From Hard Rock to Heavy Metal

The discovery and development of metals as tool media is a topic of global interest. This phenomenon is generally associated with sedentary, agricultural societies; however, in North America metal use by hunter-gatherer populations began as early as 9,000 years ago and continued into modern times. The regional and cultural diversity of research in this volume contributes to how we conceptualize hunter-gatherer innovation, technological proficiency, and complex decision-making in the past. Readers are challenged to reconsider long-held assumptions about how, when, and under what conditions metal became a part of humanity’s story.

Michelle Rae Bebber is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Michelle specializes in experimental archaeology and co-directs the Kent State University Experimental Archaeology Laboratory. Her research involves early metal technologies, ceramic production and function, and projectile weaponry. Michelle’s current projects are focused on North American copper use, the biomechanics of weapon systems, and the human aesthetic experience.

Christopher B. Wolff is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University at Albany in New York. Prior to teaching he worked in the Repatriation Office of the National Museum of Natural History in D.C. His research is primarily in the American Northeast, particularly Newfoundland and Labrador, with a focus on environmental interaction, architecture and lithic technology. He has published dozens of articles and book chapters on those subjects. Dr. Wolff is currently the editor of the journal Northeast Anthropology.

“When the editors claim that the book addresses novel questions ‘using cutting-edge methods—including experimental archaeology, morphometric analysis, geochemical studies, and statistical modeling—to go beyond traditional narratives regarding technological development,’ they’re right on target. That’s exactly what the book does.” • Mike O’Brien, Texas A&M–San Antonio