Analysis of a Quartz-Dominant Lithic Assemblage in Western Georgia, USA

Over 500 lithic artifacts have been recovered from 9TP864, a precontact multicomponent site in Troup County, Georgia, spanning from the Paleoindian to Late Woodland periods. These artifacts were collected by a private landowner via controlled surface collection and limited shovel testing between 1977 and 2021. Artifacts include projectile points, drills, scrapers, and debitage. Research focused on an analysis of lithic manufacturing and material type selection at 9TP864. Although quartz is the dominant material at the site, non-local materials such as chert and Chalcedony have been identified, providing insight into mobility and exchange patterns within west central Georgia. Based on the lack of resharpening found on quartz projectile points, it is possible that quartz projectile points at this site were not used for long-term curation.