Abstract

This paper reports preliminary results of analysis of a large lithic assemblage from the Nettling site, located near the modem Lake Erie shore southwest of London, Ontario. Nettling is the first extensive Early Archaic site to be located in the Great Lakes region. Although largely a surface collection, there is little evidence of other occupations at the site. Moreover, the 800+ tools/preforms in the assemblage are quite homogeneous in terms of the stone sources represented and the tool forms recovered. Ohio cherts dominate the artifact assemblage with Pipe Creek chert from the northwestern part of that state predominating. The tools themselves are virtually identical to those of the Kirk cluster or horizon reported from the southeastern United States, including corner-notched serrated points, expanding base drills, large trianguloid bifacial blades or knives, small end scrapers with parallel-flaked dorsal surfaces, cobble chopper/scrapers, and chipped celts with ground bits. As such, the site should date to ca. 9500-8900 B.P. Implications of the Great Lakes area, continuity and change from earlier Paleo-Indian occupations, and the origin of ground stone tools will be discussed.