Francis P. McManamon

A History of Flint-Knapping Experimentation, 1838-1976 [and Comments and Reply]

The earliest experiments were conducted to discover how to produce chipped stone tools using nonmetallic knapping tools. By 1880, the major perceived problems were solved: ancient stone tools were made by direct stone percussion, later tools might be finished by pressure flaking with an antler tine, and flakes, since they could be duplicated by natural forces, should be accepted as man-made only when found in quantity and made to a pattern. In the 1890s, in America, the acceptance of the European Paleolithic as genuine led to many wild claims about the age of American bifaces, and experimentation was aimed at proving that American bifaces were not ancient. The majority of publications between 1900 and 1919 concern the eolith controversy and present a clear case of argument and counterargument. The balance of evidence suggests that eoliths are not artifacts. Major in the 1920s was L. Coutiers experimentally informed discussion of the evolution of European lithic technology. The 30s are important in producing a number of detailed studies of particular lithic industries. Efficient archaeologist-knappers are found in France, England, and America; unfortunately, they seem to have little contact with one another. On the eoliths, Wen Chung Peis 1936 report is so superb that it should never again have been necessary to argue their relative merits. Several publications of the 1940s indicate that previous experimentation is being forgotten and therefore repeated. However, by their excellence, H. Holmes Elliss opus on all known methods of knapping stone and W. J. Knowless description of the manufacture of a point from core to final basal notching partially redeem the decade. The 1950s are a period of consolidation in which little new work is pursued but that which has been learned reaches a larger audience. By 1960 the major lines of research pursued by present knappers were well established. The years since 1960 have seen an explosive growth in lithic experimentation accompanied by increasing sophistication and greater impact on archaeological studies of lithic industries.

Archaeological messages and messengers

Abstract Archaeological resources include important places and objects of commemoration and remembrance. Properly investigated, they provide interpretations of pasts that are often inaccessible otherwise. Although there seems to be an inherent public curiosity about and interest in archaeology and archaeological resources, the nature of these are not well understood. Also, we know very little about how the public absorbs information about archaeology. Information on both of these topics is being accumulated, but much remains to be learned and utilized. Public outreach should be, and increasingly is, in fact, an important consideration in all professional archeological studies. Professional archaeologists in all branches of the discipline should engage in public outreach according to their abilities and opportunities. They also should support such efforts by their colleagues.

Cultural resource management in contemporary society: Perspectives on managing and presenting the past

This innovative collection of essays from an international range of contributors describes various means of preserving, protecting and presenting vital cultural resources within the context of economic development, competing claims of ownership of particular cultural resources, modern uses of structures and space, and other aspects of late twentieth-century life.

Repatriation in the USA: A decade of federal agency activities under NAGPRA

Inspired by a key session for the World Archaeological Congress in South Africa, The Dead and their Possessions is the first book to tackle the principle, policy and practice of repatriating museum artefacts, rather than cultural heritage in general. Increasingly, indigenous people world-wide are asserting their fundamental right to determine the future of the human remains of their ancestors, and are requesting their return, often for reburial, with varying degrees of success. This repatriation campaign has become hugely significant in universities and museums where human remains uncovered through archaeological excavation have been retained for the scientific study of past populations. This book will be invaluable to those involved in the collection and repatriation of remains and cultural objects to indigenous groups.

Introduction: Considering cultural resource management in modern society

This innovative collection of essays from an international range of contributors describes various means of preserving, protecting and presenting vital cultural resources within the context of economic development, competing claims of ownership of particular cultural resources, modern uses of structures and space, and other aspects of late twentieth-century life.

Prehistoric Land Use on Outer Cape Cod

Abstract Preliminary analysis of archeological survey data indicates that prehistoric use of coastal southern New England (represented by outer Cape Cod, Massachusetts) was year-round and more diverse than has been suggested by the traditional emphasis on coastal shell middens. Prehistoric settlement seems to have been concentrated mainly at a few locations with large, intervening unsettled areas. A stratified random sampling strategy allowed estimates of the relative frequency of different kinds and magnitudes of activities in and between the intensively settled sections. Quantitative analysis of the lithic assemblages and structural characteristics of discovered sites permitted inferences about the kinds and intensity of prehistoric activities.

tDAR A Cultural Heritage Archive for Twenty-First-Century Public Outreach, Research, and Resource Management

ABSTRACT Hundreds of thousands of archaeological investigations in the United States conducted over the last several decades have documented a large portion of the recovered archaeological record in the United States. However, if we are to use this enormous corpus to achieve richer understandings of the past, it is essential that both CRM and academic archaeologists change how they manage their digital documents and data over the course of a project and how this information is preserved for future use. We explore the nature and scope of the problem and describe how it can be addressed. In particular, we argue that project workflows must ensure that the documents and data are fully documented and deposited in a publicly accessible, digital repository where they can be discovered, accessed, and reused to enable new insights and build cumulative knowledge. Cientos de miles de investigaciones arqueológicas en los Estados Unidos realizado en las últimas décadas han documentado una gran parte del registro arqueológico recuperado en los Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, si vamos a utilizar este enorme corpus para lograr entendimientos más ricos del pasado, es esencial que CRM y los arqueólogos académicos cambian cómo administran sus documentos digitales y los datos en el transcurso de un proyecto y cómo se conserva esta información para uso en el futuro. Exploramos la naturaleza y el alcance del problema y describimos cómo se pueden abordarse. En particular, sostenemos que los flujos de trabajo de proyecto deben asegurarse que los documentos y datos son totalmente documentados y depositados en un repositorio digital de acceso público, donde puede ser descubiertos, acceder y reutilizados para activar nuevos conocimientos y construir conocimiento acumulativo.

Values-Based Management of Archaeological Resources at a Landscape Scale

Abstract Public agencies at all levels of government and other organizations that manage archaeological resources often face the problem of many undertakings that collectively impact large numbers of individually significant archaeological resources. Such situations arise when an agency is managing a large area, such as a national forest, land management district, park unit, wildlife refuge, or military installation. These situations also may arise in regard to large-scale development projects, such as energy developments, highways, reservoirs, transmission lines, and other major infrastructure projects that cover substantial areas. Over time, the accumulation of impacts from small-scale projects to individual archaeological resources may degrade landscape or regional-scale cultural phenomena. Typically, these impacts are mitigated at the site level without regard to how the impacts to individual resources affect the broader population of resources. Actions to mitigate impacts rarely are designed to do more than avoid resources or ensure some level of data recovery at single sites. Such mitigation activities are incapable of addressing research question at a landscape or regional scale.

Promoting an archaeological perspective: A response to Cornelius Holtorf

In his thoughtful comment on my article, Archaeological messages and messengers, which appeared in the first issue of this journal, Cornelius Holtorf takes me to task for spouting dismissive polemics and being possessed of a singular view of archaeological interpretation that would exclude all except professionals from the practice of the discipline, or the right to their own interpretations of the archaeological record. I believe this is a misinterpretation of my article. I hope this response, following on Holtorfs comment, will give greater clarity to the points I was trying to make in the original article. The main point of Archaeological messages and messengers is that professional archaeologists and others who believe that historical and scientific archaeological methods and techniques provide an informative and valuable view of the past need to promote this point of view more avidly. Archaeological data rarely are accessible or understandable to untrained observers. Archaeological sites more often than not are invisible or very difficult to discern. Archaeological methods, techniques and interpretations based upon them usually are not readily apparent or understandable to one and all. So, it is not surprising that people without archaeological training need some help via an archaeological perspective in order to understand the past. In addition, translations of professional concepts, quantitative and scientific analysis often are necessary. Even the visual appearance of archaeological resources typically requires interpretation. Nearly 20 years ago, I was involved in the excavation of a prehistoric ossuary, a multiple, secondary burial in which were interred the remains of over 50

Documenting, disseminating and archiving data from the Teotihuacan Mapping Project

The Teotihuacan Mapping Project (TMP) provided vast quantities of invaluable data to our understanding of this famous ancient city. The ‘Documenting, Disseminating, and Archiving Data from the Teotihuacan Mapping Project’ aims to analyse, re-examine and ultimately coalesce TMP data for entry into The Digital Archaeological Record.