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Chapter 12 the Projectile Point/Knife Sample from the Sentinel Gap Site

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Chapter 12 the Projectile Point/Knife Sample from the Sentinel Gap Site Chapter 12 The Projectile Point/Knife Sample from the Sentinel Gap Site Jerry R. Galm and Stan Gough Eastern Washington University Introduction Recent archaeological investigations at the Sentinel site is the subject of the present study. Presented Gap site (45–KT–1362) revealed an occupation herein are descriptions of the recovered specimens surface containing a diverse and rich Paleoindian cul- preliminary comparisons to other coeval regional tural assemblage (Galm and Gough 2001). Located point samples, and a discussion of the nature of re- in a small drainage basin immediately west of the lationships to foraging strategies and technological Columbia River in central Washington (Figure 1), organization. Although the products and by-products site materials were distributed over a ca. 82 m2 area of biface manufacture overwhelmingly dominate the within an 8-cm-thick occupation surface. Exposed sample of lithic artifacts from the site, the artifact as- on this surface was a patterned distribution of arti- semblage does contain a small sample of point forms. facts and cultural features, most notably 13 discrete However, the assemblage also provides examples of lithic waste flake “dumps” and two burned surface de- late stage bifaces and these items offer additional posits possibly representing the remains of temporary insights on stylistic attributes and production technol- brush structures. The approximately 283,000 artifacts ogy manifested in the point sample. Despite the low recovered during investigations include a diversity numbers of points recovered during the investigation, of implement types ranging from projectile points/ this sample represents an important new addition to knives and bifaces to bone tools and ornaments the existing body of data on human use of the Colum- (Galm and Gough 2001; Gough and Galm 2003). A bia Plateau at the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. large and diverse archaeofauna, incorporating bison (Bison sp.), elk (Cervus canadensis), mountain sheep The Point Sample (Ovis canadensis), badger (Taxidea taxus), and salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), represents another important Eleven points comprise the site sample. Of this component of this assemblage. Five radiocarbon number, only three are complete or nearly complete dates on charcoal derived from the occupation sur- forms while the remaining specimens are, to vary- face, including the two burned surface features, range ing degrees, fragmentary. As described below, most between 10,680 and 10,010 radiocarbon years BP points are manufactured from exotic (or minimally, and provide an average age of ca. 10,200 BP (Galm non-local) tool stone materials distinct from the and Gough 2001:31). Evidence compiled to date local raw materials (cryptocrystalline silica or ccs) argues for use of the site by a small band of mobile that characterize the bulk of the lithic sample. Dif- foragers during a single occupation episode. ferences in color, texture, and diaphaneity are the An examination of the projectile point/knife principal characteristics distinguishing exotic raw (hereafter “point”) sample from the Sentinel Gap materials from local varieties of ccs. indicators of “bag wear” (Huckell et al. 2002). Out- line morphology is asymmetrical due to the reshap- ing of one entire margin with corresponding flake removals extending only down the blade margin of the opposing side. The tip is broken and has been re- inforced but not reshaped during reworking. The base is irregular and roughly pointed in outline shape. The point is manufactured from a translucent tan-colored opaline or opalized wood not recognized in raw ma- terial samples from the immediate vicinity of the site. The cross section is plano convex and this specimen appears to be manufactured from a flake blank with a proximal flake blank orientation. The shape and edge grinding characteristics indicate the point was deeply seated in the haft with only the approximate distal 1/3 available for piercing and/or cutting uses. Catalog Number 295: Number 295 is a small base section similar in form to other basal styles in this sample. Manufactured from what appears to be a locally derived translucent brown ccs material, the fragment retains a weathered (white) patch on the base that ends in a flat facet. This may be a remnant of the striking platform employed during flake removal or simply a broken section of stem Figure 1. Sentinel Gap site in Eastern Washington and margin. Both edges are ground. The cross section is Haskett site type locality on the Snake River Plain, biconvex. The distal break is relatively flat and has southeastern Idaho. the appearance of lateral snap fracture. Breakage may have occurred as a result of uneven loading Following are descriptions of the eleven speci- during reworking or manufacture. Flake ridges on mens in this sample. Metric data for the complete both faces exhibit smoothing and polish suggestive points are provided in Table 1; all points are illus- of bag wear. trated in Figure 2. Catalog Number 328: This specimen is the broken Catalog Number 282: Defined as a small lanceo- proximal section of a contracting stemmed point. late form, this specimen has an extensively reworked Approximately one half of the base consists of a flat blade element. The stem may also have been reworked facet while the remaining section is a friable and (resized) in concert with the diminishing size of the actively degrading brownish-white weathering rind. blade. It is distinguished by a long tapering stem The rind extends distally into the center of this frag- and a maximum width dimension that occurs above ment. The raw material is a translucent off white gray midline (distal segment). Stem margins are heavily ccs, possibly of local origin. A brown-colored vein is ground except where reworking flakes have removed present along the weathering front and extents the segments of lateral edges. Smoothing and polish are full length of the fragment. Stem edges are ground visible on some arrises of both faces and are probable and the basal facet is also very smooth, although it is Table 1. Sentinel Gap Site projectile point/knife metric data. Catalog No. Length (mm) Width (mm) Thickness (mm) Weight (g) 282 53.2 20.5 5.1 6.39 637 94.8 25.2 8.9 20.64 1254 89.2 23.3 7.0 15.26 210 | Galm & Gough not clear under low level magnification if this is the this resharpening technique and the extreme distal result of grinding. The base is straight and the junc- end of the tip is broken, possibly in the course of ture of base and stem is generally squared. Collateral reworking. Typically broad collateral flake removals flake removals do not typically meet at midline and produce the shaping and thinning of this specimen. thus form a symmetrical biconvex to slightly plano- The joining of these collateral removals produced convex cross section. The break surface is rolled a slight midline ridge, although arrises along this possibly resulting from uneven loading of the piece ridge and across most of both faces exhibit extreme during manufacture or reworking. rounding and polish. The extent of rounding and Catalog Number 556: This fragmentary section polish implies bag wear presumably associated with of a stem and base consists of two refitted pieces of long distance transport of the specimen. The overall a whitish ccs (opaline) raw material, presumably of shape of this specimen in long-section and cross non-local origin. The most recent breakage of this section suggests a proximal flake blank orientation point is due to exposure to extreme heat as evidenced and a flake to biface reduction trajectory. Although by crazing, numerous pot lid fractures, the presence somewhat similar in outline morphology to defined of internal clouds and incipient fractures, and dis- Cascade point forms from this region (cf. Ames et al. coloration (reddish coloring on the base). In outline 1998:104–105, Fig. 2; Leonhardy and Rice 1970), morphology, this is a medium-sized stemmed point extensive reworking of the blade margins has altered with a slightly convex base and ground stem margin this point from a style possessing a wider blade and remnants in areas proximal to the base. Further evi- more pronounced blade-stem configuration. dence of edge grinding is obscured by the intense Catalog Number 728: This item is the frag- damage to this specimen caused by heat-induced mentary midsection and stem portion of a large fracture. The flake removal pattern, although largely contracting stemmed point. Manufactured from a obscured by heat damage, is a collateral style that non-local off-white to light brown ccs, this speci- crosses midline. This flaking pattern produced a men is missing only the distal section of the blade biconvex cross section. The proximal break surface is and tip. Stem and basal margins are ground and gently “U” shaped across the width of the specimen arrises on both faces are rounded, especially near and rolled in the opposing dimension. midline, in a pattern consistent with bag wear. Ap- Catalog Number 637: The single example in the proximately half of the base was removed by break- Sentinel Gap point sample manufactured from age but the remaining segment reveals a rounded basalt (or black fine-grained igneous stone) is a configuration. With stem grinding occurring over contracting stemmed style. Similar raw materials approximately half the total length of this frag- are common in the Lower Snake River Region, ment, this is another example of a point form that although other source locations cannot be ruled was deeply seated in the haft during use. Collateral out. Stem and base margins are heavily ground with flake removal series generally thinned this specimen the exception of a ca. 2 cm long segment of one across midline, although the blade section was more margin. This area was flaked in an apparent attempt recently reworked, possibly after the loss of the tip to reshape this specimen.
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