Southeastern Montana in the Late Prehistoric Period, Human Adaptation and
Projectile Point Chronology
A central goal of this thesis is to provide a framework for explaining adaptive
strategies and artifact histories of the Late Prehistoric Period I (A.D. 250-1000)
and II (A.D. 1000-1700) in the Pine Breaks of southeast Montana.
The method by which this is achieved involves the identification and clarification
of the expanded flake point tradition through, in part, a survey of the literature
and through the exploration of evidence from excavated sites and survey inventory
sites, many of which are not yet fully published.
Present archaeological evidence suggests that hunting, lithic procurement,
population density, and settlement systems of the Pine Breaks area were somewhat
different from those of the open plains. The Pine Breaks, an ecologically
distinct area within the Northwestern Plains, provides many attributes for
human occupation that the open plains do not. The Period I Benson's Butte-Beehive
complex represents an adaptation to the Pine Breaks. It is characterized by
Avonlea-like points, high fortifiable living locations and circular rock-walled
dwelling structures. Benson's Butte, one of the type sites of this complex,
also yielded evidence of a point manufacturing technique which utilizes a
distinct expanding flake. It is hypothesized that use of the expanding flake
forms the basis of the fabrication process for most of all Late Prehistoric
small side-notched arrow points. Based on this manufacturing tradition, it
follows that triangular unnotched forms, or "points" are rarely
used as projectile tips, but as preforms for the notched points of the Late
Prehistoric period. Although identified in the Pine Breaks area, this refinement
of projectile point chronology is applicable to the Northwestern Plains and
possibly other areas of North America.