Study of 500 Ice Age spear points reveals how Clovis hunters managed risk
A study of nearly 500 Ice Age spear points reveals that early Clovis hunters and later Cumberland groups managed their resources differently based on their familiarity with the landscape. The findings suggest that Clovis groups were more likely to resharpen tools, while later groups were more willing to discard them.
Why it matters
This research provides insights into how prehistoric human populations adapted their survival strategies and risk management to changing environments.
Nearly 13,000 years ago, people moving through the Tennessee River Valley faced a problem that had little to do with simply finding food. They also had to learn which resources could be trusted and where to find the stone needed to make and maintain their hunting tools. A new study in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory has found that this learning process may be visible in nearly 500 ancient projectile points. Researchers found that early Clovis groups tended to resharpen their points more extensively, while later Cumberland groups were more willing to discard points that still had usable material.
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