An analysis of mammalian taxonomic diversity and domposition of early Paleoindian zooarchaeological assemblages in the United States

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Early Paleoindians in North America have historically been assumed to be big-game specialists. This hypothesis has come under question in lieu of a model of dietary generalization. In this thesis, I evaluate the big-game specialist hypothesis by conducting a quantitative analysis of the Early Paleoindian zooarchaeological record in the continental United States by utilizing measures of taxonomic diversity. Statistical tests are applied to two data sets. These data sets are derived from the approaches used by authors who have previously analyzed the Early Paleoindian archaeofaunal record. The first is a conservative data set, consisting only of taxa whose remains meet minimal criteria indicating they were part of the Early Paleoindian diet. The second is a liberal data set and includes all taxa in an Early Paleoindian component regardless of evidence that a taxon was a part of the diet. I explore richness, evenness, and heterogeneity of taxa and also body size classes (regardless of taxon), with a particular emphasis on camps sites, which are more indicative of a long-term, average Early Paleoindian diet. The results do not support a model of Early Paleoindians as big-game specialists but rather a model of dietary generalization.