Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-x5cpj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-31T04:30:09.488Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Thermoluminescent Determination of Paleoindian Heat Treatment in Ontario, Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

L. A. Pavlish  and
P. J. Sheppard
L. A. Pavlish
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S-1A7
P. J. Sheppard
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S-1A7
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The possibility that prehistoric peoples employed heat treatment of chert and flint as an integral part of their lithic tool production technology is a matter that has long been debated. While previous thermoluminescence (TL) investigations of the heating phenomenon concentrate on finished artifacts, this study investigates the TL stored in biface retouch flakes which are an abundant by-product of the Paleoindian fluted point manufacture. One hundred and seventy-five retouch flakes from three excavated squares at the Parkhill Paleoindian site are examined and compared with their relatively distant geological source. Accidental heating does not satisfactorily explain the fact that the overwhelming majority of the flakes appear to have been heated. We conclude that chert heating at this archaeological site was purposeful.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 48 , Issue 4 , October 1983 , pp. 793 - 799
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1983

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

Akerman, K. 1979 Heat and Lithic Technology in the Kimberleys, W. A. Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania 14:144–151.Google Scholar
Beltrao, M., Enriquez, C., Danon, J., Zuleta, E., and Poupeau, G. 1981 Thermoluminescence Studies of Archaeological Heated Cherts from the Alice Boer Site. Proceedings of Colloquium on Early Man in America, Xth Congress, International Union of Prehistoric and Protohis toric Sciences. Commission 12:96.Google Scholar
Bordes, F. 1969 Traitement thermique du silex au Solutreen. Bulletin de la Societe Prehistorique Francois 66:197.Google Scholar
Collins, M. B., and Fenwick, J. M. 1974 Heat Treating of Chert: Methods of Interpretation and Their Application. Plains Anthropologist 19:134–145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crabtree, D. E., and Butler, B. R. 1964 Notes on Experiments in Flint Knapping: Heat Treatment of Silica Materials. Tebiwa 7(1):1–6.Google Scholar
Fitting, J., Devisscher, J., and Wahla, E. J. 1966 The Palaeoindian Occupation of the Holcombe Beach. Anthropological Papers, Museum of Anthropology, No. 27. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.Google Scholar
Greg, M. L., and Grybush, R. J. 1976 Thermally Altered Siliceous Stone From Prehistoric Contexts: Intentional Versus Unintentional Alteration. American Antiquity 41:189–192.Google Scholar
Hester, T. R., and Heizer, R. F. 1973 Bibliography of Archaeology I: Experiments, Lithic Technology and Petrography. Addison-Wesley Module in Anthropology, No. 29. Reading, Mass.Google Scholar
Hurst, V. J., and Kelly, A. R. 1961 Patination of Cultural Flints. Science 134:251–256.Google Scholar
Inizan, M. L., Roche, H., and Tixier, J. 1976 Avantages d'un traitement thermique pour la taille des roches siliceuses. Quaternaria 19:1–18.Google Scholar
Johnson, L. L. 1978 A History of Flint Knapping Experimentation, 1838-1976. Current Anthropology 19:337–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Judge, J. W. 1973 Palaeoindian Occupation of the Central Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Liberty, B. A. 1966 Geology of the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper 65-41:40A, 40P, and 41H.Google Scholar
Mac Donald, G. F. 1968 Debert: A Paleo-Indian Site in Central Nova Scotia. Anthropological Papers, National Museum of Canada, No. 16. Ottawa.Google Scholar
Mandeville, M. D. 1973 A Consideration of Thermal Pretreatment of Chert. Plains Anthropologist 18:177–202.Google Scholar
Melcher, C. L., and Zimmerman, D. W. 1977 TL Determination of Heat Treatment of Chert Artifacts. Science 197:1359–1362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Purdy, B. A. 1975 Fractures for the Archaeologist. In Lithic Technology: Making and Using Stone Tools, edited by Swanson, E., pp. 133–141. Aldine, Chicago.Google Scholar
Purdy, B. A., and Brooks, H. K. 1971 Thermal Alteration of Silica Materials: An Archaeological Approach. Science 173:322–325.Google Scholar
Redman, C. L., and Watson, P. J. 1970 Systematic, Intensive Surface Collection. American Antiquity 35:279–291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rick, J. W. 1978 Heal Altered Cherts of the Lower Illinois Valley. An Experimental Study in Prehistoric Technology. Prehistoric Records 2. Northwestern University Archaeological Program, Evanston. Illinois.Google Scholar
Roosa, W. B. 1977 Great Lakes Palaeoindian: The Parkhill Site, Ontario. In Amerinds and their Palaeoenvironments in Northeastern North America, edited by Newman, W. S. and Salwen, B.. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 288:346–354.Google Scholar
Rowlett, R. D., Mandeville, M. D., and Zeller, E. J. 1974 The Interpretation and Dating of Humanly Worked Siliceous Materials by Thermoluminescent Analysis. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 40:37–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schindler, D. L., Hatch, J. W., Hay, Conran A., and Bradt, Richard C. 1982 Aboriginal Thermal Alteration of a Central Pennsylvania Jasper: Analytical and Behavioral Implications. American Antiquity 47:526–544.Google Scholar
Sheppard, P. J., Pavlish, L. A.. and Hancock, R. G. V. 1983 The Use of Thermoluminescence (TL) in the Investigation of Heat Treatment in the Epipalaeolithicof North Africa. In The Proceedings of the 22nd Symposium on Archaeometry, edited by Aspinall, A. and Warren, E.S., pp. 145–149. Schools of Physics and Archaeological Sciences. University of Bradford. Bradford.Google Scholar
Shippee, J. M. 1963 Was Flint Annealed before Flaking? Plains Anthropologist 8:271–272.Google Scholar
Storck, P. J. 1978 Some Recent Developments in the Search for Early Man in Ontario. Ontario Archaeology 29:3–16.Google Scholar
Struever, S. 1973 Chert Utilization in Lower Illinois Valley Prehistory. In Variations in Anthropology: Essays in Honor of John C. McGregor, edited by Lathrop, D. W. and Douglas, J., pp. 61–73. Illinois Archaeological Survey, Urbana.Google Scholar
Telford, P. G. 1976 Palaeozoic Geology: Collingwood-Nottawasaga, Southern Ontario. Ontario Division of Mines Map 2341. Google Scholar
Weymouth, J. H., and Mandeville, M. 1975 An X-ray Diffraction Study of Heat Treated Chert and Its Archaeological Implications. Archaeometry 17:61–67.Google Scholar