PROTEIN RESIDUE ANALYSIS OF ARTIFACTS FROM THE MIFFLINVILLE PROJECT, SITES 36C017 AND 36C018, PENNSYLVANIA

Forty lithic artifacts from Sites 36C017 and 36C018 along the Susquehanna River in eastern Pennsylvania were submitted for protein residue analysis. Site 36C017 is believed to represent a fish procurement and processing station, with the earliest evidence of use during the Middle Archaic period. The site also experienced intensive use during the Late Archaic and Terminal Archaic periods, with episodic occupations during the Late Woodland period. Initial use of Site 36C018 is believed to have occurred during the Early Archaic period, and episodic occupations continued to the Late Woodland period. The artifacts from these two sites were tested against five fish and four animal antisera to determine possible fish and animal resources that may have been utilized. Because no soil controls were available for testing, positive results obtained from these artifacts cannot be considered conclusive evidence for use.

本次研究共征集宾夕法尼亚州东部萨斯奎汉纳河沿岸36C017与36C018两处遗址的40件石质遗存（lithic artifacts），用于开展蛋白质残留物分析（protein residue analysis）。其中遗址36C017被认为是一处鱼类获取与加工场所，其最早使用年代可追溯至中古风期（Middle Archaic period），晚古风期（Late Archaic period）与终古风期（Terminal Archaic period）均经历了高强度使用，晚林地期（Late Woodland period）则存在阶段性驻留活动。遗址36C018的初始使用年代被判定为早古风期（Early Archaic period），且直至晚林地期均有阶段性驻留行为。研究团队针对这两处遗址出土的遗存，采用五种鱼类抗血清与四种动物抗血清开展免疫检测，以推断当时可能被开发利用的鱼类与动物资源。由于未获取可供检测的土壤对照样品（soil controls），因此本次实验得到的阳性结果不能作为该遗存被实际使用的确凿证据。