Native Americans living in the Eastern Woodlands participated in extensive trade networks beginning over 4,500 years ago. These networks formed an important part of the social systems of these ancient populations. There is evidence for widespread trade in exotic resources like copper, though little is known about its origin and extent particularly in the Middle Atlantic region. Under the guidance of Dr. R. Michael Stewart, Gregory Lattanzi will study the chemical make-up of copper artifacts dating from the Early and Middle Woodland periods (600 BC to AD 800) in order to learn more about prehistoric social organization in a region that has previously been poorly studied. The work can be generalized provide basic insight into the mechanisms which function to promote social order and integration in societies at a simple level of technological organization.
The Early and Middle Woodland periods are characterized by increasing group interactions and social complexity, as evidenced by ritualized burials and exotic artifacts such as copper. Mr. Lattanzi use a state-of-the-art technique, Laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS), to elementally characterize copper artifacts from several significant sites from this time period including the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark and the Rosenkrans Ferry site in New Jersey, the Nassawango site in Maryland, and Burial Ridge in New York. By chemically analyzing copper artifacts found at these sites, and comparing them to various geological sources of copper located throughout the Middle Atlantic, Mr. Lattanzi aims to demonstrate the origin of copper used by ancient populations, thus providing information about the type and extent of the trade network that existed. Further, by comparing the chemical makeup of individual artifacts found at a single location (cache) he will determine if one or multiple trade networks were in operation and if those networks changed over time.
The project directly assist in Mr. Lattanzi's graduate student education. It will also more broadly promote collaboration with public and private museums and universities. This will create new opportunities for incorporating research into education, and public dissemination. The results of this study will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, and raw data will be freely available on the Internet for public use. The use of LA-MC-ICP-MS facilities at the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Research Reactor helps to fulfill this institution's mission to contribute to scientific research and training students in cutting-edge analytic technology.
R. Michael Stewart, PI Gregory D. Lattanzi, Co-PI This project used laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) to elementally characterize prehistoric Native American copper artifacts and raw copper from geologic sources in the Middle Atlantic region. Copper artifacts in the form of beads and pendants were recovered from Early and Middle Woodland period archaeological sites (1,200 BC – AD 200) in the Middle Atlantic region. By examining the elemental composition of the copper we were able to determine whether the artifacts from any site were made on raw material from single or multiple natural sources, and where those sources might be located. The elemental study showed that four or five geologic sources of copper could be represented by the artifacts found on a site and could have come from Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina and Canada. These geological sources were observed to have changed over time. This helped to clarify how native peoples in the Middle Atlantic Region acquired copper and whether current reconstructions of ancient patterns of trade could account for the regional distribution of copper artifacts. Down the line, hand to hand exchange could explain how copper from Michigan or even Pennsylvania made its way into and through the region. Certain aspects of the exchange models did hold up in light of this study. Down the line, hand-to-hand exchange was seen in the Early Woodland site, while direct procurement was seen occurring on Middle Woodland sites. This is an indication that trade and exchange patterns changed through time. In some cases it is possible that copper was obtained directly by local groups who took advantage of glacial drift sources. The implications of both these types of exchange patterns have on the social organization is a change from one of a broader gathering of copper from a number of sources, to one of a focused exchange of copper fashioned into artifacts to be deposited immediately. This means that prehistoric groups in this region changed from a loosely based band-tribal to a more possible (nascent) complex tribal group. The project's standards and characterization data base for geologic samples of copper and copper artifacts will prove useful to scholars attempting similar research in other regions of the Eastern Woodlands. The project promoted collaboration with various institutions including public and private museums, universities, and science centers and could serve as an effective means of incorporating research into public outreach and education. Published results from this research will be broadly disseminated in a number of formats, including peer-reviewed articles in professional, regional, national, and international journals. Presentations and posters will be given at college-level institutions as well as at archaeological, anthropological, and materials science meetings. The research serves as the basis of the PhD dissertation being prepared by Gregory Lattanzi at Temple University. Free digital versions of the dissertation and all data will be made available for download to state historic preservation offices, state museums, universities, libraries, and science centers.
