The Thunder Valley Burial Cache: Group Investment in a Central Texas Sinkhole Cemetery

Abstract

A burial cache of 14 early stage bifaces and one drill was recovered from the Middle Archaic zone (ca 3000 years BP) in Bering Sinkhole (41KR241), a vertical shaft cemetery, in the limestone plateau region of central Texas. Variables commonly used in technological and idiosyncratic analyses of lithic artifacts are discussed and applied through multivariate analysis to identify the technological stage placement of biface production and to suggest the number of flintknappers responsible for their manufacture. The specimens are all blanks, but produced by three !mappers. The possible socio-cultural significance of the cache is discussed in tenns of trade and tenitoriality.