Structural Changes in Archaic Landscape Use in the Dissected Uplands of Southwestern Indiana

Abstract

Structural changes in Archaic landscape use are examined using a large-scale survey data set from the dissected forested uplands of southwest Indiana. Spatial patterning of hafted bifaces, as indicated by proximity to streams of different order and distance from major rivers, was found to vary between the Early and Middle Archaic periods. Early Archaic settlement emphasized the upper reaches and divides of basins, but also included near-river locations, while Middle and later Archaic groups focused on locations near basin outlets and major rivers. These changes are argued to be a function of reduced residential mobility and a shift from a largely foraging to a collecting strategy. Increased travel and processing costs associated with a logistical strategy resulted in a deemphasis of more distant extravalley resource patches. Several explanations for this shift in strategies are explored, including possible increased spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the environment associated with postglacial climate and vegetation change.