Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology of the Colorado High Country

Preface

xxv Preface This book is about lithic-scatter archaeology in the Rocky Mountains. Lithic scatters in the West are ubiquitous, found during almost every archaeological survey. These sites are also usually a low priority in mitigation or research projects when sites in rockshelters and prehistoric agricultural villages compete for attention . Such priority is often a result of the analytical units provided by the houses in a village or the stratification of excavation in rockshelters; recovered materials can be ordered according to these units. Many archaeologists approach unstratified lithic scatters as if there are no analytical units other than “the site.” I describe several scales of lithic-scatter analysis, from regional to intrasite. Much of what I discuss is methodological; however, I do thrash out some cultural and environmental history of the region. Significant culture change is demonstrated in the temporal patterns of feature construction. That floral and faunal exploitation changed through time is evident. Examination of several lithic scatters excavated outside the region shows considerable variability in artifacts and similarity in the spatial arrangement of features and artifacts. Research now in progress further examines assemblages of stone tools as well as use-wear isolated by the methods advocated in this book. ...