Download the Lithic Reference Collection Form and Guide here. |
2/2001 LITHIC MATERIAL REFERENCE COLLECTION GUIDELINES The Lithic Material Reference Collection (LMRC) will be housed at the University of Denver, Denver, Colorado. It’s purpose is to provide a comparative collection of raw lithic material from Colorado and the surrounding region that may be utilized for archaeological research. The primary role of the collection is to assist researchers in the identification of lithic source areas for materials retrieved from an archaeological context. By comparing field samples to collections from documented lithic sources in the LMRC it is possible to provide data concerning the use and distribution of lithic resources throughout the region. Collection descriptions are currently based on macroscopic analysis of materials from documented lithic source areas, including formal quarries and procurement localities. Data submitted by researchers may also include microscopic, and other, more exacting analyses. The LMRC is a dynamic collection, growing through the participation of archaeological researchers (professional and avocational) throughout the region. Source area documentation and lithic samples may be submitted at any time to further expand the value of the collection. It should be noted that collections from out-of-state source areas are as important as Colorado sources when conducting state and regional studies. Source locality collections are divided into two separate units.
Individuals interested in using materials from the collection for the purpose of analysis, must submit a written request to the University of Denver, Anthropology Department. Upon approval and subsequent completion of the analysis, results will be submitted for inclusion in the Lithic Material Reference Collection. In addition, researchers are encouraged to provide the results of any analysis related to the lithic source localities represented in the LMRC, whether or not the collection provided a basis for the research. Submitting Samples Avocational and professional archaeological researchers are encouraged to provide representative, documented collections from lithic source localities. Specimens from sites not proven to be lithic source localities will not be accepted into the LMRC. Specimens must be processed, bulk rock will not be accepted. Processed material will consist of flakes or shatter representing the variety of material types, textures, colors, etc. observed at the source locality. The collection storage files determine the size of the specimens, individual specimens are not to exceed a diameter of 10 cm or a thickness of 5 cm. The collection will be divided into two units. The first is the reference collection, each piece of which is permanently labeled with a site number (i.e., permanent ink sealed with an acrylic coating [nail polish]). The second unit will be utilized for analysis, and while it represents the full range of the collection, labeling is not necessary. Source locality collections will be submitted with the appropriate documentation. For collections originating in Colorado, the standard Management Data Form and a Lithic Raw Material Identification/Collection Form must be completed. If a cultural component is present, a Prehistoric Archaeological Component Form and/or an Historic Archaeological Component Form should also be included. Each resource must be identified by an individual Smithsonian trinomial number, issued by the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP). These will be issued for cultural and non-cultural lithic source localities. Copies of the resource documentation must also be forwarded to OAHP, as it is the permanent repository for cultural resource data in Colorado. Collections originating from out-of-state sources should include site forms from the state of origin, plus a completed Lithic Raw Material Identification/Collection Form. This information is not forwarded to OAHP. In an effort to limit redundant data and conserve space in the collection, no more than three lithic source collection units will be accepted for materials that are secondarily deposited over a broad area (e.g., Dawson Arkose or Palmer Divide Petrified Wood). Contact the University of Denver, Anthropology Department before submitting collections from broad secondarily deposited material types, to insure that this material is not already represented within the LMRC. Collection Use Use of the collection will be at the discretion of the University of Denver, Anthropology Department. Individuals interested in conducting research utilizing the LMRC must provide one week notice, and use is by appointment only. Researchers will provide some indication of the amount of time anticipated to conduct the investigation. If destructive analysis is proposed for any portion of the collection, a written proposal will be submitted for approval to the University of Denver, Anthropology Department. As a requirement, the subsequent results of any lithic analysis will be provided by the researcher for inclusion in the LMRC research documents. Submit Collections and Documentation to: |