Interpreting Prehistoric Human Behavior at Rockshelters from Sub-Meter Spatial Data

Abstract

Traditional archeological approaches to rockshelter sites in the Middle Atlantic region have mostly focused on culture history and the interpretation of human behavior from assemblage-based analyses, with little regard for important spatial relationships between artifact distributions and the natural features of the rockshelters themselves. Sub-meter provenience accuracy and attention to small-sized debris are keys to linking archaeological spatial structure to behavioral context. The study of two upland rockshelters in Pennsylvania demonstrates the advantages of using detailed excavation techniques and analyses to interpret on-site behaviors.