New World Lithic Typology Project: Part II

Abstract

Supplementing Part I of this report, by Weyer, Part II is concerned with certain vital needs in American archaeology for a central facility in which high-speed methods of data analysis can be applied to the determination of types of stone artifacts on a broad scale, the distribution of these types can be mapped wherever they occur in the New World, manuals can be prepared for general research, and related functions can be performed. It is held that our individualistic approaches to these problems in various areas, rather than producing strictly comparable results, are causing greater confusion than ever; that distributional studies based on noncomparable “types” are superficial and misleading; and that there are already on hand such great amounts of material that their analysis can never be accomplished comprehensively by “hand” methods. The advantages and disadvantages of edge-punch and IBM cards are discussed in relation to several purposes, such as catalog records, sorting for attributes (singly and in combinations), and computer treatment. The project's steering committee has decided to proceed with IBM cards, but before disseminating its recommendations, will conduct pilot studies to achieve the most efficient codification of attributes as well as a standard form on which data must be recorded before an operator can proceed with the punching of cards.