DIGGING DEEPER: MECHANIZED ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE HUNT FOR STRATIFIED PALEOINDIAN SITES

Paleoindian sites with fluted points are not uncommon across Pennsylvania. However, only a few stratified Paleoindian sites have been archaeologically investigated in Pennsylvania. If we want to better understand the arrival of these First Americans, we need to discover more stratified sites. Deep alluvial soils hold the greatest potential for containing early sites, but excavating deep archaeological test pits is labor intensive and too often cost prohibitive. Mechanized archaeology promises to lower the cost of deep archaeological testing. The PaleoDigger machine is presented as one solution for advancing First American studies.