The Palaeoindian–Archaic transition in North America: new evidence from Texas

Abstract

The transition from Palaeoindian to Archaic societies in North America is often viewed as a linear progression over a brief but time-transgressive period. New evidence from the Wilson-Leonard site in Texas suggests social experimentation by Palaeoindians over a 2500-year period eventually resulted in Archaic societies. The process was neither short nor linear, and the evidence shows that different but contemporaneous lifeways existed in a variety of locales in the south-central US in the Early Holocene.

Data Recovery and Analysis at the Texas State University Ticket Kiosk Project, Located at 41HY160, Spring Lake, Hays County, Texas

“…Archaeological evidence suggests that, with the exception of bison (Bison antiquus), large animals of earlier times were extinct before 10,000 years ago. Hunters instead began concentrating on deer, antelope, and other game (Bousman et al 2002(Bousman et al , 2004. Reduced mobility is implied by the concentration of extensive deposits in some sites (like Spring Lake), and also by the diversification of point styles.…”

Archaeological Testing at San Marcos Springs (41HY160) for the Texas Rivers Center, Hays County, Texas

“…at Applewhite, the Middle Holocene is often seen as the beginning of the Altithermal drought, marked by reduced rainfall and higher temperatures substantially affecting subsistence and mobility (Nordt 1992;Nordt et al 2002; see also Johnson and Goode 1994;Ellis et al 1995;Bousman et al 2002). At Boriack Bog, the continuous decline of the woodlands in the Early Holocene was briefly reversed around 6000 B.P., but nevertheless continued to decline until 5000 B.P.…”

“…Diagnostic artifacts of the early Paleoindian interval include Clovis and Folsom projectile points. Late Paleoindian period occupations begin with the first stemmed (as opposed to lanceolate) points known as Wilson (Bousman 1998;Bousman et al 2002), and a variety of lanceolate forms such as Angostura, Golondrina, St. Mary's Hall, and Barber (among a few others). Within Texas' political boundaries, Meltzer and Bever (1995:47-81) have documented the presence of 406 Clovis points in 128 of 254 counties.…”

“…A few Paleoindian components deeply buried in alluvium have been discovered, such as Berclair Terrace in Bee County (Sellards 1940), Berger Bluff in Goliad County (Brown 1987), Collins 1995:376;Nickels et al 2001:6, 13). References: Bousman 1998;Garber 1998;Bryant and Holloway 1985;Humphrey and Ferring 1994;Nordt et al 1994Nordt et al , 2002Robinson 1979Robinson , 1982Toomey 1993;Toomey et al 1992. Kincaid Rockshelter in Uvalde County (Collins et al 1989), Wilson-Leonard in Williamson County (Bousman et al 2002;Collins et al 1993;Collins 1998Collins , 2004, and the Gault site in Williamson County (Collins and Brown 2000). As the warming that marks the transition from Pleistocene to Holocene climates began to take effect in Texas, prehistoric inhabitants adapted with changes in lifestyle (Bousman et al 2002).…”

“…In Texas, prickly pear has been noted in archeological deposits in the northern, central, southern, and western reaches of the Edwards Plateau, including the Honey Creek site (41MS32), 41MK8 in McCullough County, 41VV1897 in northern Val Verde County (Dering 2002), and dozens of rock shelter sites in southern Val Verde County (Dering 1999;Irvin 1966).…”