Flaked Lithic Tools: Temporal-Spatial Dataset

The Reductive Technologies Group (RTG) was responsible for supporting the broad research goals of the DAP through the implementation of mid-level research design governing the collection and analysis of data from “artifacts which were manufactured by reductive, or subtractive techniques” (Phagan 1986a: 79). The RTG was headed by Roger A. Moore between 1978 and 1979; Carl J. Phagan assumed this position from 1979 to 1985, with the assistance of T. Homer Hruby between 1980 and 1984. Supporting work was provided by crew chiefs Gail G. Snyder and Phillip D. Neusius. Through two integrated analytic systems, the Reductive Technologies Group provided the “maximum latitude” (Phagan 1986a:81) needed to meet the scope of DAP research spanning the General Research Design (Phagan 1986b), Modeling Effort (Lipe 1981), and the 1978 Lithics Research Design (Knudson 1980). Stone tools represent a fairly stable cultural subsystem and significant changes in their production and use are not anticipated during the nearly 300 years of Anasazi occupation in the project area (ibid: 6). Analysis of their technological or functional characteristics has, however, provided meaningful information regarding the spatial and structural variability in Anasazi behavior. In the preliminary analysis system, a number of attribute categories were created for the purpose of documenting variability in the reductive techniques which give tools their utility. There are two basic types of stone tools recognized by the RTG; those characterized by useful surfaces and those with useful edges (Phagan and Hurby 1984:32). The functional edges of flaked-lithic tools are typically formed through abrading and grinding or flaking techniques and for the most part, are used for chopping, scraping, or cutting tasks. Refining the terms used to adequately and accurately characterize these edges, the adjoining surfaces which create them, and the objects on which they occur was an important goal of the RTG. Since lithic technology can be considered to extend beyond the aspects of production, the preliminary analysis system also includes several variables which incorporate aspects raw material procurement and tool use. Intensive analysis further differentiated between projectile points and flaked items exhibiting patterns of microwear. Additional variables, recorded during a series of RTG substantive studies (Phagan 1984a, 1984b; Vierra and Phagan 1984; Orth and Phagan 1984) and the DAP modeling project (Lipe 1984), comprise a third system of synthetic analysis.

The DAP flaked-lithic tool dataset is organized by attribute rather than complete item; it is the product of what Phagan and Hurby consider to be "an integrated set of procedures applied at different analytical intensities to technological categories of items in response to a flexible but limited range of archaeological concerns" (1984:6). As with all DAP datasets, flaked lithic tools come with basic provenience data that minimally includes components of their corresponding Smithsonian site number, a field specimen number, catalog number, and point location number if applicable.

In this case, a set of accepted conventions and terminology for describing and quantifying patterns in the archaeological record of the DAP area, otherwise known as program systematics in the DAP reports, has also been appended to the flaked-lithic tools dataset. The DAP systematics "package" actually incorporates a complimentary set of temporal, spatial, and site typological units into a "common frame of reference" (Kane 1986:353) for navigating the archaeological record of the project. These units have, in a sense, been converted into attributes and made available to users in a single location. The size and complexity of the temporal-spatial files such as this one are consequences of reducing a vast amount of archaeological data into a theoretical-based matrix of space and time. As a result, the interpretive power of these files should not be taken lightly (Wilshusen et al. 1999:147-148); but when used appropriately, the DAP's program systematics defines and develops the plot, and even delineates the chapters, of the historic narrative detailing this portion of the Dolores River Valley” ((Wilshusen et al. 1999:33).

Temporal-spatial designations for each item in the flaked-lithic tools dataset, supported by multiple lines of evidence, will be indicated by high confidence values; low ranked values are supported by “best guesses” and the experience of crew-members making the determination. Undisturbed cultural deposits provide the best contextual evidence for making temporal-spatial assignments and will be denoted by high integrity values. Items recovered from deposits containing increasingly higher proportions of extraneous materials will be represented by lower integrity values.

Variables for the flaked-lithic tool: temporal-spatial dataset have been described by Wilshusen et al. (1999); see especially the section entitled "Flaked Lithic Artifacts" by Sarah B. Barber in Chapter 3. In most cases, hear descriptions are suitable for use as metadata and have been repeated almost verbatim here. Selected resources from the collection of published and unpublished DAP reports have been used for clarification in some cases and are appropriately referenced. The complexity of the temporal-spatial files is only minimally outlined here; anyone attempting to use the flaked-lithic tools temporal-spatial dataset should first consult Wilshusen et al. (1999:31-42) and Kane (1986:353-435).