Under the direction of Dr. Raymond Thompson, Ms Jenny Adams will collect data for her doctoral dissertation in Anthropology. She will continue her study of prehistoric ground stone implements to gain insight into the functions which they served. Employing concepts derived from tribology she will replicated tools used by prehistoric Southwestern U.S. groups and employ them in different tasks such as grinding corn, seeds and bone. These will be repeated with different types of lithic raw material. The polish and abrasion which results on the stone surfaces will be examined with both macro and microscopic techniques in an attempt to match use with wear type. Preliminary work with sandstone implements has yielded positive results. In conjunction with this research, Ms Adams will review the ethnographic literature to determine the range of uses to which ground stone implements have been put. She will also use the experimental results to analyze a large series of prehistoric tools recovered in archaeological excavations of the Point of Pines site. Over the last several decades, archaeologists have made great strides in the analysis of flaked stone artifacts. Through study of edge damage and experimental replication, they have determined the uses to which many prehistoric tools were put and these insights have permitted more detailed reconstructions of technology and lifestyle. Almost no work, however, has been done on ground stone even though such artifacts are routinely recovered in many parts of the world. Ms Adam's project will help to fill this gap. This research is important for several reasons. It will develop a methodological tool which will be used by archaeologists in many different situations. It will provide new insight into prehistoric Southwest adaptations and will assist in the training of a promising young scientist.
