Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography, Geology, and Anthropology

First Advisor

C. Russell Stafford

Second Advisor

Katheen Heath

Third Advisor

Gregory Bierly

Abstract

A variety of subsurface methods have been used to discover and evaluate buried archaeological occupations. Researchers such as Stafford (1993,1995) have proposed that micro artifacts are an effective means of defining the archaeological stratigraphy of deposits, but only limited evaluation of this approach has been undertaken. This study tested the utility of microartifacts within a range of sample size and site density characteristics at three Ohio Valley archaeological sites buried within early and late Holocene age landforms. Occupations were typically detected in unit-to-core comparisons, within acceptable margins of error, and microartifacts often revealed a more complex stratigraphy than reflected by macroartifacts. Microartifacts also successfully tracked deposits across a site, in larger-scale comparisons, by tracing higher artifact densities across a landform. Microanalysis provided information on peak artifact densities, topographic trends (e.g., slope), preservation conditions, and materials present. The study also suggests that factors such as material density, site function, and artifact clustering have as much or more impact on the successful recovery and accurate interpretations of microartifact data as does age oflandforms and disturbance processes. Sample volume is also of primary importance. Microanalysis has become more practical and cost efficient than in the past, but through additional study and application the technique may be further refined.

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