The Chaíne Opératoire of Late Archaic through Mesilla Phase Assemblages from the Placitas Arroyo Site Complex, Lower Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico

Summary

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

The chaíne opératoire approach to lithic analysis has rarely been imported from the Old World and applied to analysis of New World lithic assemblages. However, that approach is appropriate for virtually any lithic technology, providing a structured methodology that shifts attention from typological studies to explicitly behavioral analyses, complimenting studies of both intrasite and intersite patterns of variability and change. Analysis of several assemblages from the Placitas Arroyo site complex reveals changing patterns of raw material procurement and selection, core reduction strategies, as well as tool production and discard. The most striking result thus far is the quite uniform emphasis on flake production from well-prepared cores, and the near absence of manufacture or maintenance of bifacial tools, especially projectile points. Associated with common ground stone artifacts, the flaked stone materials may well represent intensive food processing. Regardless, the technological patterns being revealed by the chaíne opératoire approach illustrate a productive new means to gain insights into changing behaviors in the Jornada Mogollon cultural tradition.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25909