December 2023 MBR The Archaeology Shelf

The Archaeology Shelf

Sourcing Archeological Lithic Assemblages
Chales Speer, editor
Ryan M. Parish, editor
Gustavo Barrientos, editor
The University of Utah Press
www.uofupress.com
9781647691080, $80.00, HC, 242pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sourcing-archeological-lithic-assemblages-charles-speer/1141581091

Synopsis: For most of our existence, we humans have manipulated stone into tools that were essential for the survival of our species.

Generally resistant to degradation, stone tools comprise a large portion of the material culture found at archaeological sites worldwide. Recovery of stone tools during archaeological excavation indicates the location where they were discarded, often tied to where they were used.

"Sourcing" refers to attempts to determine the origin of the raw materials used to produce these tools. Knowing the beginning and end points of a tool's use-life, as well as the likely paths it took between those two locations, can offer insight into trade and procurement patterns.

Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Charles A. Peer, Ryan M. Parish, and Gustavo Barrietos, the contributors to "Sourcing Archeological Lithic Assemblages: New Perspectives and Integrated Approaches" employ a variety of unique approaches to real-life contexts in multiple geographic regions. These diverse studies collectively illustrate the numerous, robust options available to archaeologists and researchers today, as well as the problems that must be faced and resolved.

Part 1 of "Sourcing Archeological Lithic Assemblages" explores technological approaches to sourcing in conjunction with innovative survey strategies. The chapters describe a particular method while often offering suggestions for improving the chemical analysis.

Part 2 of "Sourcing Archeological Lithic Assemblages" focuses on region-specific and methodological sourcing applications. In a concluding review, Michael D. Glascock critiques each of the chapters and presents his views, developed across 40 years of work in the field, on sourcing raw materials.

Broadly, all of these contributions demonstrate how knowledge of lithic sources, geologic processes, the nature of variation, and regional availability can provide a more thorough understanding of past peoples.

The contributors to "Sourcing Archeological Lithic Assemblages: New Perspectives and Integrated Approaches" include: Agustin Agnolin, Pedro Andrade, Hassan Aouraghe, Said Bengamra, Alfonso Benito-Calvo, Cesar Borie, Adam Burke, Adrian Burke, Gisela Cassiodoro, Luciana Catella, M. Gema Chacon, Gabriela Coelho dos Santos, Josefina Flores Coni, Kane Ditchfield, Trudy Doelman, Stephan Dubernet, Analia Castro Esnal, Silvana Espinosa, Carola Flores, Bretton Giles, Michael Glascock, Rafael Goni, Bernard Gratuze, Hamid Haddoumi, Jillian Huntley, Rebekah Kurpiel, Juan Ignacio Morales, Khori Newlander, Laura Olguin, Fernando Oliva, Cesar Parcero-Oubina, Cecilia. Perez de Micou, Ximena Power, Robert Sala-Ramos, Diego Salazar, Marta Sanchez de la Torre, Morgan Smith, Maria Soto, Mohamed Souhir, Charles Stern, Andoni Tarrino, Norberto Uriz, Ingrid Ward, John Webb, and Francois Xavier Le Bourdonnec.

Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of Figures, Tables, fifty pages of References, and a five page Index, "Sourcing Archeological Lithic Assemblages: New Perspectives and Integrated Approaches" is a seminal and substantial contribution to professional, college, and university library Paleolithic and Neolithic archeology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Exceptionally well organized and presented, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, field archaeologists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Sourcing Archeological Lithic Assemblages: New Perspectives and Integrated Approaches" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $64.00).

Editorial Note #1: Charles A. Speer is the Associate Professor of Anthropology at Idaho State University and the Curator of Anthropology at Idaho Museum of Natural History.

Editorial Note: Ryan M. Parish is an Associate Professor of Archaeology at the University of Memphis.

Editorial Note #3: Gustavo Barrientos is a Professor of Archaeology at the National University of La Plata and Principal Researcher of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review