Procurement, Tool Production, and Sourcing Research at the Vera Cruz Jasper Quarry in Pennsylvania

Abstract

AbstractPrehistoric jasper quarrying and tool production at the Vera Cruz site, located near Allentown, Pennsylvania, are investigated through studies of quarry design, lithic heat treatment, intrasite spacing of tool production, and through functional and temporal analyses of artifacts. A methodology combining neutron-activation analysis and discriminant analysis is outlined, and the chemical profiles of seven regional jasper quarries are offered as a first step toward resolving speculation concerning the long-distance trade of this material.