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Two Newly Recognized Paleoindian Tool Types: Single- and Double-Scribe Compass Gravers and Coring Gravers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

John Tomenchuk  and
Peter L. Storck
John Tomenchuk
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C6, Canada
Peter L. Storck
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C6, Canada
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Abstract

A small collection of gravers from the Fisher site, an Early Paleoindian (Parkhill complex) site in Ontario estimated to date between 10,400 and 11,000 years B.P., produced two previously unrecognized tool types: single- and double-scribe compass and coring gravers. Experimental use-wear studies on replicated tools confirm that the compass and coring gravers were probably used on organic materials for engraving single or concentric circles, cutting thin disks, and boring holes. Although not identified as such, the compass graver occurs widely in North American Paleoindian assemblages and, judging from the presence and context of similar tools in the Eurasian Upper Paleolithic and Siberian Neolithic, may represent a specialized tool designed to express decorative, artistic, or symbolic aspects of Paleoindian culture. Together with other tools in Paleoindian assemblages, the new tool types promise to contribute to comparative studies concerned with the origin, development, and spread of Paleoindian cultures.

Una colección pequeña de buriles procedente del sitio Fisher, un sitio del periodo Paleoindio (complejo Parkhill) de Ontario confecha estimada entre 10,400 y 11,000 años A.P., contiene dos tipos de herramientas previamente desconocidos: buriles de simple- y doble-rayar en formas de compás y de taladro. lnvestigaciones de huellas de uso en herramientas replicadas verifican que los buriles compás fueron utilizados para la decoración de artefactos о para cortar discos delgados y los buriles taladro para horadar agujeros, ambos en materiales orgánicos. A pesar de no ser identificado como sí, el buril compás ocurre extensivamente en colecciones Paleoindias norteamericanas y, en base a la ocurrencia de herramientas parecidas en el Paleolitico Superior eurasiático y Neolitico siberiano, puede representar una herramienta especializada dedicada a expresar los aspectos decorativos/artisticos/simbólicos de la cultura Paleoindio. Junto con las herramientas en colecciones Paleoindias, los tipos nuevos prometen contribuir a estudios comparatives acerca del origen, desarollo y diseminación de las culturas Paleoindias.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 62 , Issue 3 , July 1997 , pp. 508 - 522
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1997

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