Embedded and Direct Lithic Resource Procurement Strategies on Anderson Mesa

Abstract

Puebloan groups have never been noted for an abundance of formal stone tools. The preponderance of expedient implements made from locally available lithic resources highlights the occasional occurrence of formalized artifacts and exotic raw materials. This study explores such a dichotomy by examining the structure and content of lithic assemblages from Chavez Pass and a number of neighboring sites to define contrasting patterns of procurement and production. Lithic resources obtained through embedded procurement are distinguished from those obtained by direct procurement and exchange. Specialized procurement mechanisms evidently were developed for panregional distribution of two types of high-quality raw material—chalcedony and obsidian. These mechanisms provide a marked contrast to other, more casual strategies of resource acquisition and indicate the need to explore alternatives to embedded procurement in the study of complex, sedentary societies.