Through the lens of debitage : use of space at the Reinhardt site

Abstract

Analyses of intra-site use of space in the middle and upper Scioto River Valley are uncommon when looking at use of space. Since the initial systematic investigation in the 1980s (Nolan 2010:37), archaeologists at the Reinhardt site (33PI880) have contributed to alleviating this paucity of research. My thesis expands upon the most recent excavations at Reinhardt conducted by Nolan (2010, 2011) by examining prehistoric use of space in the Middle Ohio River Valley (MORV) specifically the Scioto region, through the lens of lithic debitage. Analyses of debitage collections indicate that prehistoric Reinhardt occupants had standardized lithic production methods which did not vary greatly across the site. Where significant differences in debitage do occur, circular patterns around the possible plaza are revealed.