PLAINS ARCHAEOLOGY SUBJECTS

All information on this page is organized under the various subdisciplines of archaeology

Present listings are Lithics, Ceramics, Geoarchaeology, Computer Applications, Native American Issues, Public Education, Research, and Funding

Lithics

Morphology of a Folsom Point

http://www.usa.net/~ebaker/folsom.htm

Stone Tool Refurbishing and Use

http://www.usa.net/~ebaker/refurbish/rfrbgen.htm

Interpreting the Function of Stone Tools

http://www.hf.uio.no/iakn/roger/lithic/bar/bar1.html

This web site presents the hypertext version of the book " Interpreting the Function of Stone Tools: The quantification and computerisation of microwear analysis, " by Roger Grace, 1989, B.A.R. international series 474.

Attributes of a Flake

http://www.lib.uconn.edu/ArchNet/Topical/Lithic/Tech/Flake.html

Very good diagrams of flake attributes

Lithic Procurement Technologies

http://www.geology.bsu.edu/archeo/cjd.htm

Lithic procurement technologies are explained in this page. Of especial interest to archaeologists interested in lithic technologies, prehistoric trade routes, lithic sourcing, etc.

Comprehensive Bibliography on Lithic Tool Manufacture

http://wings.buffalo.edu/anthropology/Documents/pointbib.html

Ceramics

Hypertext Glossary of Ceramic Attributes

http://www.lib.uconn.edu/ArchNet/Topical/Ceramic/Hgloss/Hgloss.html

The analysis of ceramics is an important aspect of prehistoric and historic archaeology. In many parts of the world, ceramics are considered good temporal markers which are useful in dating archaeological components and sites. Ceramics have been used to describe and document many aspects of culture which include settlement patterns, linguistics, trade, socio-political organization, and information/exchange networks. The terms and definitions presented on this page are provided as a general reference useful in describing ceramic sherds and assemblages. The graphics are excellent.

Geoarchaeology

Use of Geologic Materials by Prehistoric Cultures

http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/htmls/browse/precult/precult.htm

The Role of Geology in Shaping the Archaeological Record

http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/htmls/browse/archaeol/archaeol.htm

The Loess Hills: A Geologic View

http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/htmls/browse/loess/loess.htm

The Loess Hills of western Iowa are one of the state’s seven major topographic regions. This page explains in detail the geologic origins of the Loess hills and their present day place in the environment. The text is lucid yet is exhaustive. Graphics are stunning.

Computer Applications

GIS Analysis with ArcInfo

http://boris.qub.ac.uk/shane/arc/ARChome.html -

This is an introductory course in ARC-INFO. Here you will find a simple tutorial on using the ARC-INFO GIS. You can browse it as lesson or download the files and work through the analysis in ARC-INFO yourself, using this as an on-line tutorial.

Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis - Rutgers State University

http://deathstar.rutgers.edu/welcome.html

Geographical Information Systems, image processing and remote sensing are rapidly becoming part of the archaeologist's tool kit. The CRSSA is very actively involved in the applications of such technologies to archaeology. No tutorials here, but an update on current research in the field is very helpful. Good graphics (would have been surprised if they were not!).

Native American Issues

Institute of American Indian Studies, University of South Dakota

http://www.usd.edu/~iais/

Native Nations of Iowa

http://www.iastate.edu/~lfoster/homepage.html

This page is devoted to exploring the history of the First Peoples, the Indian Nations, of the lands that would become the state of Iowa. The Native Nations of Iowa included the Ioway, the Santee Dakota and Yankton (Nakota) Sioux, the Sac (Sauk) and Fox (Meskwaki), the Otoe and Missouria, the Omaha and Ponca, the Pawnee, the Winnebago, the Potawatomi, and the Illinois Confederacy.

University of South Dakota Anthropology - Repatriation, reburial, and other Native American Issues

http://www.usd.edu/anth/indian.html

CodeTalk

http://www.codetalk.fed.us/

CodeTalk is an information-sharing network for, and about, Native Americans. It is sponsored by all of the Federal agencies who operate Native American programs. Its name is based on the Native American Code Talkers, heroes of two world wars. Available at this site is government program information, an electronic consultation feature, and links to other Native American Internet information.

http://members.gnn.com/repatfdn/index.htm

A non-federally funded intercultural partnership committed to assisting in the return of sacred ceremonial material to the appropriate American Indian Nation,clan, or family, and to educating the public about the importance of repatriation.

Public Education

Office of the State Archaeologist - Educational Outreach Program

http://lime.weeg.uiowa.edu/~osa/edu/edu.htm

Continuing Education, Field School Opportunities, Iowa Archaeological Certification Program (for non-professional archaeologists).

Cahokia Mounds

http://medicine.wustl.edu/~kellerk/cahokia.html

Cahokia Mounds - Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

http://www.state.il.us/HPA/CAHOKIAM.HTM

University of South Dakota Anthropology - Public Education

http://www.usd.edu/anth/pubed.html

Center for Anthropology and Science Communication

http://pegasus.acs.ttu.edu/~wurlr/anthro.html

A media resource for finding anthropologists, and resources for communicating anthropology to the public.

Research

Bibliography - South Dakota Archaeology and Prehistory

http://www.usd.edu/anth/sdbib.html

Citations in this web version include all published sources on South Dakota archaeology and prehistory that contain significant information of a general nature or on specific sites. Reports on surveys that resulted in the discovery of no sites are not included. Some contract reports of a more general nature, such as shoreline surveys, which usually include a great number of sites, are included, as are cultural resources survey reports that describe sites in areas of the state not documented in other sources. These reports are in most instances the only places in which information about sites can be found. There are few compiliations of the CRM reports.

Bibliography - Reburial and Repatriation

http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/native/appf.html

http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~nasp/repat.html

Bibliography - Stone Tool Manufacture

http://wings.buffalo.edu/academic/department/anthropology/documents/pointbib

Bibliography - Ethnoarchaeology

http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/faculties/SS/ARKY/e-abib95.html

Bibliography - Faunal Analysis

http://spirit.lib.uconn.edu/ArchNet/Topical/Botan/midcont.htm

Bibliography - Miscellaneous Archaeology Topics

http://tamvm1.tamu.edu/~ARCH-L/relatedfiles/

Other Archaeology Pages of Interest

http://www.clas.ufl.edu/anthro/scholarly/academic-subpage.html

This page lists various articles including some on anthropology and the electronic media. The article on "Thunderbird and Trickster - An Exploration of Plains Indian Ritual" is especially relevant.

http://www.clas.ufl.edu/anthro/cyberanthro/oldhome.html

An off-the-track page; some interesting new terms like Cyberanthropology, Anthrofuturism, etc.

http://fermi.clas.virginia.edu/~ds8s/home.html

Fixing Shadows--David Sapir's Still Photography Site. A top rated site with a large photo archive and other interesting material on visual anthropology.

Funding

http://www.neh.fed.us/

National Endowment for Humanities

http://gaia.earthwatch.org

EARTHWATCH and its affiliate, THE CENTER FOR FIELD RESEARCH (CFR) provide funding for field researchers, and volunteers to assist in data collection. CFR accepts proposals year round, from researchers internationally. Likewise, non-specialist volunteers (including students) have the opportunity to work with researchers in the field for an average of two weeks.

Click here to go back to the OSA homepage.

Click here to go to The University of Iowa website.