Re: N. A. Watercraft Construction During the Early, Middle and Late Paleolithic
D:
Charlie, in the general region where the artifacts have been found, is
there any known history of local people making dug-outs with stone
tools? Have any remnants of wooden dug-outs been recovered in the
periphery of the Gulf of Mexico?
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Charlie:
Here's a few refs, D:
"...The preponderance of stone and shell adzes begs the question, what
were these woodworking tools actually used to make? Adzes can be
hafted and used in somewhat different ways for chopping, gouging, and
shaping wood, but the most likely targets were relatively large pieces
of wood—trees and large limbs. Most of the hand-held tools mentioned
above may not have required much more than a sharp piece of flint,
even just a large flake, to fashion from a suitable limb or small
sapling. Two larger artifacts spring to mind as prime candidates that
would have required adzing: mortars and dugout canoes... But the
setting of Morhiss Mound suggests another adze use as well, this one
quite speculative. Dugout canoes. We know from many sources that
dugout canoes were made across much of the Eastern Woodlands. And we
know that some sort of canoes were seen by the Spanish along the Texas
coast. The Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers are quite easily navigated
by such boats, as attested by the many canoeists and kayakers who use
these rivers and their larger tributaries today. We will leave it at
that, an intriguing possibility that might help explain one of the
reasons that Morhiss Mound had so many woodworking tools..."
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/morhiss/story.html
"This dugout canoe was found buried within flood deposits along the
Red River below Texarkana. It is thought to represent a Caddo canoe
and has been radiocarbon dated to about A.D. 1000. A rare find indeed.
Although there is no direct archeological evidence of dugout canoes
along the Guadalupe River, the many woodworking tools found at Morhiss
Mound are intriguing. Photograph courtesy Frank Schambach."
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/morhi ... canoe.html
"...Because they lived near so much water in the rivers and marshes
all of the Atakapans made and used dugout canoes. A dugout canoe is
made from a tree trunk that is hollowed out..."
http://www.texasindians.com/atakap.htm
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D:
Have you found similarities between
the artifacts you have and stone tools in areas hundreds of miles awy
on coasts or streams?
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Charlie:
That's the kicker, D. I've found no similarities in North America,
except the new discovery of a potential preClovis site in Minnesota:
http://media.startribune.com/smedia/200 ... iate.2.jpg
Published January 11, 2007
Star Tribune
This is a blade with a two-sided edge, likely used for general cutting
or scraping.
http://media.startribune.com/smedia/200 ... iate.2.jpg
This axe-like tool was suitable for such uses as chopping wood and
processing game.
Published January 11, 2007
Star Tribune
"Based on the data recovery investigations and further consultation,
it appears the site may be significantly more important than
originally assessed," Britta Bloomberg, Minnesota Deputy State
Historic Preservation officer wrote to officials Jan. 2. "The location
of lithic artifacts below glacial sediments may date the site as the
oldest known archaeological site in Minnesota, and among the oldest
known archaeological sites in North and South America."
http://www.walkermn.com/placed/index.ph ... _id=229282
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D:
Are there trees growing around water near the
sites you have sought, which could have been made into dug-outs?
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Charlie:
Currently, there are abundant, very large pecan trees that would make
excellent canoes. I need to research past tree growth.
When the ice storms subside, I can get out and snap some images of the
trees, if you would like.
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D:
Was the climate wetter or drier during the periods which you speculate the
stone tool were used?
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Charlie:
Several of the geologists, studying the site and the artifacts, feel
the tools may have been manufactured during the Illinoisan, which
would have been much wetter than current conditions. Further analyses
should help pinpoint the dating.
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D:
Are the stone artifacts you have found concentrated in a small area
near water, or on a hill quarry?
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Charlie:
The site is deposited at the bottom of well stratifed alluvial
deposits, bordering Brushy Creek, which is a tributary to The Brazos
River. The Brazos River drains into The Gulf of Mexico, ca. 175 nm
southeast.
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D:
Arethere many natural stone objects nearby which you think were not stone
artifacts, or are all the stones artifacts of tool use?
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Charlie:
There are many natural chert and limestone cobbles contained within
the strata from which the crude axe and cleaver type tools are being
recovered.
Here's a few images of the strata profile:
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/afw120a.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/afw120.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site3.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site9.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site11.jpg
And some various shots of the site:
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site1.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site2.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site5.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site26.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site28.jpg
http://cayman.globat.com/~bandstexas.com/site31.jpg
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Huma ... ssage/1313