LAUSR

This article presents results of attribute analysis of copper-base metal artifacts from early colonial upper Great Lakes archaeological contexts. Patterns of variation were identified, providing evidence for cultural and technological heterogeneity in the production methods and uses of such objects through time at a regional scale. Interrelated factors that influenced observed artifact attributes include contexts of use and deposition, socially structured trading partnerships causing differential availability of raw material, and aesthetic preferences of craftworkers or their communities. Results demonstrate the utility of comparing technological practices evident in diverse material assemblages to investigate regional-scale interaction in contexts of colonialism and intercultural contact.