HUNTER-GATHERER INTERACTION AND ALLIANCE FORMATION - DALTON AND THE CULT OF THE LONG BLADE

Patterns of social interaction among hunter-gatherers during the Pleis tocene/Holocene transition in North America have received considerable attention in recent archaeological studies. One hypothesis is that te rritory size decreased as band packing increased when bands, particula rly those occupying favored environments, fissioned and multiplied and target game animals changed. One result of this process should be arc haeological evidence of intensified interaction among neighboring band s. We investigate this model through the identification and analysis o f ceremonial exchange of a specific artifact-the large Sloan type spea r point-found in Dalton contexts in the Central Mississippi Valley. Ou r findings support the contention that alliance networks were establis hed at this time (10,500-10,000 BP) in order to mitigate the effects o f resource risk and potential interband discord.