Archaeological Analyses of Prehistoric Projectile Points: New Insights in Technology and Variability

Skyler Miller, “Archaeological Analyses of Prehistoric Projectile Points: New Insights in Technology and Variability”
Mentor: Gregg Jamison, College of General Studies – Social Sciences & Business

This project is an analysis of a collection of Native American prehistoric projectile points at UWM-Waukesha. This will include applying traditional methods of documentation and classification with new approaches including three-dimensional scanning and morphometric analyses. The combination of these two provides an incredible tool for obtaining a more objective understanding of the typology, variability, production and styles of projectile points. This will be focusing on providing a clearer picture of a specific type of projectile point by analyzing a wide selection of examples. By using comparative methods we will be able to isolate the defining characteristics of a very imprecise classification. This research is a novel, multi-faceted approach to the study of one of the most important forms of material culture from prehistoric Wisconsin, with the potential to provide new insights into the lives and activities of its earliest inhabitants.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *