MAC provides in-house laboratory services to fulfill most of the necessary requirements of artifact analysis. When additional lab work is required which we cannot provide in-house, we partner with specialists to ensure that everything is properly analyzed and documented.
The primary lab services that we provide in-house are lithic and faunal analysis. We employ several employees who specialize in analyzing stone tools, including debitage, projectile points, scrapers, manos, and metates. This analysis allows us to understand archaeological sites more clearly, as we can ascertain things like the time period in which it was occupied and the types of activities in which people were engaging. Additionally, we have some staff members who specialize in analyzing faunal remains. The faunal analysis allows us to understand not only what activities the people may have been engaged in, but also gives us a picture of what their diet and hunting practices may have looked like.
When more specialized lab services are required, we use outside contractors who are focused on that area of expertise. These specialized services may include carbon dating, lipid analysis, blood residue analysis, and tree ring dating. These services allow us to gain a more complete understanding of the site, potentially narrowing occupation dates or adding further information on the people’s diet.
We are prepared to provide all cultural resource lab services necessary to ensure that your project meets agency requirements. MAC is also committed to employee safety, so we have a robust safety and health program with a laboratory component to ensure that we keep our employees safe and free from injuries.