Chapter 4

4.0 Summary of The Late Archaic and Terminal Archaic Periods: A Generalized Perspective

At the end of the Late Archaic period and the beginning of the Terminal Archaic in the Northeast, the evidence suggests a shrinking of the Maritime Archaic and the Lake Forest Archaic occupations, and an expansion of the cultures of the Mast Forest tradition. Furthermore, a new complex appears in the drainages of the Northeast . This is the Broad Spear phenomenon.

In the Mast Forest-Lake Forest region Funk and Rippeteau (1977:21) demonstrate a change in site function but not in location during the Terminal Archaic. Dincauze (1972) and Snow (1980) both interpret the advent of the Broad Spear to "indicate basically an Archaic life style of mobile foraging, not obviously different from that of the preceding Squibnocket complex" (Snow 1980:247).

Ritchie (1969b:219) asserts that narrow stemmed projectile points were found stratigraphically both above and below the Broad Spear component at Martha's Vineyard and hypothesizes separate coexisting "cultures" in southeastern New England. The I-495 CRM project, coordinated through Brown University, again suggested a long duration of the Late Archaic Mast Forest adaptation and related phases up to, through, and beyond the time span of the Broad Spear complex. Several I-495 Mast Forest dates indicate this: 4835 + 250 BP [GX-7085], 4305 + 180 BP [GX-7411], 3250 + 180 BP [GX-7089], 3245 + 70 BP [UGA-2922], 2320 + 190 BP [GX-7081], 2310 + 110 BP [GX-7408], and 2180 + 130 BP [GX-7407]. I take this data at face value but must also point out that this data was generated from preliminary survey procedures, that necessitate further refinement.

In central New York and Pennsylvania, Mast Forest and Lake Forest components disappeared and were replaced by Genesee or Batten Kill, Snook Kill, Frost Island, and Orient components. However, Funk and Rippeteau (1977:49) view this change as environmentally stimulated. They consider the Broad Spear complex as being an in-situ readjustment by the same Mast Forest population.

Snow (1980:252) however, suggests that the Frost Island cultural system "shows significant contrast with both Mast Forest and Lake Forest systems." He suggests that the Frost Island "system seems neither as diffuse as the preceding Mast Forest system nor as adapted to northern resources as the Lake Forest System." Snow points out that a strong case can be made for migration by the Frost Island phase culture into New York.

Figure 4.0.1 Long duration of Mast Forest Tradition and related Phases in Southern New England Dates and Calibrations
 
 

Site	Laboratory Lab # Date	Cal BP	Cal BC	Max/Min BP	Max/Min BC
Can R W    GX7085	4835+250	5589	3640	5899-5299	3950-3350
Bay St        GX7411	4305+180	4865	2916	5248-4577	3299-2628
Bay St        GX7089	3250+180	3470	1521	3689-3274	1740-1325
Plan St    UGA2922	3245+70	3469	1520	3567-3390	1618-1441
Can R W    GX7081	2320+110	2344	395	2719-2129	770-180
Can R W GX7408	2310+110	2343	394	2435-2184	486-235
Can R W GX7407	2180+130	2289,2271,2152	340, 322, 203	2339-2039	390-90

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Dr. John E. Pfeiffer