Megan M. King

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Description

Abstract

Lithic debitage was excavated from all temporal components of the Topper Site, including stratum below Clovis-aged deposits. To determine the nature of lithic assemblage below Clovis the artifacts were carefully examined using traditional methods associated with the analysis of lithic debitage, including aggregate and individual flake analysis. Individual flakes within culturally known deposits, as well those associated with pre-Clovis aged sediments, were examined to determine if they shared characteristics associated with humanly produced tools. The distribution of lithic debitage, as well as non-cultural debris, were also compared between all strata. Statistical tests were utilized to determine the relationships between pre-Clovis aged artifacts and those derived from overlying strata. No significant difference was observed between the physical attributes of the debitage found within strata associated with known prehistoric populations and the lithics found within pre-Clovis aged deposits. However, the vertical distribution of debitage and non-cultural debris seems to suggest that cultural material may have been subjected to downward movement and perhaps may also have been disturbed through episodes of fluvial activity associated with the nearby Savannah River.

Publication Date

2016

Publisher

The South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology - University of South Carolina

City

Columbia

Keywords

Pre-Clovis, Clovis, Paleoindian, Debitage, Lithic, Topper, South Carolina

Disciplines

Archaeological Anthropology

Comments

This is "Occasional Papers 3" of the Southeastern Paleoamerican Survey.

The Distribution of Paleoindian Debitage from the Pleistocene Terrace at the Topper Site: An Evaluation of a Possible Pre-Clovis Occupation (38AL23)

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