Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Earth Sciences

Committee Chair

Ryan Parish

Committee Member

David Dye

Committee Member

Youngsang Kwon

Committee Member

Diana M. Greenlee

Committee Member

Philip J. Carr

Abstract

The dissertation research focuses on the analysis of chert assemblages from eight Middle Archaic, Late Archaic, and Poverty Point sites in the Lower Mississippi Valley region to investigate the temporal patterns of toolstone acquisition and use during the Archaic period. The Poverty Point site and affiliated sites, which together are known as the Poverty Point culture, are well-known for their diverse collection of non-local lithic materials. The goal of the project is to determine the location of the parent formations from which the raw materials were obtained and to investigate whether the patterns of non-local toolstone source utilization are an enigma or an heir of long-standing traditions in the deeper prehistory of the region. The chipped stone artifacts and geologic samples were analyzed using Visible/Near-Infrared and Fourier-Transform Infrared reflectance spectroscopy. The raw materials used in the comparison library were sampled from deposits stretching across the Southeast, Mid-South, and Mid-West, even at the earliest sites under investigation. Non-local and local raw materials were deposited in the archaeological record at the same stages of reduction without consideration for the distance the material had traveled.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Embargoed until 5/28/2026

Available for download on Thursday, May 28, 2026

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