Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Peacock, Evan

Committee Member

Rafferty, Janet E.

Committee Member

Herrmann, Nicholas P.

Date of Degree

5-7-2016

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Applied Anthropology

Degree Name

Master of Arts

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures

Abstract

Using flake dimensions and attributes commonly agreed are associated with site use, occupation age, and occupation duration, it was argued that relative estimations of site function and occupation age could be determined using debitage. This is particularly beneficial for assemblages that have little to no diagnostics that could provide a general cultural period for one or more occupations at a site. The results of this study suggest that, although certain attributes are generally associated with lithic production stage, relative age, and duration indicators, they were not all applicable within this study. The methods employed were relatively successful; however, reducing the number of classes, removing of a dimension, and more sites that meet the definition of lithic scatter is needed. Furthermore, testing occupation duration using the number of breaks on a flake is not possible unless it is proven a single occupation site.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19279

Comments

Occupation Age||platform morphology||cortex||dorsal scar||flake size||Site Use||attribute analysis||lithic scatter||heat treatment||raw material||Bray-Curtis (Polar) Ordination

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