Exercises: Where are novaculite sources and distribution areas?

After exploring the “Sourcing Novaculite” page:

Find the map showing novaculite source counties in Arkansas and its distribution.
Elementary school students: Novaculite artifacts have been found in how many states beyond Arkansas? What are three most distant places where novaculite has been found? What is the greatest distance (in kilometers) that novaculite has travelled? Thought question: How did the novaculite artifacts get there?
Middle school students: What is the greatest distance (in kilometers) that novaculite has travelled? How far is this distance in miles? If a person walks 3 miles per hour, how many hours would it take to move novaculite from source to site? Thought question: How did Indians move novaculite from quarries to their homes in the past? Did people use overland or river routes to transport novaculite? What are the limitations to transporting stone across long distances?
High school students: Thought question: Raw material trade connected communities of people in the past. What other connections linked these communities? Look at the map showing proportions of sites in each county with novaculite artifacts. Using the percentages shown on the map, describe the pattern of decrease or fall-off in number of sites with novaculite as distance from source area increases. Why might the percentage be lower in Polk County, even though it is still part of the novaculite source area?
STEM Lab students: Can you calculate least cost paths from quarry counties to distribution counties?

Suggested citation format for this website:

Arkansas Archeological Survey 2016 "Arkansas Novaculite: A Virtual Comparative Collection."
http://archeology.uark.edu/novaculite/index.html (accessed January 15, 2016).

We welcome comments and feedback from you! For further information on this website, please contact Mary Beth Trubitt, Arkansas Archeological Survey, mtrubit@uark.edu.

This project is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

2475 North Hatch Avenue
Fayetteville, AR 72704
479-575-3556
arkarch@uark.edu