Despite the large collection of tubular stone pipes from South Texas, the residues have not been previously tested to determine the presence of nicotine, the biomarker for tobacco ( Nicotiana spp.). This study analyzed residue found inside tubular stone pipes from multiple contexts to determine if they were used to smoke tobacco. Multiple residue collection techniques were utilized, ranging from manual to chemical extraction. The residue samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to detect nicotine. A total of 34 pipes were recorded, and of those, 13 contained residues that were collected, all of which yielded evidence of nicotine. These results demonstrate that tobacco use was likely far more prevalent among the hunter-gatherers of South Texas than previously discussed in the archaeological literature.
Nephrite (jade) was used for over 3000 years in western North America to make ground stone celts, some of which were transported over one thousand kilometers across boundaries of Indigenous languages and ecological regions. We employ archaeometric means to confirm nephrite identification and plot all known archaeological occurrences east of the Rocky Mountains. Nephrite celts are among the most widely dispersed artifacts in pre-contact Canada but lack clear utilitarian value in the regions to which they were moved. We link their distribution to an interaction sphere in British Columbia that fueled the exchange of coveted goods. Migration of foreign people through a nephrite production center, combined with local patterns of alliance building at forested boundaries, may explain long-distance jade exchange. On a regional scale, jade tools are proxy indicators of cultural change and new relationships. On a continental scale, jade artifacts denote immense social networks that transcended linguistic divides.
The eastern Idaho archaeological record is a unique confluence of the Great Basin, Columbia Plateau, and Great Plains, resulting in a diverse and complex projectile point sequence. This study presents a revised typology and chronology of projectile points in the region, grounded in a comprehensive review of over 750 diagnostic examples from 16 stratified sites and 106 associated radiocarbon dates. We reevaluate existing classifications and propose a revised chronological framework with regionally appropriate types. This study provides a thorough background to eastern Idaho projectile points and contributes to broader discussions of projectile point typology and chronology in the Desert West, offering a robust tool for future archaeological research in the region.
