The assemblage of stone artifacts from the Fredricks site can be characterized by: (1) the use of predominantly local raw materials; (2) the use of small triangular projectile points; (3) a tool kit dominated by small flake tools; (4) tools made on flakes as opposed to bifacial preforms; (5) very few formalized tools constructed for a long use-life; and (6) relatively few ground-stone tools. Moreover, the introduction of metal tools probably did not drastically alter the production and use of aboriginal stone tools and weapons. While the introduction of European metal tools and weapons certainly had an impact on the Indian cultures of the North Carolina Piedmont, many of these items appear to have been integrated into the native social and political systems rather than replacing elements of the existing technology.
Assemblage Description
A total of 2,896 lithic artifacts were analyzed from the 1983-1986 excavations at the Fredricks site (see Table 6). About 5,048 other lithic artifacts recovered from disturbed contexts, as well as those artifacts found in 1995, remain unanalyzed. The analyzed artifacts described here came from 49 features and burials, two structures, and the plowzone of 35 10-ft by 10-ft units (excavated in 1983 and 1984).