Woven baskets characterized by a particular distinctive pattern have previously been found only in the immediate vicinity of the prehistoric village of Palea and therefore were believed to have been made only by the Palean people. Recently, however, archaeologists discovered such a "Palean" basket in Lithos, an ancient village across the Brim River from Palea. The Brim River is very deep and broad, and so the ancient Paleans could have crossed it only by boat, and no Palean boats have been found. Thus it follows that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean.
The argument presented states that woven baskets with a distinct pattern were previously believed to be made exclusively by the Palean people, as they were only found in the immediate vicinity of the village of Palea. However, the recent discovery of a similar basket in the ancient village of Lithos, which is located across the Brim River from Palea, challenges this assumption. The argument further suggests that since the Brim River is deep and broad, the Paleans could have only crossed it by boat, and no evidence of Palean boats has been found. Therefore, the conclusion drawn is that the so-called Palean baskets were not actually unique to the Palean people.
This argument is flawed and makes several unsupported assumptions. Firstly, the discovery of a similar basket in Lithos does not automatically discredit the belief that the baskets were made by the Palean people. It is possible that the basket found in Lithos was brought over by a Palean individual or traded between the two villages. The presence of a similar basket in a different location does not necessarily disprove its association with a specific group.
Secondly, the argument assumes that the absence of Palean boats is evidence against their ability to cross the Brim River. However, it is important to consider that ancient artifacts such as boats may not always be preserved or found in archaeological excavations. The lack of evidence for Palean boats does not definitively imply that they were incapable of crossing the river.
Additionally, the argument could be weakened if there is evidence of trade or contact between Palea and Lithos. If there are existing historical records or material artifacts indicating interaction between the two villages, it would be less surprising to find a Palean basket in Lithos.
In conclusion, the argument fails to provide sufficient evidence to support the claim that the so-called Palean baskets were not unique to the Palean people. Without further evidence, it is premature to dismiss the idea that these baskets were exclusively made by the Paleans based solely on the discovery of a similar basket in a neighboring village.
The argument presented here is that the discovery of a "Palean" basket in the village of Lithos challenges the belief that these baskets were made exclusively by the Palean people. The argument is based on the premise that the Brim River is deep and broad, making it impossible for the ancient Paleans to cross it without a boat. Since no Palean boats have been found, it is concluded that the Paleans could not have made their baskets in Lithos. Therefore, the distinctive pattern of these baskets does not necessarily link them exclusively to the Palean people.
To summarize the steps of the argument:
1. Woven baskets with a distinctive pattern were previously believed to be made only by the Palean people.
2. A "Palean" basket was found in the village of Lithos, across the Brim River from Palea.
3. The Brim River is deep and broad, suggesting that the ancient Paleans would have needed boats to cross it.
4. No Palean boats have been found.
5. Therefore, it can be inferred that the Paleans could not have made their baskets in Lithos.
6. Consequently, the belief that the distinctive patterned baskets were unique to the Paleans is called into question.