Perhaps one of the most common denominators of all Native American cultures is their knowledge and application of lithic (stone) technology. An understanding of lithic technology is especially important when studying Paleoindians because oftentimes it is one of the few, if not the sole means, for identifing Paleo contexts. The first step involved in lithic tool production is to acquire the raw material. There are many different types of stone, and some are easier to work with than others. Chert is perhaps one of the best types of stone and was perhaps preferred for making projectile points. Other types of stone that were used to make tools are quartz/quartzite, jasper, fkint, shale/greenstone, sandstone, and steatite. Native Americans as early as the Paleoindian Stage would visit stone outcrops to quarry the desired material Americans quarrying stone for producing tools. Illustration provided courtesy of the Alabama Museum of Natural History.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 23:12:43 +0000