Elko Litter: Analyses of an Elko Series Point Manufacturing Site in Central Nevada

Summary

While Great Basin archaeologists use projectile points as time-sensitive markers, these typologies are based on the morphological characteristics of the finished artifacts. In most cases, points were produced elsewhere and curated to their final destination or they are found within a palimpsest containing a mixed bag of flaked stone tools and debitage. Seldom are archaeologists able to analyze debitage specific to the production of points. In 2016, Logan Simpson archaeologists recorded a small lithic scatter containing over 30 broken projectile points, 20 biface fragments, and thousands of flakes within a 30-by-30-meter area in central Nevada northeast of Monitor Valley. The site appears to be a spatially and temporally discrete Middle Archaic Elko series point retooling locus. As such, it provides a unique opportunity to analyze the debitage produced during the Elko manufacturing process and the spatial distribution of artifacts at this type of site. It is also presumed that the points were produced by the same individual or individuals and discarded at the same time. Therefore, an analysis to identify the morphological variability or continuity within the Elko series point type at a given point in time can also be performed.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 20772