Toward More Continuous and Practical Artifact Analyses: Defining and Learning From Key Dimensions of Fort Ancient Triangular Projectile Points in the Miami Valleys

Abstract

Artifact typologies are routinely created, debated, and modified, but too rarely is the goal to focus on small geographic regions and to define key axes of variation. Our goal is to further this practice by examining the utility of a long-standing artifact typology from the U.S. Midwest, one associated with discerning temporal changes in triangular projectile-point forms. Our samples are derived from nine well-dated Fort Ancient villages along the Great and Little Miami Rivers of southwest Ohio and southeast Indiana. Our approach statistically explores numeric and nominal measurements of projectile-point morphology. Findings reveal significant differences among formal variables that are consistent with most of the typology as recently amended by other researchers. However, by focusing on numeric variables, we also have found that there are a series of additional significant temporal changes. Collectively, we identify a series of distinctions in temporal, morphological, and geographical variation among triangular projectile points. Various hypotheses are discussed regarding cultural transmission of the observed changes in projectile points.

Keywords:

• taxonomy
• artifact typology
• triangular projectile points
• Fort Ancient

Acknowledgments

This study was made possible by a grant to the senior author from the National Science Foundation (BCS 1122499). Robert Genheimer (Curator of Archaeology, Cincinnati Museum Center), William Kennedy (Curator of Anthropology, Boonshoft Museum of Discovery), and Bradley Lepper (Curator of Archaeology, Ohio Historical Society) helped immensely by locating and making available the collections used in the study. Andrew Bradbury and Michael Shott provided thorough and insightful reviews of the original manuscript. Penny Drooker and William Lovis read a draft of the nearly complete manuscript, greatly improving the final product. Thomas Emerson expertly moved the manuscript through the review process. Any errors remain our responsibility.