Blood Protein Residues on Lithic Artifacts from Two Archaeological Sites in the
ABSTRACT. Immunological analysis of blood residues was performed on 25 lithic artifacts from two archaeological sites (DEL-166 and DEL-168) in the De Long Mountains of northwestern Alaska. Blood residues occur on five artifact types: retouched flakes; end scrapers; flake burins; bifaces; and wedge-s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1995
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.566.8767 http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic49-1-1.pdf |
| Summary: | ABSTRACT. Immunological analysis of blood residues was performed on 25 lithic artifacts from two archaeological sites (DEL-166 and DEL-168) in the De Long Mountains of northwestern Alaska. Blood residues occur on five artifact types: retouched flakes; end scrapers; flake burins; bifaces; and wedge-shaped microblade cores. Fourteen (56%) of the 25 analyzed artifacts react positively to six animal antisera and to human blood. Besides human blood, identified residues include the blood of sturgeon (Acipenseridae), deer (Cervidae), rabbit (Leporidae), bear (Ursus), “cat ” (Felidae) and “mouse ” (Rodentia). Although the application of blood residue analysis to archaeological problems is a relatively new application of an old forensic method, it may provide useful information about artifact function and animal procurement from sites where faunal remains are not preserved. Key words: Northwest Alaska, De Long Mountains, blood residue analysis, crossover electrophoresis, stone tools, forensics RÉSUMÉ. On a procédé à une analyse immunologique de résidus sanguins sur 25 artefacts lithiques provenant de deux sites archéologiques (DEL-166 et DEL-168) dans les monts De Long du nord-ouest de l’Alaska. On a trouvé des résidus sanguins sur cinq types d’artefacts: éclats retouchés; grattoirs sur lame; burins faits d’éclats; bifaces; et nucléus microlames cunéiformes. Quatorze (56 p. cent) des 25 artefacts analysés ont réagi positivement à six antisérums de provenance animale et à du sang humain. Outre le sang de provenance humaine, les résidus identifiés comprennent le sang d’esturgeon (Acipenseridae), de chevreuil (Cervidae), de lapin (Leporidae), d’ours (Ursus), de «chat » (Felidae) et de «souris » (Rodentia). Bien que l’application de l’analyse |
|---|