Late Middle Archaic Settlement Systems in West-Central Illinois

Data from a sample of late Middle Archaic sites in west-central Illinois are examined in light of Binford’s forager–collector model. Quantitative methods (correspondence and diversity analyses) are applied to the lithic data from the sites. It is suggested that a mix of mobility strategies was employed in the region during late Middle Archaic. Large, possibly multiseason, valley located residential sites were occupied during the warm season. People occupying such sites were logistically mobile and employed logistical sites to supply some of the resources. In contrast, smaller, upland residential sites were occupied by few people for shorter durations during the cold season. People were residentially mobile while occupying the upland residential sites. The methods demonstrated in the paper are applicable to other regions and time periods.