Coming into the High Country: Initial Observations, Geometric Morphometrics, and Raw Material Conveyance Patterning from Clovis Localities in the Mountains of Southwest, Montana

Summary

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

Between 2021 and 2024, two complete fluted Clovis projectile points and eight fluted point fragments were recovered from five localities in the mountains of southwest Montana. Each of these five localities exhibits formal tools and reduction sequences consistent with Clovis lithic technology. Here we present observation on the ten fluted points production, geometric morphometrics, as well as geochemical and visual raw material identifications. Furthermore, we provide preliminary observations comparing our results with the assemblages of other Clovis localities surrounding the central Rocky Mountains.

Overall, our results suggest a significant connection between western Clovis localities surrounding the central Rocky Mountains, potentially indicating a macro-scale mobility cycle or territory within the Yellowstone Plateau. Furthermore, our data implies the habitual use of high elevation ecosystems by populations using the Clovis techno-complex in the central Rocky Mountains, and that these Late Pleistocene mountain adaptations involved probable extended duration occupations involving diverse domestic behaviors, rather than limited transient hunting forays.

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): 53881