Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Journals and Campus Publications Society 4-1952 Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Vol. 13, No. 3 Massachusetts Archaeological Society Follow this and additional works at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/bmas Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons Copyright © 1952 Massachusetts Archaeological Society This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. BULLETIN OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOL. XIII NO.3 APRIL 1952 " CONTENTS Report of the Culture sequence Committee Ross Moffett, Chairman. .........................•..... .. 15 Notes on Pitted Stones and Description of a Twin-Pitted Form. l)c)nald G. Merrill. ................................... .. 19 Trade Tomahawks William S. Fowler. ................................... .. 23 Comments on ·Culture Growth and Change in Eastern Massachusetts­ by Ripley P. Bullen William S. Powler. ..........•.....•.................. .. 28 Ceramics of the ·Early- Period William S. Fowler. ~ .....••.....•.•....•.....•....... .. 29 Maurice Robbins. Editor, 23 Steere -Street, Atdeboro, Mass. William S. Fowler, Secretary, Bronson Museum, 8 No. Main Street, Atdeboro, Mass. This journal and its contents may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. ©2010 Massachusetts Archaeological Society. , REPORT OF THE CULTURE SEQUENCE- COMMITTEE Ross Moffett, Chairman This committee, appointed in November, 1950, by locally but generally. Even if these tables are later William S. Fowler, Director of the Research Council, found to be wrong in major implications, they will have consisted of only a chairman, who worked under the di­ been of perhaps some value, for the process of shooting rection of Mr. Fowler. Since the publication of Ripley P. them full of holes will bring into play a healthy stimula­ Bullen's "Culture Dynamics in Eastern Massachusetts" tion of thought. (American Antiquity, July, 1948), which was the first serious endeavor to correlate the Indian levels of our TERMINOLOGY region, a considerable amount of new stratigraphic infor­ mation has come to light, particularly regarding the pre­ It was necessary to translate to a uniform scheme the ceramic period in southeastern Massachusetts, including varying terms encountered. Ceramics have been classi­ Cape Cod. This justifies a further attempt to synthesize fied according to the four-fold system published by the and to understand the cultural indications we are finding Pottery Classification Committee (October, 1948). in our general area. In an inquiry of this nature it is ob­ Chipped stone artifacts have been brought into line with viously necessary to use evidence only from sites that the system reported by the Artifact Classification Com­ are stratified. It was found that only three sections of mittee (July, 1950). In respect to some stone traits, how­ this state have produced such evidence in available form. ever, additional comment seems required. The first of these sections is the mainland of southeast­ ern Massachusetts, with the key site being Nunkatusset, CORNER-REMOVED POINTS, SMALL. These points, and with supplementary data being brought in from Rhode about one inch long, which occur in large numbers at Island. The information here was taken from Fowler's some sites, are usually so incipiently formed that an at­ 1 advance notes (April, 1950 ) on the excavations made tempt to classify them precisely would have little mean­ under the direction of Roland E. Engstrom and Richard ing. They have here been lumped together. W. Staples at Nunkatusset, and from Fowler and Luther's report (July, 1950) on the Potter Pond site in Rhode Is­ EARED POINTS. fype 1, which is apt to be larger land. Since no full analysis of the materials from the than other eared types, has a distance of one-half inch Titicut site has yet been presented, this site, the most or more from the corner of the blade to the corner of the important in its section, could not be used. The second base, the latter being wide and usually concave (Fowler, section is northeastern Massachusetts, the data about April, 1951, Fig.20, Nos. 25,26). With Types 2-4, the this area being gleaned from Bullen's "Excavations in base is definitely broader than the blade, and the base is Northeastern Massachusetts" (1949, pp. 76,77,133). The commonly concave. Notching is not always present remaining section is Cape Cod, with the information here (Moffett, July, 1951, Fig.23, Nos. 54-57). Type 2, per­ based on work by the present chairman, and also on his haps the most distinctive of the eared points, has notches notes regarding the significant collections from Cape Cod characteristically shallow or incipient (Keighley, 1951, sites displayed in the home of Howard Torrey, in Reading Fig.26, Nos. 6,7; Moffett, July, 1951, Fig.23, Nos.42-45). Admittedly, in cases where eared points deviate from the It was thought advisable to concentrate chiefly on the norm, they become difficult to distinguish from more or­ preceramic period and its subdivisions, and, consequently, dinary notched types. In such instances, the associations the ceramic period has received less detailed attention. may be of help. Other indications of these types may be To start with, the sequences for the three regions were strong patination, and a tendency, at least on Cape Cod, arranged in respective parallel columns. It was intended to show smoothed notches and bases. finally to resolve these into one column covering all areas, but it became apparent that, with the various ex­ EXPANDED-BASE KNIFE. This unstemmed, often ceptions or non-conformities that would be involved and asymmetrical percussion flaked artifact has heretofore that would require explanations, such a listing might been variously called an asymmetrical trianguloid knife, prove more confusing than enlightening. Accordingly, a a trapezoidal knife, a patinated felsite blade, etc. It revision of the original three column arrangement is seems closely to resemble an object which Ritchie in given here in two tables. With large areas of the state New York has termed a rude cache blade. While there left out, and with perhaps no section fully known, the is considerable variation in form, it is usually based on present tables are offered with the knowledge that they either the trianguloid, the ovate, or the lanceolate. The are more or less tentative and subject to almost certain ovate knife of southeastern Mass. is carefully reworkedand modifications. Notwithstanding, it is hoped that the se­ may be the finished form of the expanded-base knife. The quences as given may in a measure serve as a guide, al­ length is commonly from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches. The lOWing any worker, especially in one of the tabulated edges are seldom retouched. This artifact occurs in sections, to orientate himself in his discoveries, not only large numbers in early levels of some Cape Cod sites, 1. Unless otherwise stated, all references are to matter published in the bulletin of this society. 15 16 MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY: BULLETIN and it appears rather plentifully in the northeastern sec­ this is a ground stone artifact which from a central en­ tion of this ~ate. Illustrations may be seen in Bullen, circling groove, tapers towards both ends, the latter 1949 (ibid), Pl. 11, Nos. 5,9; Pl. 13, Nos. 18-22: and being either truncated or somewhat pointed. It is 2-1/2 also in Moffett, July 1951, Fig. 23, Nos. 79-85. to 3 inches long. For what seems the only existing pic­ ture of this object see Moffett, January 1946, Fig. 4, • ASYMMETRICAL KNIFE. This implement has re­ No. 43. Accompanying this artifact in the Torrey collec­ touched edges and it is usually unpatinated (Moffett, July, tions are a number of similar shaped stones which show 1951, Nos. 36-38). all-over pecking. The latter also may have served as a weight. OVAL SCRAPER. This is the object often referred to as a chopper. For illustrations and fuller information OVERLAPPING TRAITS. Where a trait of the tables see Fowler, April, 1949. is marked with an asterisk, it is considered to be over­ lapping in that level of the area concerned. For the pres­ HOES. The triangular hoe is depicted in Fowler, July ent purpose, a trait is called overlapping if it appears to 1948, Figs. 30-33. The chipped and pecked hoe of Cape be a numerically insignificant carry-over from a pre­ Cod area is flaked to a tapering shape from a slab of ceding level in which it attained its climax of impor­ slate. The areas receiving the lashing always show peck­ tance. Not to become too involved in this matter, levels ing, and the bottom edge is blunt and much polished. that may be earlier than the oldest compartment of Table 2 have not been considered. GROOVED ATLATL WEIGHT. Of conjectured use, TABLE 1, CERAMIC PERIOD SOUTHEASTERN MASS. NORTHEASTERN MASS. CAPE COD Triangular Points, Larj1;e, 10,12 Triangular Points Larj1;e, 1012 Triangular Points, Large 10-12 *Triangular Points, Small, 4-6,10 *Triangular Points, Small, 4,6,7 *Triangular Points, Small, 3 5 7 10 *Side-notched POints, 2,3,5 Side-notched Point, 2 Side-notched Point 2 356 *Truncated Points 12 *Corner-removed Points, Small *Corner-removed Points, Small *Corner-removed Points,