Artifact Distributions and Activity Areas: Interpreting the Folsom Living Floor at 48GO305

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

High-resolution data detailing artifact distributions within the Folsom Cultural component of Hell Gap (48GO305) Locality I (HGI) are instrumental in investigating the lifeways of Paleoindian groups during the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene. Analyzing artifact distributions at HGI allows researchers to identify and interpret discrete activity areas within the Paleoindian campsite. These analyses aim to achieve two critical reconstructions: (1) the reconstruction of individual activities occurring at specific temporal intervals, and (2) the reconstruction of patterns of repetitive activities, which manifest as distinct artifact arrangements in the archaeological record. Specifically, this research aims to explain the spatial organization of site activities, including stone tool production, meat processing, and the production of thermoregulatory technology, across distinct areas of the occupation surface. These findings also have the potential to enhance our ability to identify activity areas at sites that are degraded or lack clear delineation, offering valuable insights into Paleoindian site organization. Ultimately, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the spatial dynamics found within Paleoindian campsites and informs broader interpretations of past human behavior.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 52874