Case Studies:Case study 36

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[edit] Prehistoric Clay Sources: A Forensic Exercise in Geoarchaeology

Lynn Ketterhagen

[edit] Abstract

Oneota pottery shards recovered from archaeological sites in the La Crosse area of the Upper Mississippi River Valley are composed of clay presumed to be from a local source. Un-tempered clay balls have also been found at archaeological sites in the La Crosse area. The un-tempered clay samples from archaeological sites provide the opportunity to compare clay collected by Oneota people to local clay sources. The prehistoric clay samples are compared to samples recently collected from La Crosse area ridge-top and terrace clay sources. Comparisons are made on the basis of color and magnetic susceptibility. Magnetic susceptibility measurements are used to “fingerprint” the clay samples from archaeological sites and match them with the samples collected in the field.

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Prehistoric Clay Sources: A Forensic Exercise in Geoarchaeology