The cultures of Early Man in the Southwest, though yet imperfectly
known, seem most readily distinguishable by characteristic types of
projectile points. The majority of finds, and they are rare, have been
made on the surface; much less often at camp or kill sites.
Camp sites were situated on ridges, in sand dunes, or on hills
overlooking streams, lakes, or ponds. Occupational features generally
include hearths, split and charred food bones, debris from stone tool
manufacturing, and a full inventory of stone tools. Seeds, grinding
stones, storage and cooking pits are rarely found at such early sites.
Kill sites, by contrast, are usually situated on the edges of streams,
lakes, or ponds. Features will include animal skeletons, sometimes
partially dismembered, points used in killing game, some stone
butchering tools such as scrapers, knives, utilized flakes, and waste
flakes resulting from the sharpening of stone tools. Preferred parts of
game may be missing, indicating they were carried back to camp. Hearths
are occasionally found at kill sites, indicating that part of the game
may have been prepared there.
Points used by Early Man were likely thrown at game with a spear-thrower
or atl-atl, rather than shot at them with a bow and arrow. Atl-atls were
probably of wood, and had a long groove on one side. Into this groove
was placed the spear with a point hafted onto one end. The atl-atl was
thrust back and thrown forward, releasing the spear on the forward
thrust.
On the basis of findings, archaeologists have reconstructed two
widespread methods of hunting by Early Man. In the first instance, game
was observed, stalked and killed at watering places. In the second, game
was driven into an arroyo, stream, lake, or pond, or stampeded over a
cliff.