Abstract

Six thousand lithic artifacts from 200 archaeological sites along the central Maine coast have been examined for detailed petrology, and the results subjected to basic statistical analysis. Thirty individual lithic materials, each with a distinct source area, were identified from these sites and subsequently field sampled. Statistical analysis reveals lithic use patterns for cultural periods from the Early Archaic to Late Ceramic. In addition, the analysis indicates a shift, through prehistoric time, in the lands of lithic materials used in different geographic settings along the Central Maine Coast.