The detection of unmodified flake tools in archaeological assemblages in the Eastern Slopes, Alberta

Lithic assemblages from many Eastern Slopes sites in Alberta are dominated by debitage of local raw materials that do not appear to be the result of formal tool production. This thesis investigates the possibility that these assemblages are mainly the result of the production of flakes for use as unmodified tools and that current approaches and attitudes, which favour formal tools such as projectile points, have overlooked the importance of these simpler tools in Middle and Early Prehistoric technologies.;Two factors in the Eastern Slopes would tend to support a prehistoric focus on expedient flake tools. The first is the relative durability and coarse lithologies of these local raw materials which may tend to resist use-wear better than other common materials such as cherts and obsidian. The second is the ubiquitous occurrence of these materials in this region which would allow people to ignore issues of economization of lithic resources.;Samples from three archaeological sites were examined under low power magnification for indications of use-wear based on comparisons to experimentally produced and utilized flakes. Extrapolations were made from the samples to the whole assemblages, providing an indication of the potential number of utilized flakes in these site assemblages.;A simple, practical approach for the detection of utilized flakes of silicified sedimentary materials is suggested.