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An Archaeologist's Guide to Chert and Flint- for Additional Research 266 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY REFERENCES mathematical formulae and technical jargon from nonarchaeological disciplines. Those who need Cooke, Atme M. the math, chemistry, crystallography, etc., can 1939 An Analysis of Basin Mythology. 2 vols. Ph.D. dissertation, Yale University. consult the bibliography. As for terminology, Smith, Anne M. (Cooke) the author is concerned with creating a consistent 1974 Ethnography of the Northern Ute. vocabulary for archaeological lithic studies, one Museum of New Mexico Press Papers in which we are well advised to embrace and build Anthropology No. 17. on. The rest of the book is organized around the various properties of chert. Chert is defined in Chapter 2; its genesis is discussed in Chapter 3; chapters 4, 5, and 6 describe, respectively, its chemical, visual, and mechanical properties. Chapter 7 is devoted to physical changes caused by weathering and thermal alteration. Chapter 8 is a summary, and identifies important areas An Archaeologist's Guide to Chert and Flint- for additional research. Appendix A outlines the Archaeological Research Tools 7. Barbara E. procedures for source analysis, and suggests how Luedtke, Institute of Archaeology, Universi­ to build a chert data base. Appendix B contains ty of California, Los Angeles, 1992, 172 the descriptions and chemical characteristics of pages, 2 appendices, bibliography, glossary, the chert sources used in examples throughout index, $18.75 (paper). the book. The equal emphasis of flint and chert in the Reviewed by: tide is somewhat misleading. The reader dis­ ROBERT G. ELSTON covers at the beginning of Chapter 2 that, fol­ Intermountain Research, Silver City, NV 89428. lowing American geological usage, flint is sub­ The author observes the importance of chert sumed under the term "chert," referring to "all artifacts to prehistoric archaeology: stone tools sedimentary rocks composed primarily of micro- were used for at least two and half million years; crystalline quartz, including flint, chalcedony, during that time, chert was the single most agate, jasper, hornstone, novaculite and several important raw material. Because of its durabili­ varieties of semiprecious gems" (p. 5). Never­ ty, it often is the only survivor informing of theless, European colleagues will be gratified to human behavior and technology. Archaeologists see that flint receives its share of attention. know that chert varies in color, durability, and Chert is discussed as a rock type, emphasiz­ workability, yet relatively little is known about ing its composition as a silica (silicon dioxide) the causes of variability, and there are few mineral. Its stmcture is elucidated by taking the objective criteria for describing it. Luedtke's reader on a sub-microscopic tour of a chert goals are to systematically describe and syn­ nodule, pausing to examine the landscape at in­ thesize what is known about the physical prop­ creasing magnifications (powers of 10) until we erties of chert, state what is not known, identify confront the silicon atom. At 10,000 x, the lines of future research, and, in so doing, create individual quartz grains are visible, packed a basic reference useful to archaeologists. tightly together into a mass of interlocking Chapter 1 introduces the book and lays out polygonal grains with common faces. its organization. Luedtke wisely chooses to Different forms of silica (gel, opal-A, emphasize the breadth of the topic, eschewing opal-CT, chalcedony, micro- and macrocrystal- REVIEWS 267 line quartz) can precipitate from low temperature presents a chart in which samples of quartz, solutions in various contexts: sedimentary, several types of chert, and obsidian are ranked metamorphic, and volcanic rocks, in oceans or by Callahan grade (subjective "workability"), lakes, or on land. But chert usually forms in along with measured mechanical properties for more than one step (diagenesis), depending on each sample. Although there are numerous context. For this reason, it is too much to gaps, the data seem to be patterned. As one expect coverage of every variety; Luedtke interested in anything that will lead to an ob­ presents several case studies (English Chalk jective proxy for toolstone utility, I agree with flint, Monterey chert, Pennsylvania jasper, Luedtke that further research along these lines agate, silicified wood, and Magadi-type chert), is needed. illustrating a wide range of cherts with different Chapter 7 considers the effects of natural origins. forces, as well as heat-treatment, that alter the The discussion of chert chemistry in Chapter properties of chert. It is widely known that 4 focuses on chemical variability between dif­ heating chert can change its color, luster, and, ferent cherts and among samples from the same most importantly, can decrease its strength, source. Luedtke presents data showing the range making it easier to work. The change in luster of variation for 20 elements among several types is due to a change in the fracture pattern. After of rock including chert. Appendix B compares heating, fractures propagate through, rather than chemical values from a variety of chert sources around, the grains; the resulting fracmre surface in the Great Lakes region and elsewhere in the is smooth and more reflective, hence exhibiting world. These data allow one to specify whether greater luster. The author compares "silica a particular element in a specific sample is fusion" and "microflaw" models, both of which relatively high or low compared to samples in attempt to account for this phenomenon. Al­ the data base. The remainder of the chapter is though the high melting point of silica minerals devoted to discussion of within-source variabili­ argues against fusion, the models are not mutu­ ty, using the case studies introduced previously. ally exclusive, and neither has been tested Chapter 5 explores variation in the visual adequately. properties of chert: color, translucence, luster, Luedtke sums up in Chapter 8. She began texture, and stmcture. Replacement, fracturing, the research for this book hoping to find simple brecciation, and diagenesis all affect the stmc­ and objective ways to measure properties of ture and visible appearance of chert. Moreover, chert, to find correlations between some of those all these vary in different degrees, depending on properties, and to discover which properties the magnification used. Luedtke suggests that were key to archaeological problems. At the visual properties, gathered at all available scales, end, she finds that, although she did not accomp­ tell much about a particular chert and its history. lish all these goals, she made a good start in Chapter 6, reviewing material that has been defining the problems, and she shows how cer­ widely published, is likely to be the most famil­ tain lines of inquiry may bear future fruit. iar to archaeologists. It concerns the variables I should comment on certain matters for that affect the way chert breaks, including which the editor and publisher bear responsibili­ isotropy, strength, elasticity, and hardness. ty. This is a nicely made book with good paper Luedtke discusses the importance of micro- and well glued cover and spine The figures are cracks to the initiation and propagation of clear; the four electron micrographs (pp. 74-75) controlled fractures, and suggests why moisture are among the best I have seen. The text, content affects the strength of some cherts. She however, would be more readable set in larger 268 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY type with smaller margins. There are several evaluation of placenames and their modern typos, and a garbled line (the latter in the first correlates would not have been possible without paragraph of Appendix A). I could not interpret the long lasting and on-going relationship be­ Tables 4.3 and 4.4 without considerable attention tween the authors and the Cahuilla people. to the text; better labels and captions would have A new preface by Russell Kaldenberg, BLM fixed this. Indio Resource Area Manager, and Richard Nevertheless, these are minor problems. Milanovich, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Any archaeologist with more than a passing Tribal Chairman, stresses the cooperative efforts interest in lithic tools and technology should of the BLM, the Agua Caliente and Morongo have this relatively slender, but informa­ Band of Cahuilla Indians, local government tion-packed, thought-provoking volume; the entities, and numerous nature and culmral price is certainly right! resource advocacy groups who have been active in preserving heritage values. A very important introduction highlights the uses of this study for cultural resource management. The authors emphasize that not only habitation sites are important and can be identified in this report, but more esoteric sites also need to be treated. These include power places, ritual sites, trails, resource collection areas, endangered species The Cahuilla Landscape: The Santa Rosa and habitats, sacred springs and water sources, San Jacinto Mountains. Lowell John Bean, Syl­ places associated with myths and songs, and via Brakke Vane, and Jackson Young, with trading and visiting localities. The authors contributions by Bern Schwenn. Ballena maintain that Native American consultation still Press Anthropological Papers No. 37, 1991, remains cmcial to identifying such resources for 116 pp., 15 figs., 11 maps, $14.95 (paper). modem management considerations. They still Reviewed by: complain of the incomplete data for the Cahuilla
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