Jason Barrett | Texas A&M University (original) (raw)

Papers by Jason Barrett

Research paper thumbnail of FM 121 Rehabilitation S Curve Realignment, Grayson County, Texas

Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of 41OR90 Monitoring Project

Underwater archeologists from AmaTerra Environmental, Inc. and SEARCH, Inc. (the Team) conducted ... more Underwater archeologists from AmaTerra Environmental, Inc. and SEARCH, Inc. (the Team) conducted underwater archeological monitoring of Site 41OR90 on behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the Interstate Highway 10 Neches River Bridge Construction Project (TxDOT CSJ 0028-09-111). Site 41OR90 is a submerged World War I, Emergency Fleet Corporation vessel in the Neches river at Beaumont, Texas. It is considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and as a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL). The bridge modification project is under the purview of the Federal Highway Administration, and as such, field investigations were completed to meet requirements stipulated in Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (Section 106). The project additionally lies in Texas state public waters, so the work must comply with the state statue and rules presented in the Antiquities Code of Texas (Natural Resource Code...

Research paper thumbnail of Constructing Hierarchy through Entitlement: Inequality in Lithic Resource Access among the Ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize

This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource among the ... more This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize that markedly influenced the development of socioeconomic hierarchies at the site. Recent research has brought attention to the role of critical resource control as a mechanism contributing to the development of political economies among the ancient Maya. Such research has been primarily focused on the control of access to water and agricultural land. The examination of lithic raw materials as a critical economic resource is warranted as stone tools constituted a fundamental component of the ancient Maya economy. My research objectives include measuring raw material variability in the Blue Creek settlement zone and its immediate environs, assessing the amount of spatial and temporal variability present in the distribution of various raw materials, determining the degree to which proximity to a given resource influenced the relative level of its use, and testing whether differential resource access relates to variability in aggregate expressions of wealth. To meet these objectives, I examined 2136 formal stone tools and 24,944 pieces of debitage from excavations across the Blue Creek settlement zone, and I developed a lithic raw material type collection using natural outcrops. Significant spatial and temporal differences were observed in the use of various raw materials. Control of critical resources under conditions of scarcity is shown to have caused social stratification among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek. Initial disparities in useright arrangements based on first occupancy rights produced substantial, accumulative iv inequality in economic capability and subsequent achievements. During the Early Classic period, these disproportionate allowances ultimately undermined the more egalitarian structure observed during the Preclassic. The Early Classic period at Blue Creek is characterized by increasing extravagance among the elites and increasing disenfranchisement throughout the hinterlands when compared to earlier periods. This suggests that elites at the site only became fully able to convert their resource monopolies into substantial gains in power, prestige, and wealth during the Classic period. v DEDICATION To Kim for unwavering support, steadfast belief, constant friendship, and always having more questions than I have answers. viii Kim's insistence that the Blue Creek project sought a lithicist, and for that, among many things, I am indebted. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the unending support and encouragement that my family has shown. I continue to be amazed by their generosity and hope that this work honors their faith in me. ix

Research paper thumbnail of A Community Approach to Data Recovery Investigations at the Dimond Knoll Site, Harris County, Texas

Research paper thumbnail of Eligibility Testing at Three Prehistoric Sites at Lynch Creek, Lampasas County, Texas

Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State, 2014

the planned replacement of the two bridges. The materials, artifacts, records, and photographs wi... more the planned replacement of the two bridges. The materials, artifacts, records, and photographs will be curated at Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) in Austin. 'flat' bifaces, such as Gahagans, Shafer (2006) reasoned, would potentially have produced 'flatter' bifacial thinning flakes, or low flake curvature. If this were so, and those 'flat' flakes were distinctive enough to identify in the archeological record, this would potentially allow identification of production locales for Gahagan bifaces; and therefore, allow site association with the Prairie Caddo even in absence of diagnostic artifacts.

Research paper thumbnail of Constructive hierarchy through entitlement: inequality in lithic resource access among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize

Research paper thumbnail of The interpretation of Postclassic lithic production patterns at Colha, Belize through a synthetic analysis of archaeological data

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Maya Exploitation of Non-renewable Resources in the Eastern Maya Lowlands

This chapter examines interregional and intraregional producer–consumer relationships, similar to... more This chapter examines interregional and intraregional producer–consumer relationships, similar to those that influenced centuries of production at Colha, Belize. Excavations at several sites in northwestern Belize have challenged long-standing ideas of natural resource availability and local self-sufficiency. Imbalances in the distribution of lithic raw materials across landscapes and regions are shown to have fostered interdependency between several sites. In addition, data suggest that the cumulative effects of quarry exploitation resulted in dynamic social impacts over time as lithic resources in the region became increasingly depleted. Data used in this chapter were obtained from the analysis of stone tools and debitage recovered at the Belizean sites of Blue Creek, Bajo Vista, Bedrock, La Milpa, Nojol Nah, and Sotohob. Architectural data are used to illustrate the effects of lithic depletion on cultural traditions, and ceramic data are used to situate these changes in time.

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking Long-Distance Exchange and the Economic Interdependence of Maya Sites during the Late Preclassic Period: The View from Northern Belize. Research Reports in Belize Archaeology 3: 113-128. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan

Research paper thumbnail of Back When Houston Recycled: Resource Utilization Patterns in the Upper Gulf Coastal Plain

Today, Houston has one of the lowest recycling rates among all major US cities. However, Houston ... more Today, Houston has one of the lowest recycling rates among all major US cities. However, Houston area residents appear to have remained diligent, successful recyclers for several thousand years prior to European contact. We demonstrate the pervasiveness of resource recycling in the region prehistorically, primarily through an analysis of Dimond Knoll’s stone tool collection. The site (41HR796) was first discovered in 1996, and is located within the upper Gulf Coastal Plain, along Cypress Creek in northwestern Harris County. Extensive data-recovery investigations were undertaken in 2012 at this small floodplain mound, revealing a record of regular visitation by mobile foraging groups across nearly ten millennia. Cultural materials spanning the Late Paleoindian through the Late Prehistoric periods have been identified, including over 900 projectile points, knives, and other bifacial tools. Data from other sites in the region further support the view that lithic resource conservation w...

Research paper thumbnail of Lessons from the Field: The Contribution of Colha to Lowland Maya Lithic Research

The First Maya Lithics Conference was organized 1976 by Norman Hammond and Thomas Hester and held... more The First Maya Lithics Conference was organized 1976 by Norman Hammond and Thomas Hester and held in Orange Walk, Belize. The conference was held to highlight the unique site of Colha, rediscovered by the Corazal Project of the British Museum. Interest stimulated by the conference resulted in 16 field seasons of investigations at the site directed by Thomas Hester and co-directed by Harry Shafer. This paper emphasizes the importance of developing a solid foundation in the analysis of lithic technology. Among other significant contributions, the analysis of lithic artifacts and production technology at Colha identified and defined : (1) the presence of lithic craft specialization among the lowland Maya; (2) the importance of differential resource availability in fostering a regional production zone in northern Belize; (3) chronological differences in biface manufacture between the Classic and Postclassic periods that suggest a change in population identity; and (4) identified a surge...

Research paper thumbnail of Constructing hierarchy through entitlement: Inequality in lithic resource access among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize

Abstract: This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource ... more Abstract: This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize that markedly influenced the development of socio-economic hierarchies at the site. Recent research has brought attention to the role ...

Research paper thumbnail of Stones, bones, and crowded plazas: Evidence for Terminal Classic Maya warfare at Colha, Belize

Ancient Mesoamerica, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of An Ancient Maya Dock and Dam at Blue Creek, Rio Hondo, Belize

Latin American Antiquity, 2006

A precolumbian Maya dock and dam complex was located on the Río Hondo in northwestern Belize near... more A precolumbian Maya dock and dam complex was located on the Río Hondo in northwestern Belize near the site of Blue Creek. Survey and excavation showed a range of activities to be associated with the complex, including lithic raw material procurement and manufacture. The discovery also underscores Blue Creek’s role in long-distance commercial exchange involving lowland riverine systems. Large quantities of exotic commodities, including jadeite from the Motagua River valley in Guatemala and stone tools from the industrial manufacturing site of Colhá, Belize, have been recovered from Preclassic and Classic period deposits at Blue Creek, and the site is posited as a vital point of transshipment responsible for the filtering of peripheral resources into the central lowlands. The Blue Creek dock and dam provides a rare glimpse of Maya riverine architecture and offers tangible evidence of infrastructural supports associated with maritime commerce.

Research paper thumbnail of FM 121 Rehabilitation S Curve Realignment, Grayson County, Texas

Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of 41OR90 Monitoring Project

Underwater archeologists from AmaTerra Environmental, Inc. and SEARCH, Inc. (the Team) conducted ... more Underwater archeologists from AmaTerra Environmental, Inc. and SEARCH, Inc. (the Team) conducted underwater archeological monitoring of Site 41OR90 on behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the Interstate Highway 10 Neches River Bridge Construction Project (TxDOT CSJ 0028-09-111). Site 41OR90 is a submerged World War I, Emergency Fleet Corporation vessel in the Neches river at Beaumont, Texas. It is considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and as a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL). The bridge modification project is under the purview of the Federal Highway Administration, and as such, field investigations were completed to meet requirements stipulated in Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (Section 106). The project additionally lies in Texas state public waters, so the work must comply with the state statue and rules presented in the Antiquities Code of Texas (Natural Resource Code...

Research paper thumbnail of Constructing Hierarchy through Entitlement: Inequality in Lithic Resource Access among the Ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize

This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource among the ... more This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize that markedly influenced the development of socioeconomic hierarchies at the site. Recent research has brought attention to the role of critical resource control as a mechanism contributing to the development of political economies among the ancient Maya. Such research has been primarily focused on the control of access to water and agricultural land. The examination of lithic raw materials as a critical economic resource is warranted as stone tools constituted a fundamental component of the ancient Maya economy. My research objectives include measuring raw material variability in the Blue Creek settlement zone and its immediate environs, assessing the amount of spatial and temporal variability present in the distribution of various raw materials, determining the degree to which proximity to a given resource influenced the relative level of its use, and testing whether differential resource access relates to variability in aggregate expressions of wealth. To meet these objectives, I examined 2136 formal stone tools and 24,944 pieces of debitage from excavations across the Blue Creek settlement zone, and I developed a lithic raw material type collection using natural outcrops. Significant spatial and temporal differences were observed in the use of various raw materials. Control of critical resources under conditions of scarcity is shown to have caused social stratification among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek. Initial disparities in useright arrangements based on first occupancy rights produced substantial, accumulative iv inequality in economic capability and subsequent achievements. During the Early Classic period, these disproportionate allowances ultimately undermined the more egalitarian structure observed during the Preclassic. The Early Classic period at Blue Creek is characterized by increasing extravagance among the elites and increasing disenfranchisement throughout the hinterlands when compared to earlier periods. This suggests that elites at the site only became fully able to convert their resource monopolies into substantial gains in power, prestige, and wealth during the Classic period. v DEDICATION To Kim for unwavering support, steadfast belief, constant friendship, and always having more questions than I have answers. viii Kim's insistence that the Blue Creek project sought a lithicist, and for that, among many things, I am indebted. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the unending support and encouragement that my family has shown. I continue to be amazed by their generosity and hope that this work honors their faith in me. ix

Research paper thumbnail of A Community Approach to Data Recovery Investigations at the Dimond Knoll Site, Harris County, Texas

Research paper thumbnail of Eligibility Testing at Three Prehistoric Sites at Lynch Creek, Lampasas County, Texas

Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State, 2014

the planned replacement of the two bridges. The materials, artifacts, records, and photographs wi... more the planned replacement of the two bridges. The materials, artifacts, records, and photographs will be curated at Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) in Austin. 'flat' bifaces, such as Gahagans, Shafer (2006) reasoned, would potentially have produced 'flatter' bifacial thinning flakes, or low flake curvature. If this were so, and those 'flat' flakes were distinctive enough to identify in the archeological record, this would potentially allow identification of production locales for Gahagan bifaces; and therefore, allow site association with the Prairie Caddo even in absence of diagnostic artifacts.

Research paper thumbnail of Constructive hierarchy through entitlement: inequality in lithic resource access among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize

Research paper thumbnail of The interpretation of Postclassic lithic production patterns at Colha, Belize through a synthetic analysis of archaeological data

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Maya Exploitation of Non-renewable Resources in the Eastern Maya Lowlands

This chapter examines interregional and intraregional producer–consumer relationships, similar to... more This chapter examines interregional and intraregional producer–consumer relationships, similar to those that influenced centuries of production at Colha, Belize. Excavations at several sites in northwestern Belize have challenged long-standing ideas of natural resource availability and local self-sufficiency. Imbalances in the distribution of lithic raw materials across landscapes and regions are shown to have fostered interdependency between several sites. In addition, data suggest that the cumulative effects of quarry exploitation resulted in dynamic social impacts over time as lithic resources in the region became increasingly depleted. Data used in this chapter were obtained from the analysis of stone tools and debitage recovered at the Belizean sites of Blue Creek, Bajo Vista, Bedrock, La Milpa, Nojol Nah, and Sotohob. Architectural data are used to illustrate the effects of lithic depletion on cultural traditions, and ceramic data are used to situate these changes in time.

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking Long-Distance Exchange and the Economic Interdependence of Maya Sites during the Late Preclassic Period: The View from Northern Belize. Research Reports in Belize Archaeology 3: 113-128. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan

Research paper thumbnail of Back When Houston Recycled: Resource Utilization Patterns in the Upper Gulf Coastal Plain

Today, Houston has one of the lowest recycling rates among all major US cities. However, Houston ... more Today, Houston has one of the lowest recycling rates among all major US cities. However, Houston area residents appear to have remained diligent, successful recyclers for several thousand years prior to European contact. We demonstrate the pervasiveness of resource recycling in the region prehistorically, primarily through an analysis of Dimond Knoll’s stone tool collection. The site (41HR796) was first discovered in 1996, and is located within the upper Gulf Coastal Plain, along Cypress Creek in northwestern Harris County. Extensive data-recovery investigations were undertaken in 2012 at this small floodplain mound, revealing a record of regular visitation by mobile foraging groups across nearly ten millennia. Cultural materials spanning the Late Paleoindian through the Late Prehistoric periods have been identified, including over 900 projectile points, knives, and other bifacial tools. Data from other sites in the region further support the view that lithic resource conservation w...

Research paper thumbnail of Lessons from the Field: The Contribution of Colha to Lowland Maya Lithic Research

The First Maya Lithics Conference was organized 1976 by Norman Hammond and Thomas Hester and held... more The First Maya Lithics Conference was organized 1976 by Norman Hammond and Thomas Hester and held in Orange Walk, Belize. The conference was held to highlight the unique site of Colha, rediscovered by the Corazal Project of the British Museum. Interest stimulated by the conference resulted in 16 field seasons of investigations at the site directed by Thomas Hester and co-directed by Harry Shafer. This paper emphasizes the importance of developing a solid foundation in the analysis of lithic technology. Among other significant contributions, the analysis of lithic artifacts and production technology at Colha identified and defined : (1) the presence of lithic craft specialization among the lowland Maya; (2) the importance of differential resource availability in fostering a regional production zone in northern Belize; (3) chronological differences in biface manufacture between the Classic and Postclassic periods that suggest a change in population identity; and (4) identified a surge...

Research paper thumbnail of Constructing hierarchy through entitlement: Inequality in lithic resource access among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize

Abstract: This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource ... more Abstract: This dissertation tests the theory that lithic raw materials were a strategic resource among the ancient Maya of Blue Creek, Belize that markedly influenced the development of socio-economic hierarchies at the site. Recent research has brought attention to the role ...

Research paper thumbnail of Stones, bones, and crowded plazas: Evidence for Terminal Classic Maya warfare at Colha, Belize

Ancient Mesoamerica, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of An Ancient Maya Dock and Dam at Blue Creek, Rio Hondo, Belize

Latin American Antiquity, 2006

A precolumbian Maya dock and dam complex was located on the Río Hondo in northwestern Belize near... more A precolumbian Maya dock and dam complex was located on the Río Hondo in northwestern Belize near the site of Blue Creek. Survey and excavation showed a range of activities to be associated with the complex, including lithic raw material procurement and manufacture. The discovery also underscores Blue Creek’s role in long-distance commercial exchange involving lowland riverine systems. Large quantities of exotic commodities, including jadeite from the Motagua River valley in Guatemala and stone tools from the industrial manufacturing site of Colhá, Belize, have been recovered from Preclassic and Classic period deposits at Blue Creek, and the site is posited as a vital point of transshipment responsible for the filtering of peripheral resources into the central lowlands. The Blue Creek dock and dam provides a rare glimpse of Maya riverine architecture and offers tangible evidence of infrastructural supports associated with maritime commerce.