Nature and Provenance of Red Pipestone from the Wittrock Site (130B4), Northwest Iowa

Dados Bibliográficos

ID9354599
AutoresJames Novotny Gundersen (Wichita State University, autor correspondente), Joseph A Tiffany (Office of the State Archaeologist, The University of Iowa, Iowa City)
Ano1986
Volume7
Fascículo1
Páginas45-67
Data de publicação1986-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoNorth American Archaeologist (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0197-6931 • E-ISSN: 1541-3543
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2190/fcdx-c4l7-cfw3-eb7g
OpenAlexW2330863980
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas17
Referências citadas8

Five pipestone specimens from the Wittrock Mill Creek culture site were evaluated by x-ray powder diffraction analysis. While their mineral compositions were very similar to one another, they are not among the varieties of “catlinite” pipestone types occurring at Pipestone National Monument, a commonly assumed source of all pipestone. Pipestone types like the Wittrock specimens were found in outcrop and cores from south central Minnesota. Because several pipestone samples from abandoned river-terrace gravel quarries and gravel bars immediately adjacent to the site produced the same kaolinite-rich quartzose variety of pipestone materials recovered archaeologically, the conclusion is that the Wittrock Village inhabitants obtained pipestone raw materials locally. These results are discussed with respect to resolution of archaeological problems not the least being when prehistoric groups abandoned the use of local source materials in favor of “catlinite” materials now exposed at Pipestone National Monument

Archaeology · Art · Culture of the United States · Geochemistry · Geography · Geomorphology · Outcrop · Prehistory · Provenance · Terrace (agriculture · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Archaeology and Natural History · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies · Geology