Projectile Point Typology on the Columbia Plateau

1
Projectile Point Typology on the Columbia Plateau

• Research Contexts for Analysis of Prehistoric
  Styles and Temporal Markers

2
Columbia Plateau Physiographic Region

• Columbia Plateau Province
• Walla Walla Plateau
• Blue Mountain section
• Payette section
• Snake River Plain
• Harney section

http//www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/usgsnps/ provin
ce/ColumbiaRelief.jpg
3
Construction of Typologies

• Rules for Inclusion

4
Selection of Diagnostic Artifact Types

• For inclusion, artifact types must have
  distinctive spatial, temporal of cultural
  distributions.
• Rules for Inclusion
• (1) A defined type has a clearly proscribed
  range of variation defined quantitatively or
  qualitatively.
• (2) The named type has been recovered in
  definable archaeological contexts, and can be
  isolated in specific stratigraphic sequences.

Lohse and Sammons 1994
5
Selection of Archaeological Sites

• Rules for inclusion
• (1) Sites must have been excavated in cultural
  stratigraphic levels and not in natural or
  arbitrary levels.
• (2) Provenience information must be available
  for all recovered artifacts that specifies
  cultural units as to strata, feature and
  association.
• (3) A detailed descriptive report, covering
  excavation methodology and analysis, must be
  published for the site or be in the process of
  publication, and excavation notes and photographs
  must be on file at a recognized repository.

6
Selection of Site Assemblages

• Rules for inclusion
• (1) An artifact distribution to qualify as a
  site activity assemblage must be defined in a
  discrete vertical and horizontal distribution
  associated with a recognizable cultural feature.
• (2) The cultural and natural stratigraphy must
  indicate that the assemblage represents a
  discrete prehistoric activity. The assemblage is
  not an analytical construct but a found context.
• (3) The assemblage indicates a discrete series
  of tasks or task related activities. The
  assemblage is not an amalgam of activities over a
  period of time reflecting different seasons of
  site use nor different uses in different years.

7
Types as Concept Maps Schema Theory

• Mental templates
• Concept Maps
• Ideal or Core Types

8
Schema Theory

• Stone projectile points are idealizations
• Knappers created these points according to
  standard templates
• These templates represent actions sets or scripts
• Scripts represent collective norms or cultural
  schemata
• These norms represent knapping traditions
• And cultural or ethnic idealizations

9
Skill Application

• Types can be defined statistically, perhaps
  envisioned as centroids or norms within larger
  distributions of related forms
• Variation will be found within these defined
  types
• Identification of ranges or production within
  collective norms
• Or, variation in production of idealizations is
  due to differential knapping skills, material
  characteristics or other circumstance

10
Templates Ideal Forms

• Classification depends upon imposition of
  consistent, explicit rules for characterizing
  basic design
• An important measure is characterization of
  outline
• And, characterization of symmetry as assessment
  of strict design parameters
• Cultural templates manipulate variables of shape,
  symmetry and surface reduction

11
Abstract Measures

• Complex cultural forms, produced by artisans
  working with scripts within schemata, can be
  characterized as simple geometric shapes
• Lines and nodes reduce formal complexity to
  something easily measured
• Reduction of complexity allows elegant, explicit
  measures of outlines, proportions and ratios

12
Multidimensional Scaling
13
Columbia PlateauTypes Defined as Concept Maps
Lanceolate Relationships
14
Columbia Plateau Types Defined as Concept Maps
Triangular Relations
15
Plateau Cultural Sequence
16
(No Transcript)
17
Projectile Point Sequence Morphological Groups

• Seven Projectile Point Series are Defined for the
  Columbia Plateau
• 1. Lanceolate (Paleoindian)
• 2. Lanceolate (Early and Middle Archaic)
• 3. Shouldered Lanceolate (Late Paleoindian)
• 4. Shouldered Triangular (Early and Middle
  Archaic)
• 5. Corner-notched and Basal-notched Triangular
  (Early and Middle Archaic)
• 6. Large Side-notched Triangular (Early-Middle
  Archaic)
• 7. Small Side-notched Triangular (Late Archaic)

18
Lohse (1985) Morphological Groups
19
Paleoindian Period

• Fluted Lanceolate and Plano Series Projectile
  Point Types

20
Fluted Lanceolate Points Clovis

• Description large lanceolate projectile point
  with a deep concave flute removed from the basal
  margin.
• Type Site Blackwater Draw (Sellards 1952)
• Temporal Range 12-11,000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Clovis series wide range of forms
  held indicative of specific areas

Cast of a Blackwater Draw Clovis http//www.ele.ne
t/Carl/intro.htm
21
Clovis Found on the Columbia Plateau

• Richey-Roberts cache contains the largest sample
  of Clovis points and the only site with intact
  Clovis deposits (Mehringer 1989)

22
Plano Series The Plains Perspective
Clovis Folsom Agate Angostura
Alberta Eden Scottsbluff
Basin
http//www.nebraskastudies.org/0200/frameset_reset
.html?http//www.nebraskastudies.org/ 0200/stories
/0201_0111.html
23
Plano Points on the Columbia Plateau

• Plano Period projectile points replaced the
  earlier fluted Clovis and Folsom types and show a
  much wider range for forms and sizes
• Characteristic forms
• Simple Lanceolate forms (Windust, Cascade)
• Shouldered Lanceolate forms (Lind Coulee,
  Haskett, Windust)

24
Recognized Plano Types Found on the Columbia
Plateau
Haskett
Agate Basin
Hell Gap

• Haskett type, Butler 1964, 1967 Hell Gap type,
  Agogino 1961, 1985 Agate Basin, Irwin-Williams
  1973 Lind Coulee type, Daugherty 1956

25
Lind Coulee

• Description large shouldered lanceolate form
  with elongate stem and sloping to squared
  shoulders
• Type Site Lind Coulee (Daugherty 1956)
• Temporal Range c.10000-9000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Lind Coulee is a recognizable types
  within a general Late Paleoindian shouldered
  lanceolate series

26
Lind Coulee Variants

• Daugherty (1956246-247) defined three styles of
  chipped stone projectile points in the Lind
  Coulee Assemblage. 
• Stemmed points with tapered stems, rounded
  shoulders, and a convex base stemmed points with
  sharp lateral shoulders and stemmed points with
  parallel-sided stems.
• Irwin and Moody (1978257 believed these
  different styles represented variations of a
  basic Lind Coulee Point type that could be
  defined as " a well-made leafshaped point with
  weak to distinct shoulders and a stem with
  slightly converging sides and a convex base.

http//www.archaeology.wsu.edu/lind_coulee/site_in
terpretations.htm
27
Windust Series
Recognized Windust series projectile points
left, Windust unstemmed others, stemmed and
stemmed, indented base points.
Ames et al. 1998 Fig. 2.
28
Windust A

• Description squat lanceolate projectile point
  with straight to contracting stem and straight
  base
• Type Site Windust Caves (Rice 1965) Marmes
  Rockshelter (Rice 1972)
• Temporal Range c10000-9000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Windust Series, Type A refer to Types
  B and C

29
Windust B

• Description squat lanceolate projectile point
  with broad, straight to contracting stem and
  concave to notched base
• Type Site Windust Caves (Rice 1965) Marmes
  Rockshelter (Rice 1972)
• Temporal Range c.10000-9000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Windust Series, Type B refer to Types
  A and C

30
Windust C

• Description squat lanceolate projectile point
  with deeply concave or notched base
• Type Site Windust Caves (Rice 1965) Marmes
  Rockshelter (Rice 1972)
• Temporal Range c.10000-9000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Windust Series, Type C refer to Types
  A and B

31
Archaic Period

• Five Series Lanceolate, Shouldered Lanceolate,
  Corner-removed Triangular, Corner-notched and
  Basal-notched Triangular

32
Cascade Series
Cascade series projectile points.
Ames et al. 1998 Fig. 2.
33
Cascade A

• Description broad lanceolate projectile point,
  with a rounded to convex base
• Type Site Indian Wells (Butler 1961)
• Temporal Range c.8000-5000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Cascade Series, Type A refer to Types
  B and C

34
Cascade B

• Description slender lanceolate projectile point
  with a concave base
• Type Site Marmes Rockshelter (Rice 1972)
• Temporal Range c.8500-7500 B.P.
• Phylogeny Cascade Series, Type B refer to Types
  A and C

35
Cascade C

• Description slender lanceolate projectile point,
  often serrated
• Type Site Indian Wells (Butler 1961)
• Temporal Range c.8000-5000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Cascade Series, Type C refer to Types
  A and B

36
Cascade Series Concept Map
37
Core Types within the Concept Map Marmes
Rockshelter
38
Mahkin Shouldered

• Description shouldered lanceolate projectile
  point of variable size and stem treatment
• Type Sites Windust Caves (H. Rice 1965) Marmes
  Rockshelter (D. Rice 1969, 1970, 1972) 45-OK-11
  (Lohse 1984)
• Temporal Range c. 8-2500 B.P.
• Phylogeny most likely a continuation of Late
  Plano shouldered lanceolate morphology

39
Cold Springs Side-notched

• Description large side-notched projectile point
  with straight to concave base.
• Type Site Cold Springs (Shiner 1961)
• Temporal Range c.6000-4000 B.P.
• Phylogeny Cold Springs Side-notched is part of a
  large, variable series of side-notched triangular
  points.

40
Plateau Side-notched

• Description small side-notched projectile point
  with straight to concave base
• Type Site Not identified.
• Temporal Range c.1500-200 B.P.
• Phylogeny Plateau Side-notched is part of a very
  large, highly variable series of small
  side-notched points marking the late prehistoric
  period.

41
Nespelem Bar

• Description slightly shouldered triangular
  projectile point with variable basal morphology
• Type sites 45-OK-11 (Lohse 1984), 45-OK-258
  (Jaehnig 1985)
• Temporal range c. 5000-3000 B.P.
• Phylogeny this form is often subsumed under the
  Rabbit Island Stemmed Series

42
Rabbit Island Stemmed A

• Description a distinctive, thin triangular
  projectile point, often serrated, with square
  shoulders and well-defined straight to
  contracting stems
• Type sites Shalkop site (Swanson 1962), Sunset
  Creek site (Nelson 1969)
• Temporal range c. 4000-2000 B.P.
• Phylogeny temporal ranges overlap with the
  Nespelem Bar and Columbia Corner-notched A types

43
Rabbit Island Stemmed B

• Description small, thin triangular point with
  square shoulders, straight to incurvate lateral
  margins and sharply contracting stems
• Type sites Shalkop site (Swanson 1962), Sunset
  Creek site (C. Nelson 1969), Wanapum Dam (Greengo
  1982)
• Temporal range c. 3000-1500 B.P.
• Phylogeny a smaller and more delicate version of
  the Rabbit Island Stemmed A type

44
Columbia Corner-notched A

• Description large corner-notched triangular
  projectile point with straight to expanding stems
• Type Sites Marmes Rockshelter (Rice 1969, 1972)
  Granite Point Locality (Leonhardy 1970)
• Temporal Range c.5000-2500 B.P.
• Phylogeny Columbia C-n A is an early form in a
  series of corner points spanning the last 5000
  years

45
Columbia Corner-notched B

• Description small corner-notched triangular
  projectile points with straight to expanding
  stems
• Type Sites Granite Point Locality (Leonhardy
  1970) Sunset Creek (Nelson 1969)
• Temporal Range c.2000-150 B.P.
• Phylogeny smaller version of Columbia C-n A and
  later in the prehistoric sequence

46
Quilomene Bar Corner-notched

• Description large corner-notched triangular
  projectile points with deep, broad corner notches
• Type Sites Marmes Rockshelter (Rice 1969, 1972)
  Sunset Creek Site (Nelson 1969)
• Temporal Range c.3000-2000 B.P.
• Phylogeny part of the general corner-notched
  series larger more massive points than Columbia
  C-n A

47
Wallula Rectangular Stemmed

• Description small corner-notched triangular
  projectile points with straight, elongate stems
• Type Sites Sunset Creek (Nelson 1969) Wanapum
  Dam (Greengo 1982)
• Temporal Range c.2000-1500 B.P.
• Phylogeny small, late form in the general
  corner-notched series long straight stem
  distinguishes this from Columbia Corner-notched B

48
Quilomene Bar Basal-notched A

• Description large basal-notched projectile
  points with long square barbs
• Type Sites Sunset Creek (Nelson 1969) Wanapum
  Dam (Greengo 1982)
• Temporal Range c.2000-1500 B.P.
• Phylogeny these are the earliest forms in the
  basal-notched series marking the late prehistoric
  period compare to Columbia Stemmed A, B and C

49
Quilomene Bar Basal-notched B

• Description large basal-notched triangular
  projectile point with tapering barbs and
  expanding stem
• Type Sites Sunset Creek (Nelson 1969) Wanapum
  Dam (Greengo 1982)
• Temporal Range c.2500-1500 B.P.
• Phylogeny form is a more delicate version of
  Quilomene Bar B-n A and coeval in age.

50
Columbia Stemmed A

• Description delicate, long basal-notched
  triangular projectile points with blunt or square
  barbs
• Type Sites Sunset Creek (Nelson 1969) Wanapum
  Dam (Greengo 1982)
• Temporal Range c.2000-150 B.P.
• Phylogeny this form is a part of the distinctive
  Columbia Stemmed Series refer to Columbia
  Stemmed B and C

51
Columbia Stemmed B

• Description small, delicate basal-notched
  projectile points with sharp barbs and expanding
  stems
• Type Sites Sunset Creek (Nelson 1969) Wanapum
  Dam (Greengo 1982)
• Temporal Range c.2000-150 B.P.
• Phylogeny this form is part of the distinctive
  Columbia Stemmed Series refer to Columbia
  Stemmed A and C

52
Columbia Stemmed C

• Description small, squat, delicate basal-notched
  triangular projectile points with open basal
  notches laterally expanding barbs
• Type Sites Sunset Creek (Nelson 1969) Wanapum
  Dam (Greengo 1982)
• Temporal Range c.1500-150 B.P.
• Phylogeny this form is part of the Columbia
  Stemmed series refer to Columbia Stemmed A and B

53
Conclusions

• Chronological Sequence of Recognized Projectile
  Point Styles Core Forms Horizon and Phase
  Markers

54
Summary Chart of Changing Projectile Point Styles
http//www.cr.nps.gov/aad/kennewick/ames_fig_26.ht
m
55
Columbia Plateau Templates Core Forms

• Shared Intermountain West forms
• Fluted forms Clovis and Folsom
• Plano forms variable shouldered and unshouldered
  lanceolates
• Medium-sized triangular forms shouldered, side-,
  corner- and basal-notched
• Smaller triangular forms side-notched, corner-
  and basal-notched

• Core Types, Columbia Plateau
• Plano series (Haskett and Lind Coulee)
• Windust series
• Cascade series
• Rabbit Island Stemmed series
• Columbia Stemmed series
• possible distinctions enhance measurement
  systems to capture types within larger, less
  diagnostic groupings

56
Horizon and Phase Markers