A view of Paleoindian settlement from Crowley's Ridge

Examination of Paleoindian site distributions in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of northeastern Arkansas reveals distinct patterns in the settlement organization of fluted point and Dalton populations within the region. In particular, the relationship of fluted point sites to locally available lithic raw materials is significant. These sites represent a founding population that quickly adapted to the rich environments of the lowlands adjacent to Crowley's Ridge. The Dalton distribution is more complex than that of the earlier fluted point sites and witnesses the outgrowth of a localized population. The marked increase in the number and spatial distribution of Dalton period sites is interpreted as evidence of increased utilization of the regional landscape and of increased population size.