Illuminating Activities at Paleo Crossing (33ME274) Through Microwear Analysis

Abstract

Microwear analysis provides a means to extract important information on the activities conducted at Paleoindian sites from meager assemblages. Microwear analysis was conducted on a sample of 10 tools from the Paleo Crossing site in Medina County, Ohio. Tools analyzed included fluted points, end scrapers, blades, gravers, and unifacial knives. Wear patterns indicated that the tools were used to cut, scrape, engrave, and penetrate (i.e., via a projectile) such materials as soft plant, meat, hide, and bone/antler. Several of the tools were hafted and wear patterns were well developed overall. Based on this pilot study, comparison with microwear studies conducted on sites in the Great Lakes region and beyond suggests that Paleo Crossing provides new information on the number, as well as the types, of Paleoindian tools used to cut soft plant.

Keywords:

• Paleoindian
• Clovis
• microwear

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 58th annual meeting of the Midwest Archaeological Conference in East Lansing, Michigan. I express extreme gratitude to Brian Redmond and the staff at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for allowing me to remove the Paleo Crossing artifacts for study. Metin Eren, Marvin Kay, Grant McCall, Julie Morrow, and Richard Yerkes provided much appreciated feedback and references. Any errors and omissions are my own.