USE-WEAR ANALYSIS OF PREHISTORIC COBBLE TOOLS AT LITTLE PANGUINGUE CREEK, ALASKA.

Cobble tools can provide useful information on the economy of sites and the function of activity areas. They can also reveal, through use-wear analysis, activities that would otherwise be invisible in the archaeological record. The use-wear analysis of cobble tools in the ca. 10,000 cal bp occupation (Component 2) of Little Panguingue Creek (Nenana River Valley, Alaska) offers new insights into the function of the site. Nine cobble tools (or fragments) have been found in this component. Most of these tools were used as hammerstones and clearly involved in lithic production at different stages of the knapping process. At least one cobble tool was used in the processing of pigments by pounding. Although so far only one Occupation Unit (U1) has been found, there are some indications that there may be a larger occupation than just a knapping workshop. The hidden activities revealed here through use-wear analysis add evidence that indicates that Little Panguingue Creek may not be just an ephemeral knapping station to exploit the local raw materials for microblade and tool production, but a larger occupation with various activities being carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]