Is Fluting Exclusive to Paleoindians? A Comparison of Paleoindian and Archaic End-Thinning Techniques

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The idea that fluting is a uniquely Paleoindian technological marker for projectile points in the Americas has been considered a given ever since the original Folsom discovery in 1927. While it is true that fluted lanceolate points are reliably diagnostic artifacts of the Paleoindian period, stemmed points from the Archaic period also occasionally exhibit end thinning flake scars that are reminiscent of flutes. In Central Texas, Middle Archaic point types such as Andice/Bell, Bulverde, and Pedernales regularly possess end thinning flake scars that facilitate hafting. This study compares the basal end thinning of Paleoindian points such as Clovis, Folsom, and South American Fluted Fishtail to that of the aforementioned Archaic points. The comparison involves a morphological study utilizing metric variables, as well as a technological study involving replicative flintknapping and an analysis of reduction sequences for the various point types. The results will determine the validity of fluting as a uniquely Paleoindian strategy.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24307