Title
Trampling experiments in the search for the earliest Americans
Abstract
Experiments were undertaken to evaluate a natural versus cultural origin for a set of modified pebbles and cobbles found in pre-Clovis-age contexts at the Big Eddy site (23CE426) in southwest Missouri, U.S.A. Two experiments involving Asian elephants and American bison provided evidence that pre-Clovis-age modified cobbles, pebbles, and flakes probably were produced by the trampling of large mammals traversing alluvial gravel bars in search of food and water in a riparian environment. The production of "zoofacts" and behavioral aspects of elephants are described with respect to research on the earliest Americans.
Department(s)
Center for Archaeological Research
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2307/25470445
Publication Date
1-1-2007
Recommended Citation
Lopinot, Neal H., and Jack H. Ray. "Trampling experiments in the search for the earliest Americans." American Antiquity (2007): 771-782.
Journal Title
American Antiquity
