Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T15:01:54.841Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Immunological and Microwear Analysis of Chipped-Stone Artifacts from Piedmont Contexts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Michael Petraglia
Affiliation:
Cultural Resources Department, Parsons Engineering Science, 10521 Rosehaven Street, Fairfax, VA 22030
Dennis Knepper
Affiliation:
Cultural Resources Department, Parsons Engineering Science, 10521 Rosehaven Street, Fairfax, VA 22030
Petar Glumac
Affiliation:
Cultural Resources Department, Parsons Engineering Science, 10521 Rosehaven Street, Fairfax, VA 22030
Margaret Newman
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
Carole Sussman
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093–0101

Abstract

Immunological and microwear analysis was performed on 100 chipped-stone artifacts from four prehistoric sites located in the Virginia Piedmont. A total of 20 artifacts returned positive results for immunological analysis and 16 artifacts returned microwear results. The findings indicate the negative effects of postdepositional processes and the potential utility of the techniques for deciphering prehistoric activities, otherwise unavailable by conventional studies in piedmont contexts. The study further illustrates the value and problems associated with immunological and microwear analyses on chipped-stone assemblages.

Resumen

Resumen

Cien artefactos liticos procedentes de cuatro sitios ubicados en el piedemonte de Virginia fueron sometidos a los análisis inmunológicos y de micro-desgaste. Del análisis inmunológico se obtuvieron resultados positivos con 20 artefactos y del análisis de micro-desgaste 16 artefactos demostraron indicios de desgaste. Los resultados de los análisis muestran los efectos negativos de los procesos después de la depositión. Ademds indican la utilidad potential de estas técnicas, la cual no existe con métodos convencionales para revelar las actividades prehistóricas en contextos similares. El estudio muestra el valor y los problemas asociados con análisis inmunológicos y de micro-desgaste en conjuntos líticos.

Type
Reports
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References Cited

Anderson, P. 1980 A Testimony of Prehistoric Tasks: Diagnostic Residues on Stone Tool Working Edges. World Archaeology 12: 181194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anderson-Gerfaud, P. 1983 A Consideration of the Uses of Certain Backed and “Lustered” Stone Tools from Late Mesolithic and Natufian Levels of Abu Hureya and Mureybet (Syria). In Traces de I'Utilisation sur les Outiles Neolithiques du Proche Orient, edited by Cauvin, M.-C., pp. 77106. Maison de l'Orient Mediterranean, Lyon, France.Google Scholar
Beyries, S. 1982 Comparison de Traces d'Utilisation sur Differentes Roches Siliceuses. In Recent Progress in Microwear Studies. Praehistorica Belgica, pp. 235240. Musee Royale de PAfrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium.Google Scholar
Beyries, S. 1987 Variabilite de L'Industrie au Mousterian. BAR International Series 328. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Briuer, F. L. 1976 New Clues to Stone Tool Function: Plant and Animal Residues. American Antiquity 41: 478184.Google Scholar
Broderick, M. 1979 Ascending Paper Chromatographic Technique in Archaeology. In Lithic Use-Wear Analysis, edited by Hayden, B., pp. 375383. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Broderick, M. 1993 Blood Residues on Stone Tools: Indoor and Outdoor Experiments. World Archaeology 25: 2913.Google Scholar
Diamond, G. 1979 The Nature of So-Called Polished Surfaces on Stone Artifacts. In Lithic Use-Wear Analysis, edited by Hayden, B., pp. 159166. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Downs, E. F. 1985 An Approach to Detecting and Identifying Blood Residues on Archaeological Stone Artifacts: A Feasibility Study. Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Google Scholar
Downs, E. E, and Lowenstein, J. M. 1995 Identification of Archaeological Blood Proteins: A Cautionary Note. Journal of Archaeological Science 22: 1116.Google Scholar
Eisele, J. 1994 Survival and Detection of Blood Residue A nalysis on Stone Tools. Technical Report 94-1. Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno.Google Scholar
Fiedel, S. J. 1996 Blood from Stones? Some Methodological and Interpretive Problems in Blood Residue Analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science 23: 139147.Google Scholar
Gramly, R. M. 1991 Blood Residues Upon Tools from the East Wenatchee Clovis Site, Douglas County, Washington. Ohio Archaeologist 41(4): 49.Google Scholar
Gurfinkel, D. M., and Franklin, U. M. 1988 A Study of the Feasibility of Detecting Blood Residues on Artifacts. Journal of Archaeological Science 15: 83–97. Residues from Archaeological Remains. In Archaeological Sciences 1989, edited by Budd, P., Chapman, B., Janway, R., and Ottaway, B., pp. 332339. Oxbow Monograph 9. Oxbow, Oxford, England.Google Scholar
Hyland, D. C., Tersak, J. M., Adovasio, J. M., and Siegel, M. I. 1990 Identification of the Species of Origin of Residual Blood on Lithic Material. American Antiquity 55: 104112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Inashima, P. Y. 1992 A Preliminary Summary of Organic Residue Studies and Their Application on Lithic Materials from the Northern Blue Ridge. Quarterly Bulletin of the Archeological Society of Virginia 47: 179192.Google Scholar
Kamminga, J. 1979 The Nature of Use-Polish and Abrasive Smoothing on Stone Tools. In Lithic Use-Wear Analysis, edited by Hayden, B., pp. 143157. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Keeley, L. H. 1980 Experimental Determination of Stone Tool Uses: A Microwear Analysis. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Knutsson, K. 1988 Patterns of Tool Use. Scanning Electron Microscopy of Experimental Quartz Tools. Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis, Uppsala, Switzerland.Google Scholar
Kooyman, B., Newman, M. E., and Ceri, H. 1992 Verifying the Reliability of Blood Residue Analysis on Archaeological Tools. Journal of Archaeological Science 19: 265269.Google Scholar
Levi-Sala, I. 1986 Use-wear and Post-depositional Surface Modification: A Word of Caution. Journal of Archaeological Science 13: 229244.Google Scholar
Mansur, E. 1983 Scanning Electron Microscopy of Dry Hide Working Tools: The Role of Abrasives and Humidity in Microwear Polish. Journal of Archaeological Science 10: 223230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tite Meeks, M. S., and Cook, J. 1982 Gloss and Use-Wear Traces on Flint Sickles and Similar Phenomena. Journal of Archaeological Science 9: 317340.Google Scholar
Moss, E. H. 1983 The Functional Analysis of Flint Implements. BAR International Series 177. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Newcomer, M. H., R. Grace, and R. Unger-Hamilton, 1986 Investigating Microwear Polishes with Blind Tests. Journal of Archaeological Science 13: 203218.Google Scholar
Newman, M. E. 1990 The Hidden Evidence from Hidden Cave, Nevada. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Toronto, Toronto.Google Scholar
Newman, M. E., and Julig, P. 1989 The Identification of Protein Residues on Lithic Artifacts from a Stratified Boreal Forest Site. Canadian Journal of Archaeology 13: 119132.Google Scholar
Newman, M. E., Ceri, H., and ICooyman, B. 1996 The Use of Immunological Methods to Detect Archaeological Residues: A Reply to Eisele. Antiquity, in press.Google Scholar
Newman, M. E., Yohe, R. M., Ceri, H., and Sutton, M. Q. 1993 Immunological Protein Residue on Nonlithic Archaeological Materials. Journal of Archaeological Science 20: 93100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newman, M. E., Yohe, R. M., Ceri, H., and Sutton, M. Q. 1994 Detection of Animal Residues in Humus Samples from a-Prehistoric Site in the Lower Mackenzie River Valley, Northwest Territories. Journal of Archaeological Science 21: 403412.Google Scholar
Petraglia, M. D., Knepper, D. A., and Glumac, P. 1993 Prehistoric Occupations in the Piedmont: Archaeological Excavations in Fauquier, Prince William and Loudoun Counties, Virginia. Submitted to Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Richmond. Copies available from Parsons Engineering Science, Fairfax, Virginia.Google Scholar
Plisson, H., and Mauger, M. 1988 Chemical and Mechanical Alterations of Microwear Polishes: An Experimental Approach. Helinium 28: 316.Google Scholar
Shafer, H. J., and Holloway, R. G. 1979 Organic Residue Analysis in Determining Stone Tool Function. In Lithic Use- Wear Analysis, edited by Hayden, B., pp. 385399. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Smith, P. R., and Wilson, M. T. 1990 Detection of Haemoglobin in Human Skeletal Remains by ELISA. Journal of Archaeological Science 17: 255268.Google Scholar
Smith, P. R., and Wilson, M. T. 1992 Blood Residues on Ancient Tool Surfaces: A Cautionary Note. Journal of Archaeological Science 19: 234241.Google Scholar
Sussman, C. 1985 Microwear on Quartz: Fact or Fiction? World Archaeology 17: 101111.Google Scholar
Sussman, C. 1988a A Microscopic Analysis of Use-Wear and Polish Formation on Experimental Quartz Tools. BAR International Series 395. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Sussman, C. 1988b Aspects of Microwear as Applied to Quartz. In Industries Lithiques, edited by Beyries, S., pp. 327. BAR International Series 411. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Tuross, N., Barnes, I., and Potts, R. 1996 Protein Identification of Blood Residues on Experimental Stone Tools. Journal of Archaeological Science, in press.Google Scholar
Tuross, N., and Dillehay, T. D. 1995 The Mechanism of Organic Preservation at Monte Verde, Chile, and One Use of Biomolecules in Archaeological Interpretation. Journal of Field Archaeology 22: 97110.Google Scholar
van Gijn, A. L. 1990 The Wear and Tear of Flint: Principles of Functional Analysis Applied to Dutch Neolithic Assemblages. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Vaughn, P. 1985 Use- Wear Analysis of Flaked Stone Tools. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.Google Scholar
Yohe, R. M. II, Newman, M. E., and Schneider, J. S. 1991 Immunological Identification of Small-Mammal Proteins on Aboriginal Milling Equipment. American Antiquity 56: 659666.Google Scholar