Mobility, migration and projectile point diversity in the Late Paleoindian period of the far Northeast

MacCarthy, Michelle (2003) Mobility, migration and projectile point diversity in the Late Paleoindian period of the far Northeast. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The Late Paleoindian period, roughly dated 10,000 to 8,000 years BP, remains poorly understood in the Northeast. While the Early Paleoindian period is characterized by broad similarities in lithic technology across the region and much of North America, several different 'diagnostic' projectile point types have been identified as characteristic of the Late Paleoindian period in the Northeast. These include lanceolate points similar to contemporaneous specimens from the Great Lakes region, elongate parallel-flaked points, and basally thinned or partially fluted triangular points. What is lacking in the available literature is an attempt to understand, on a regional scale, how these different assemblages relate to one another. Although such an undertaking is hindered by the relatively small number of identified sites and a lack of radiocarbon dates, this paper reassesses the available data for the period to examine possible cultural, functional, geographical and temporal explanations for the variety of Late Paleoindian ascribed assemblages in the archaeological record of the Northeast.

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