Reviewing the Role of Experimentation in Reconstructing Paleoamerican Lithic Technologies

• Published in: PaleoAmerica : a journal of early human migration and dispersal Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 53 - 67
• Main Authors: Jennings, Thomas A., Smallwood, Ashley M., Pevny, Charlotte D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 02-01-2021
• Subjects: efficiency; Experimental archaeology; projectile; taphonomy; usewear
• ISSN: 2055-5563; 2055-5571
• DOI: 10.1080/20555563.2020.1848269

Experimental archaeology is a key component of research for reconstructing past human behaviors, and this approach has been a cornerstone for interpreting the earliest archaeological record in the Americas. In this paper, we survey the work of scholars who have used experimental archaeology to investigate the Paleoamerican stone tool record. We focus primarily on research published in the most recent decade. We organize our review according to four prevailing research themes: identifying objects intentionally made or modified by humans, measuring production efficiency, understanding projectile technologies, and reconstructing how tools were used. In each of these sections, we describe research questions and experimental designs and concisely summarize original investigators' experimental results. Our hope is that this review will be a useful resource and inspire new experimental research.