An Examination of Cores Surface Collected from the Williamson Site (44DW1): A Paleoindian Quarry-Related Site Located in Southeastern Virginia

Abstract

Williamson (44DW1) is a quarry-related Paleoindian site located in southeastern Virginia. The site was studied between 1992 and 1994 and involved both excavation and uncontrolled surface collection. The surface collection portion of the investigation was conducted in the upland area of the site, where stratigraphic integrity was limited and a preponderance of exposed Paleo-indian lithic artifacts was present. Over the two-year period, 161 cores and core fragments were recovered. By type and quantity, the whole forms included: 29 bifacial-discoidal, 23 angular-spheroid-amorphous, 12 tabular-block, and 6 polyhedral-conical cores. Approximately 55 percent of the collected cores contained cortex. It was concluded that the Williamson site occupants prepared and used a wide variety of core sizes and shapes. This finding was thought to be related to the diversity of raw material present at Williamson, including nodules, tabular plates, cobbles, and boulders. Apparently, primary material deposits were more commonly quarried by the site occupants. Evidence of thermal alteration was poorly represented in the core collection, a finding perhaps related to the high lithic quality of the Williamson material. A significant portion of the non-bifacial cores in the collection was classified as angular forms, indicating that an opportunistic flake-removal strategy was likely operative, with little consideration given to material conservation while at the quarry. This view was corroborated by the wasteful discard of viable cores at Williamson.

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