Analysis of Lithic Debitage from Fluted Point Sites in Ontario

Abstract

<p>This thesis is concerned with the interpretation of lithic debitage from two fluted point sites in Ontario: the Park-hill and McLeod sites. Given the extremely homogenous nature of the debitage collections, a typological analysis was undertaken. Explanation of the variability between debitage attribute clusters (i.e. debitage types) is based on two factors, namely, the types of tools being altered and the stages and steps in the manufacture of lithic tools from which the debitage was derived.</p> <p>As a result of the above endeavours: (1) hypotheses about the nature of site activities suggested by the lithic tools from a site or site area are tested with information on site activities derived from an examination of the debitage collections; (2) the lithic reduction sequence on the sites examined is partially constructed; (3) the breakdown of this sequence into segments practiced at different loci of activity is documented and discussed; (4) conclusions are presented as to t he relative length of occupation, temporal ordering and association of discrete loci of lithic activities from an examination of the channel flake collection; and (5), the possible significance of some inconsistencies between the relative frequency of certain lithic material types among the debitage and the lithic tool categories is discussed.</p>