Publication Date

5-13-1975

Abstract

In archaeology, the concept of technology has, heretofore, been utilized primarily as a descriptive vehicle for comparing prehistoric flaking techniques. This dissertation demonstrates that prehistoric technology can be adequately and accurately identified and defined by quantitative techniques; further, that the particular technology, the Julian Technology, from the Fisherman Lake archaeological locality, can be explained in terms of functional specificity. Analyses of six archaeological sites and their contents incorporated statistical analysis of metric attributes taken on flaking detritus. Initially, the attributes which were significantly different between Julian and non-Julian materials were identified. Subsequently, a hypothetical relationship between these attributes and the morphology of the finished artifacts was determined and a model of functional specificity was constructed. The predictive statements underlying the validity of the model were tested through analyses of artifact morphology, edge morphology of artifacts, use scars observed, extent of debitage materials, site location and environment, artifact frequency distribution and artifact location within the site. By these analyses, it was demonstrated that the existence of the predefined Julian Technology could be quantitatively validated by means of comparative morphology, that specific metric attributes are sufficient for identification of this technology, and that this specific technology can be explained in terms of task specificity which was wood working.

Project Sponsors

The Graduate Research Fund at The University of New Mexico and Dr. James F. V. Millar, Head of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, the University of Saskatchewan

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Anthropology

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Anthropology

First Committee Member (Chair)

John Martin Campbell

Second Committee Member

William James Judge

Third Committee Member

J. Stanley Rhine

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