape using variables from predictive modeling and the modern proboscidean ecological record to understand the frequency of coincidental spatial associations. While no computer model can exactly replicate real world circumstances, this analysis allows for a base understand of the frequency and most common circumstances which produce accidental archaeological associations. This model viewed alongside the archaeological record establishes another basis for evaluating possible megafauna kill or dismemberment sites.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22289