Theses and Dissertations Collection

A landowner in Salem, Oregon, recovered an obsidian biface cache during the excavation of a spring fed pond in 2015. This unique archaeological site (35MA375) is the only recorded obsidian biface cache within Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The cache provided a unique opportunity to examine bifacial blanks and produce data useful for interpreting other biface caches in the region. These obsidian bifacial blanks had natural and anthropogenic attributes that may hinder further reduction. Assessing a flintknapper’s skill level may give us insight into why the bifaces have characteristics and attributes undesirable to an experienced flintknapper. I worked with novice, intermediate, and expert flintknappers to produce 15 obsidian bifacial blanks each. The project goal is to determine if skill level can be designated by comparing the technological analysis of the original bifacial blanks to those produced by flintknappers who vary in skill level. This approach provides information about choices and strategies used by novice flintknappers as they become progressively familiar with stone tool production.