Abstract
This project focuses on comparing artifacts from Late Prehistoric sites (identified as 2,000 cal BP to contact) in Yosemite National Park to determine whether flaked stone assemblages proximal bedrock mortar features (BRMs) provide evidence of women’s flaked stone tool manufacture and use. Patterns of sexual division of labor during the Late Prehistoric have led to BRM features being commonly understood as the primary workspaces of women in archaeological sites (e.g., “processing locations”), while flaked stone scatters in sites without BRMs are considered masculine as they are most likely associated with the labors of men (e.g., “hunting camps”). Stationary BRM milling features enabled women to maximize their subsistence contributions while fulfilling reproductive responsibilities specific to their sex. Co-occurring with the adoption of this new technology, the advent of the bow and arrow allowed for behavioral shifts associated with the subsistence contributions of men. This has resulted in flaked stone assemblages, and the lithic materials that they are made from, often being exclusively associated with the labors of men while being disassociated from prehistoric women’s work. In an effort to redress this narrative, flaked stone assemblages sampled from each site type (BRM and non-BRM) were compared with an emphasis on the morphology of non-diagnostic flaked stone tools, specifically bifaces and edge modified pieces (EMPs). Results show significant and subtle differences between the lithic assemblages sampled from each site type that may provide evidence for women making and using flaked stone tools. Ultimately, this research aims to reevaluate the concept of gendered lithics by using patterns of sexual division of labor to identify site types that may show differences in flaked stone tools by looking at the context and condition in which they are found.