Maybe a very stupid question, but I'm going to ask anyhow

[rgs]

How or why is it, that the older Paleo stuff, has finer craftsmanship, than the later points? I see some of the newer stuff, late Archaic, and it looks like the makers were not as skilled, or maybe didn't have the time to do the finer, more meticulous knapping/flaking, as their earlier ancestors? I've always wondered this, but I don't know if I've ever seen it asked? I don't have the pics to show the difference, but this might work?

Early skilled workmanship


Later unskilled workmanship

[arrow719]

A lot of paleo points are on the rough side, so it works both ways. Overall though I would agree paleo points are more finely made than later points. Why? I'm sure there's more than one reason. With the two you posted I would bet the point on the bottom is older than the point on the top (the Humboldt).

[rgs]

I wasn't using it for age coparison, just a fine vs. not so fine.

[arrow719]

Originally Posted by rgs

I wasn't using it for age coparison, just a fine vs. not so fine.

It's not ugly, it's aesthetically challenged.

[Tom Westfall]

Here's a theory--during Paleoindian times, the main activity involved hunting. The premium was on killing large game for survival. I think that there was probably something more "ritualistic" for lack of a better term, with the manufacturing of paleoindian artifacts, where as the economy had changed during the archaic time periods. There was more emphasis on gathering--still lots of hunting, but I think the lack of great work may reflect the increased value in gathering and the decreased emphasis on hunting. Just my thoughts on the matter. Tom

[Tdog]

Originally Posted by Tom Westfall

Here's a theory--during Paleoindian times, the main activity involved hunting. The premium was on killing large game for survival. I think that there was probably something more "ritualistic" for lack of a better term, with the manufacturing of paleoindian artifacts, where as the economy had changed during the archaic time periods. There was more emphasis on gathering--still lots of hunting, but I think the lack of great work may reflect the increased value in gathering and the decreased emphasis on hunting. Just my thoughts on the matter. Tom

What he said 100%

[jamiebenedickt]

I have always given consideration to this as well. I think in Paleo times there was the possibility of a master "Maker" who knapped a majority of the bands points and then there where knap on the go points that all the hunters were capable of. In archaic and historic times there were alot more mouths to feed, bands of tribes were alot bigger and therefore probably more individuals knapping than one designated maker. And on the gatherer notes plains tribes were never really settled enough to farm and gather (much) so they were always hunting with some gathering mixed in.

[CDEAN]

There's actually a large thread about this very subject somewhere around here.

[MidlandMan]

I'm not sure the hard evidence bears out Toms idea that Paleo people were such big game hunters, at least in Texas. The large faunal assemblages from the Aubrey and Lubbock Lake sites, as well as from Gault and Kincaid Rock Shelter simply do not bare this out. At Aubrey in Denton Co. the faunal assemblage consist of in excess of four thousand elements, many burned, and distributed around hearths in dense bone clusters containing a wide assortmrnt of large and small taxa including Bison, Deer, Pocket Gopher, Rabbit, Squirrel, Vole, Snake, Turtle, and Birds. Obviously these people were not after Megafauna as no elements were present in the assemblage! Lewisville, Kincaid Rock Shelter, and Gault also show a similar generalized subsistance base as well. Overall the assemblages can be classified as dominated by smaller and medium size species of Mammals, Reptiles, and Birds. At the Lubbock Lake Site seven species of Megafauna were present but so were at least seventysix other taxa as well! Obviously the diets of Early Paleo Indians of Texas were as varried as later Archaic peoples. As to why the better worked flint of Paleo vs. nonPaleo goes it seems to me that the answer(s) mostly lies elsewhere. I can agree that it seems plausable that more than one answer to the question is needed.

[sandman]

Was there different tools and techniques being used, and these were simply lost over the generations. Just thinking of our recent past couple hundred years in woodworking, furniture making and such, where there is the most beautiful and durable pieces made with tools not used today! Craftsmen Thoughts of a rookie!