Refining Point Types in Southwest Mississippi (2013)

Undergraduate: Natalie DeMasi

Faculty Advisor: Vin Steponaitis
Department: Anthropology

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Projectile points are largely overlooked in studies of the Lower Mississippi Valley despite the potential value they may add to an archaeological assemblage. I am studying a collection of points from and around Feltus, a site dating to about AD 750-1100, which is located near Natchez, MS. The goal of this study is to tighten our understanding of point types and manufacture in this area. To perform this research, I classified the points in this collection and tested my classifications through statistical analysis. Further, I sought out rock quarries around Feltus in order to compare the local raw materials to the types of rock present in the point collection. This study aims to improve our knowledge of stone tools in the Lower Mississippi Valley and to also explore the possible uses this information may have in future studies.