Seeing Red: An Analysis of Archaeological Ochre in East Central Missouri

Summary

The Truman Road Site (23SC924), St. Charles County, Missouri, features a diversity of material remains and a long periods of occupation mostly occurring during the Late Archaic (3000 – 2500 BC) and Middle Woodland (100 BC – AD 500). For this region of prehistoric Missouri, ceramics and chert constitute the main evidence for understanding trade and cultural dynamics. Despite its relative ubiquity among sites, ochre has rarely been considered in such studies. Recognizing that this material is a valuable component of material culture, we used NAA to analyze a collection of ochre from the Truman Road site (n=31) and seven specimens total from four other nearby sites. Results indicate no significant temporal or spatial patterning of ochre usage or acquisition in the total sample. Similarly, no correlation exists between the chemistry and artifact type. Finally, the assemblage is compositionally distinct from previously analyzed samples from elsewhere in region. Precise provenance has yet to be conclusively determined due to the dearth of comparative data in Missouri. Although these artifacts could not be linked to a single acquisition locale, the results remain an important addition to our understanding of the characterization and diversity of ochre and its usage in prehistoric Missouri.

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): 22116