Reconstructing Lithic Supply Zones and Procurement Areas: An Example from the Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand

Authors

  • Mark D. McCoy University of Otago
  • Thegn N. Ladefoged University of Auckland
  • Andrew Blanshard New Zealand Department of Conservation, Kerikeri Branch Office
  • Alex Jorgensen University of Auckland

Keywords:

lithic sourcing, supply zone, procurement area

Abstract

While our ability to match lithic artefacts to geological source continues to improve, few explicit techniques exist for the spatial analysis and interpretation of sourced assemblages on the regional level. Obsidian from the Bay of Islands, New Zealand is used here to describe a method of spatial analysis focused on defining intra-regional procurement areas where people accessed a common set of sources. The results suggest future analyses of North Island obsidian should take care to account for the natural accessibility of sources and the use of non-local obsidian among coastal populations with greater access to maritime trade and exchange.

Author Biography

Mark D. McCoy, University of Otago

Lecturer in Archaeology

Department of Anthropology, Sociology & Gender

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Published

06-07-2010

How to Cite

McCoy, M. D., Ladefoged, T. N., Blanshard, A. and Jorgensen, A. (2010) “Reconstructing Lithic Supply Zones and Procurement Areas: An Example from the Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand”, Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 1(2), pp. 174–183. Available at: https://pacificarchaeology.org/index.php/journal/article/view/16 (Accessed: 28 March 2024).

Issue

Section

Research Reports