Procurement and Movement of Lithic Raw Materials in Shawnee Lookout Park, Ohio

Abstract

Using lithic raw material data from the site 33Ha49 in Shawnee Lookout Park in Hamilton County, Ohio, this research explores the role that waterways play in lithic raw material procurement strategies. Explanations for the movement of flaked-stone artifacts include both geological and human processes. Utilizing optimal foraging theory, lithic raw material is considered a type of “currency” and becomes subjected to considerations of risk, energy expenditure, and efficiency. The use of waterways in lithic procurement could offer a way for groups to maximize their gain and acquire quality lithic raw materials. Using visual and petrographic identification techniques, the lithic raw materials were sourced to their locations in the Greater Ohio Valley. Statistical models considered stream location, distance, and quality and demonstrated the importance of streams in the procurement of these lithic raw materials. It was concluded that streams could be viable routes for obtaining lithic raw materials from source areas.