Microwear Analysis of a Sample of 100 Chipped Stone Artifacts from the 1971–1977 Excavations at the Seip Earthworks

Abstract

A sample of 100 lithic artifacts from seven excavation blocks at the Seip Earthworks was examined for microwear traces. None of the artifacts from Block VII had any microwear traces, but one third of the artifacts from the other six blocks were used for 35 different tasks. All of the drills, bifaces, and scrapers, as well as 60% of the points, 11% of the cores, 50% of the core rejuvenation flakes, 15% of the bladelets, and 3% of the flakes were examined. Most of the utilized Hopewell artifacts were used on fresh hide and/or meat and bone (32%) or dry hide (26%). Seven artifacts were used on bone, stone, or shell (20%), and two tools were used to work bone or antler (6%). Only one Hopewell artifact was used to cut plants or soft wood (3%). The rest of the utilized artifacts in the Seip sample are probably not associated with the Hopewellian occupations. The tools seem to have been used in an expedient fashion. There was no evidence for specialized activities in any of the Seip structures. Almost all of the lithic artifacts were found in secondary contexts. The range of identified activities is consistent with microwear results from other Hopewell sites, but plant processing and wood-working are underrepresented.