Classification and use-life cycle of ground stone celts from Coast Salishan British Columbia
| dc.contributor.author | Mackie, Quentin | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-08-14T22:33:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-08-14T22:33:38Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 1992 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 1992 | |
| dc.degree.department | Department of Anthropology | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Master of Arts M.A. | en |
| dc.description.abstract | The results of a multivariate study of approximately 1,500 ground stone celts from Coast Salishan British Columbia are presented in this thesis. An attempt was made to understand the variability within the study collection through the classification of individual artifacts. A special-purpose descriptive typology was created, which encompassed all study collection celts and can incorporate new finds as they may occur. It was formulated using three principles: an archaeological typology must have a particular purpose; this stated purpose guides the selection of attributes; meaning derived from or ascribed to the types must be in accord with their purpose, content and means of construction. The divisions between types were defined using the median, a stable measure of central tendency, so as to retain the relationship of the type membership to the class of artifacts as a whole. Thus, not only is each celt classified, but its three dimensional relationship to all study area celts is inherent in the type definition. Subsequently, an attempt was made to create general purpose and functional typologies using hierarchical cluster analysis, following the three principles used in the descriptive typology. Gower's coefficient, able to include attributes measured at any scale, was used to create the resemblance matrix. Despite the observed diversity within the study collection, no types were isolated using this technique. The behavior of the resemblance matrix under different taxometric applications suggested a weakly defined data structure. This was inconsistent with the assumption that celts, being hafted artifacts made with a controlled and laborious manufacturing technique, should show some standardization of form. Prompted by these unexpected negative results, a further attempt was made to understand the variability within the study collection through analysis of the behavioral processes which may have influenced the manufacture, morphology, and discard of celts. The apparent low degree of standardization into "types" is suggested to result from the cumulative effect of differential preform manufacture and morphology, repeated resharpenings and repairs over a lengthy use-life, and periodic re-tooling. Morphological changes over the useĀ life stop with entry of the celt into the archaeological record, which can happen at any point through loss, breakage or discard. These non-stylistic, non-functional influences cause a convergence of celt size and shape, and blur any discrete types which may have existed at the point of manufacture. The intense reuse, reduction, and repair of the celts is suggested to be largely driven by a thrifty attitude towards the valuable, localized raw material. | en |
| dc.format.extent | 274 pages | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/18812 | |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | en_US |
| dc.subject | UN SDG 14: Life Below Water | en |
| dc.title | Classification and use-life cycle of ground stone celts from Coast Salishan British Columbia | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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