Rhyolite Use during the Fluted Point Period in New England and Southern Québec

Abstract

ABSTRACTFine-grained volcanic materials, often simply called rhyolites, appear frequently in the chipped stone assemblages of fluted point sites throughout New England and the Maritime provinces of Canada. Despite the quantity of these materials in early sites, patterns of acquisition, use, and transport of these materials remain poorly understood. This study employs X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to explore rhyolite uses in this region. These analyses indicate a diverse suite of these raw materials were used during the fluted point period, the sources of many of which remain unknown to archaeologists. These patterns indicate substantial landscape knowledge among these groups. Additionally, these procurement and use patterns differ substantially from that of red Munsungun chert, indicating two distinct parallel lithic raw material procurement strategies operating in the region during this period.