Microartifact Analysis and Site Formation of a Mississippian House Floor at Wickliffe Mounds, Kentucky

Homsey-Messer, Lara; Humkey, Kayce

doi:10.1179/2168472315y.0000000010

Cited by 8 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The Avery Lake Pb isotope results demonstrate that Mississippian galena use was a source of environmental pollution that remains as legacy pollution today. Archaeological evidence indicates that galena was commonly crushed and that the metallic powder was ritually used as a cosmetic or to adorn sacred objects and/or structures (Homsey-Messer and Humkey, 2016;Walthall, 1981). It is therefore most likely that the source of Pb pollution in Avery Lake was galena powder that was washed or blown into the lake after its use and/or as part of its production by grinding.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pre-Columbian lead pollution from Native American galena processing and land use in the midcontinental United States

Bird

Wilson

Escobar

et al. 2019

Geology

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The presence and sources of pre-Columbian (before 1492 CE) lead (Pb) pollution in the midcontinental United States were investigated using geochemical and Pb isotope analyses on sediment cores recovered from Avery Lake, a floodplain lake located directly adjacent to the Kincaid Mounds archaeological site on the lower Ohio River, Illinois. Geochemical results indicate the presence of Pb pollution during the Baumer (300 BCE to 300 CE) and Mississippian (1150–1450 CE) occupations, and since the 1800s. Pb isotope results link Mississippian Pb pollution to the processing and use of galena primarily from southeastern and/or central Missouri, and to a lesser extent the upper Mississippi River valley, with ∼1.5 t (metric tons) of galena-derived Pb deposited in Avery Lake during this time. Pb pollution during the Baumer phase, equating to ∼0.4 t of Pb, was not accompanied by a Pb isotope excursion and most likely originated from local biomass burning. These results provide new information about the environmental impacts associated with pre-Columbian Native Americans’ interaction with and utilization of their landscape and its resources.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pre-Columbian lead pollution from Native American galena processing and land use in the midcontinental United States

Bird

Wilson

Escobar

et al. 2019

Geology

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“…Because the use-surface matrices were never deep, average sample size ranged from 1 to 3.5 liters, and the resulting extraction square rarely penetrated more than 1 to 3 cm (cf. Homsey-Messer and Humkey 2016).…”

Section: Microartifact Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since microartifacts are too small to be easily gathered and are therefore often trampled into the soil matrixes of ancient surfaces (Metcalf and Heath 1990; Murray 1980; Rosen 1989; Schiffer 1983, 1987), these tiny fragments of culturally significant debris are likely to remain in or near the context where they were originally produced (Chenault 2002; Foster 2012; Homsey-Messer and Ortmann 2016; Parker 2012; Pawlikowski 2010; Rainville 2005, 2015; Ullah 2009, 2012). The basic assumption underlying the methodology discussed in this article is, therefore, that, in most cases, microartifacts found in primary contexts are the direct residue of human action, and that their density and distribution reflect the spatial patterning of the behaviors that produced them (Chenault 2002; Homsey-Messer and Humkey 2016; Pawlikowski 2010; Rainville 2012; Sherwood 2001).…”

Section: Microartifact Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microartifacts were separated from noncultural debris and sorted into seven broad material categories, including ceramics, bone, lithics, charcoal, shell, microbotanicals, and “special” remains (cf. Chenault 2002; Homsey-Messer and Humkey 2016; Parker 2012, Parker et al 2009; Rainville 2005, 2015; Ullah 2012). Some of these categories could be further divided.…”

Section: Microartifact Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this article, we address this problem through the collection and analysis of microartifacts. Microartifacts, otherwise referred to as microdebris, microrefuse, or microresidue, consist of tiny (yet visible) pieces of ceramic, bone, chipped stone, shell, and other remains that become embedded in archaeological contexts as a result of human activity (Homsey-Messer and Humkey 2016; Sherwood 2001). 2…”

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confidence: 99%

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Fragments of the Past

Parker

Sharratt

2017

Adv. archaeol. pract.

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Microartifact analysis, the study of the density and distribution of tiny (yet visible) fragments of ceramics, bone, worked stone, and other microartifacts, offers a promising solution to the challenges of determining the location and nature of activity areas at archaeological sites. In spite of the fact that microartifact analysis has been successfully applied at sites in North America and the Middle East, archaeologists have yet to recognize the utility of this methodology in most of the rest of the world. The purpose of this article is, therefore, to test whether this methodology can be profitably applied in the southern Andes. To do so, we describe the results of microartifact sampling, processing, and analytical techniques that we applied to two phases of occupation at the site of Tumilaca la Chimba in southern Peru. The results of the research outlined in this article suggest that microartifact analysis is an effective analytical technique that can contribute greatly to archaeological praxis.

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Tracing the spatial organization and activity zones of an Early Mediaeval homestead at the Pohansko stronghold (Czechia) by combining geophysics and geochemical mapping

Prišťáková

Adameková

Petřík

et al. 2023

Archaeological Prospection

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Geoarchaeological prospection techniques were applied to identify activity zones and the inner structure of a homestead at the Early Mediaeval site Pohansko near Břeclav (Czechia). By a combination of geophysical methods, the spatial distribution of microartefacts, geochemical analysis and multivariate statistical analysis, we outlined various manifestations of anthropogenic activity. We examined obtained data by Spearman's correlation coefficient, spatial autocorrelation (Global Moran's I) and robust Principal component analysis to identify the spatial pattern of the area. Recognized joint presence of heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Cu) and elements related mostly to organic matter, waste and ashes (S, P and Ca) as well as a small number of slag fragments probably indicate presence of metalworking zones or mixed zones with domestic and industrial debris at the homestead. Further anthropogenic activities could be connected to manuring, animal management or some kind of production activities based on the presence of Mn, P and Cu. Bone and charcoal concentrations supplement the information of geochemical analysis and may indicate the manner of waste management in the peripheral parts of the homestead. In the middle of the homestead, the location of archaeological features indicates an open space in which no specific activity was detected. By means of magnetic susceptibility and judging from the presence of daub, we defined the potential presence of non‐sunken features, which were not recognized by magnetometry. The outcome of the study is yet to be verified by excavation.

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Microartifact Analysis and Site Formation of a Mississippian House Floor at Wickliffe Mounds, Kentucky

Cited by 8 publications

References 13 publications

Pre-Columbian lead pollution from Native American galena processing and land use in the midcontinental United States

Pre-Columbian lead pollution from Native American galena processing and land use in the midcontinental United States

Fragments of the Past

Tracing the spatial organization and activity zones of an Early Mediaeval homestead at the Pohansko stronghold (Czechia) by combining geophysics and geochemical mapping

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