Northeast Subsistence-Settlement Change: A.D. 700 –1300

1949 (Figure 7.2). In this publication, Owasco vessels
are described as cordmarked containers with cordwrapped
stick and paddle motifs appearing on the
shoulder, lip, and exterior rims (Lenig 2000; Ritchie and
MacNeish 1949). Although Ritchie (1994:290) indicates
that Owasco vessels were predominantly manufactured
by the paddle and anvil method, fracture plains
indicative of coiling have been identified on early
Owasco ceramics in New York (Prezzano 1986; Rieth
1997, this volume), suggesting that more than one
method may have been used in the construction of
these containers. Ceramics found on sites dating to the
Carpenter Brook phase generally exhibit elongated
bodies and everted rims. Over time, the bodies become
more globular and the rims outflaring. Most vessels
were collared with rounded bases and incised exterior
designs by the Castle Creek Phase (Prezzano 1986;
Ritchie and MacNeish 1949).
Owasco vessels found on early Late Prehistoric sites
in New York and Pennsylvania are largely grit
(crushed rock) tempered. Quartz is often identified as
the major constituent of grit, with gneiss, shale, and
other crushed crystalline materials occurring in much
smaller frequencies (Ritchie and MacNeish 1949:114-
115). Although Lucy (1991a) indicates that chert-tempered
containers are regularly found on Owasco sites
in northern Pennsylvania, such containers are not regularly
found on sites in New York (Rieth 1997; Ritchie
and Funk 1973; Ritchie and MacNeish 1949). Shell tempering
also does not appear to have been extensively
used, as evidenced by the limited number of shell-tempered
sherds from Owasco sites (Crannell 1970; Ritchie
1944). Changes in lateral pore spaces, temper density,
and temper size are noted (Prezzano 1986; Rieth,
Chapter 11, this volume), and suggest changes in the
manufacture of Owasco containers over time.
Figure 7.2. Drawing of a Carpenter Brook Cord-on-
Cord sherd from the Tioga Point Farm site.
Problems Inherent in the Use of Ceramic Types
Northeast archaeologists have applied the type concept
to the study of prehistoric ceramics since the first
half of the twentieth century (e.g., Ritchie 1944; Ritchie
and MacNeish 1949). Recently, however, some
Northeast archaeologists (Chilton 1999; Lizee et al.
1995; Pretola 2000) have questioned the role and applicability
of the type concept to the study of archaeological
ceramics. As used here, a type is defined as “a
group of objects exhibiting interrelated similar features
which have temporal and spatial significance” (Ritchie
and MacNeish 1949:98). Recently, Chilton (1999:98) has
argued that ceramic types often serve as shorthand for
a range of stylistic attributes and are often used to refer
to distinct archaeological cultures eventually becoming
conflated with specific ethnic groups.
There are several problems with the type concept
and its application to the study of prehistoric ceramics
in northcentral Pennsylvania. Among the most serious
problems is the fact that Clemson Island and Owasco
types (and its resulting classifications) are not derived
from theory used to explain the past (Adams and
Adams 1991:312-312; Dunnell 1986:180, 192-193; Hart
1999). Unfortunately, the belief that classification is
equivalent to theory has resulted in the construction of
units that are extentionally defined, often masking the
unique attributes of archaeological assemblages, making
it easy to argue for the continuity of types through
time (Hart 1999; Pretola 2000:6). In central
Pennsylvania, as ceramics with unique or diverse
attributes are identified, they are often dealt with either
by (1) introducing new types into existing classification
systems, or (2) splitting existing types into smaller,
more detailed units (i.e., Hay et al. 1987; Hatch 1980;
Stewart 1990, 1994). The result is a classification
scheme that is both cumbersome to use and subject to
continuous revision (Hart 1999). As demonstrated in
southern New England (Chilton 1999:100), continuous
revision ultimately obscures existing typologies, making
it difficult to place sherds within known types since
they exhibit traits belonging to several types.
A second problem is that type names developed for
specific geographic regions are often applied to similar
types in other regions with little or no investigation of
the timing and/or origin of such traits and often resulting
in the false conclusion that one group was greatly
influenced by another (Chilton 1999:100). In northcentral
Pennsylvania, ceramic types belonging to the
Owasco tradition (e.g., Levanna Cord-on-Cord,
Carpenter Brook Cord-on-Cord, etc.) are often applied
to Clemson Island containers, leading to the impression
138 Rieth