Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Master's Theses Graduate College 8-1997 Definition and vE aluation of the Mississippian Lithic Assemblage from the Wymer-West Knoll (20 BE 132), Berrien County, Michigan Sean R. Brown Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation Brown, Sean R., "Definition and vE aluation of the Mississippian Lithic Assemblage from the Wymer-West Knoll (20 BE 132), Berrien County, Michigan" (1997). Master's Theses. 3820. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/3820 This Masters Thesis-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DEFINITION AND EVALUATION OF THE MISSISSIPPIAN LITHIC ASSEMBLAGE FROM THE WYMER-WEST KNOLL (20 BE 132), BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN by Sean R. Brown A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fullfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Department of Anthropology Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan August 1997 Copyright by Sean R. Brown 1997 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A project such as thi depends upon the assitance of many people. I would fst lke to acknowledge the work of Dr. Elizabeth Garland. Her efforts to provide a better understandig of mid west­ ern prehitory supplid the foundatn upon whih thi work i but. Her guidance also provided the clarity of purpose that I could not achive on my own. I would aso lke to thank the 1991 Fild School partiipants for helpig to uncover such an itrigug chapter i prehtory. It was a summer not to be forgotten. Thanks to my thesi committee (Dr. Elzabeth Garland, Dr. Allen Zagarel, and Dr. Robert Sundik) for beig so patnt. It has been a long, hard road, but I'm glad to have made the trip. Thanks also to Andrews University for making the collections avaable for thi research. I thank al of my famiy for always beig there. I especiy thank my mom for teaching me that nothing i as bad as it seems, my grandmothers for thei constant love, Grandpa Wells for always askig the questns, Grandpa Brown and Dad for givig me logi and an analytia nature, and Merle for hi strength of character. Fialy, I wih to thank my wie, Sue, for providing the encouragement and motvatn to complete th seemigly never endig project. I never could have fhed without you. Thanks. ii Acknowledgements-Continued This thesis is dedicated to the loving memory of my Grand­ mother, Dorothy Brown. Sean R. Brown ill DEFINITION AND EVALUATION OF THE MISSISSIPPIAN LITHIC ASSEMBLAGE FROM THE WYMER-WEST KNOLL (20 BE 132), BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN Sean R. Brown, M.A. Western Mihigan University, 1997 Analysi of the lthc assemblage from the Wymer-West knol site was undertaken with the followig objectves: (1) to defne the lthi technology of the Misisippin occupatnal component of the site, (2) to compare length, width and width/length ratios of tringu­ lar projecte points from the Wymer-West knoll with other Misisip­ pian sites to clariy the cultura affJaton of the Wymer-West knol, and (3) to use site functon, from the perspectve of the overall Wymer-West knoll materi culture in general and the Misisippian lithic technology i partular, as a framework to better understand the Wymer-West knoll's place i the reginal culture history. A students t-test anaysi showed that the tringular poits from the Wymer-West knoll were not signiantly different from tringular poits associted with Middle Misisippian sites. Exotc raw materials from the Misisippin component of the Wymer-West knoll idiate nearly exclusive derivaton from sources i central and southern Illnoi. Additnal materil culture comparions, i.e. ceram­ is, radiocarbon dates and fauna! materi, suggest Middle Missisip­ pin ations. It is suggested that the Missisippian component of the Wymer-West knoll represents a site unit intrusion of Middle Misisippin people from the Ilois River Valley circa A.D. 1000. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES vii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 Site Location and Description 1 History of Excavation and Research 4 Research Objectives . .. 7 II. DEFINITION OF THE MISSISSIPPIAN LITHIC COMPONENT 9 Introduction 9 Methodology for Distinguishing Occupational Components . 9 Projectile Point Variations Between West and East Knolls 10 Tool Definitions 15 Ground Stone 35 Debitage ... 38 Definition of the Mississippian Lithic Component . 45 Activity Areas and Lithic Concentrations 50 III. PATTERNS OF TRIANGULAR POINT VARIABILITY 70 Introduction 70 Research Methodology 70 Observations .. 73 iv Table of Contents-Continued CHAPTER Summary and Conclusions 81 IV. TECHNOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL COMPARISONS TO OTHER MISSISSIPPIAN SITES 84 Introduction 84 Maize Horticulture From a Technological Perspective 85 Discussion . 90 Summary and Conclusion 94 V. CONCLUSION 96 APPENDIX Photographs of Artifacts From the Wymer-West Knoll 100 REFERENCES CITED 114 V LIST OF TABLES 1. Wymer-West Knoll Radiocarbon Dates 8 2. Projectile Point Totals From the Wymer Site 11 3. Chronological Distribution of Projectile Points Between East and West Knolls by Gross Temporal-Cultural Units ............ 14 4. Lithic Tool Types From the Mississippian Component of the Wymer-West Knoll ................ 16 5. Content of Features Excavated by Western Michigan University . .. .. .. 30 6. Distribution of Debitage on the Wymer-West Knoll by Feature . .. .. .. .. .. .. 39 7. Mississippian Feature Debitage From the Wymer-West Knoll by Reduction Stage and Raw Material Type 44 8. Summary of Raw Materials for Mississippian Tools 46 9. Distribution of Lithic Tools in Pit Features on the Wymer-West Knoll ........ 57 10. Distribution of Tools in Units on the Wymer-West Knoll 59 11. Statistical Comparisons of Triangular Point Length Measurements Between the Wymer-West Knoll and Other Sites Grouped by Cultural Affiliation 74 12. Statistical Comparisons of Triangular Point Width Measurements Between the Wymer-West Knoll and Other Sites Grouped by Cultural Affiliation 76 13. Statistical Comparisons of Triangular Point Width/Length Ratios Between the Wymer-West Knoll and Other Sites Grouped by Cultural Affiliation . .. .. .. .. 78 vi LIST OF FIGURES 1. Locations of Sites Mentioned in the Text .. 2 2. General Map of the Wymer Site ( Garland 1990:237) 3 3. Locations of Units and Features 6 4. Representatve Samples of Bipolar Cores 18 5. Representatve Samples of Amorphous (I) and Prepared (II) Cores ........... 19 6. Representatve Sample of Biacil Preforms 21 7. Representatve Sample of Drils 22 8. Representative Sample of Humpback Biaces 24 9. Representative Samples of Unhafed and Biacial Fragments .. .. 26 10. Representatve Sample of Uniaces 27 11. Representatve Sample of Blades .. 28 12. Locatins for Exotc Chert Sources (Goatey 1993:39) 48 13. Density of Initl Reductn Debitage Within Units . .. .. .. 51 14. Density of Fial Reducton Debitage Withi Units . .. .. .. 52 15. Density of Initl Reductn Debitage Wih Features . .. .. .. 54 16. Density of Fial Reducton Debitage Withi Features . .. .. .. 55 17. Density of Shell-Tempered Ceramics Withi Units by Count . .. .. .. .. .. 61 18. Density of Shell-Tempered Ceramics Within Units by Weight ................. 62 19. Densty of Fie-Cracked Rock Within Units 63 vi List of Figures-Continued 20. Density of Shell-Tempered Ceramics Within Features by Weight ............... 64 21. Weight/Count Ratios of Shell-Tempered Ceramics Within Units . .. .. .. .. .. 65 22. Activity Areas and General Site Interpretation 66 23. Controlled Surface Walkover Artifact Distributions 68 24. Width/Length Ratios for the Wymer-West Knoll Triangular Points . .. .. .. .. .. 72 vili CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The question of Mississippian expansion and influence around A.D. 1000 has been discussed and speculated upon for many years and has been a prime focus of midwestern archaeology (Maher and Baerreis 1958; Hurley 1977; Harn 1980; Markman 1991; Stoltman 1991a). Numerous sites throughout the Upper Midwest, the Southeast, the Eastern Woodlands, and the Plains have been associated with and related to Middle Mississippian cultural expansion. Absent from much of this discussion has been speculation of Middle Mississippian expansion spreading north from its origin in the American Bottom into Michigan. The lack of sites exhibiting Middle Mississippian traits or influence provided no basis for such speculation. Investigations .. at the Wymer-West knoll, however, now support the supposition that Middle Mississippian people settled in south west Michigan along the st. Joseph River Valley at approximately A.D. 1000. Site Location and Description The Wymer site (Figure 1) is located in the floodplain of the St. Joseph River Valley near the town of Berrien Springs, Michigan. The site lies on land which is leased and cultivated by Andrews University. The site consists of two distinct knolls, East and West, which are separated by a low saddle (Figure 2). Both knolls are 1 2 -N- --,. .. 7S 100 Figure 1. Locatns of Sites Mentned i the Text. considered part of the same site whh has bn designated 20BE132. The right-of-way for the US-31 highway project (Garland and Man- t'Zj I-'· IQs:: GENERAL MAP OF THE WYMER SITE, 20BE 132 l'1 (D BERRIEN CO., MICHIGAN "' "° If" • ,rJ. ..... ...,. .,. ''-'f,N UOINO ::, ui-•• 11,..,, •• ••• (D ... - _r , ....•• , I l•••Hllt UM•eue X I» ltJ '