Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology

Twenty-four years ago, the existing data led Swartz (1960: 406) to state that "blade manufacture appears to be restricted to areas ethnographically inhabited by the Chumash." As demonstrated here, Swartz was premature in defining the distribution so narrowly. While it is now reasonable to say that microblades were also made in Luisefio and/or Ipai Diguefio territory, it would be likewise premature on the basis of evidence presented here to state that other late prehistoric peoples in southern California did or did not have the technology. This report should be viewed as another beginning step rather than a definitive conclusion of microblade research in the region.