Glacial Erratics as Sources of Lithic Raw Material: The McGregor Site on Long Island, New York

Abstract

For virtually all of the prehistoric period the lithic industry on Long bland and the mainland coast around Long Island Sound was focused primarily on the use of quartz cobbles that are ubiquitous on the region's beaches. However, recent research at the McGregor site on eastern Long Island suggests that small quarries or workshops at isolated glacial erratics also served as an important source of lithic material. Stations such as McGregor provided needed lithic material for manufacturing expedient tools when people were engaged in activities such as hunting and collecting plant foods away from the coastal areas, and thus did not have ready access to quartz cobbles. The identification of the McGregor site broadens our understanding of the range of lithic technology and raw material usage in coastal New York.