Pub Date : 2021-03-20DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1899626
T. Hess, R. Turck, Gertrud de Vries, Philippe Della Casa
ABSTRACT Rock crystal is among the most fascinating materials in the archaeological record. It is formed in alpine-type fissures by hydrothermal processes. Due to its physical properties, rock crystal has been a valuable resource throughout human history. In alpine regions, it was frequently used for the production of stone tools between the Mesolithic and the Bronze Age. However, there are only a handful of known prehistoric crystal quartz quarries in Europe. The following article presents evidence for rock crystal mining during the Early Mesolithic and the final stage of the Neolithic at a high-altitude site in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. In combination with radiocarbon dates from previous studies, the results of our fieldwork indicate that in the Swiss Alps rock crystal was mined almost 10,000 years ago. Furthermore, typo-technological analyses provide new insights into the way in which the raw material was processed during the represented time periods.
{"title":"A Prehistoric Rock Crystal Procurement Site at Fiescheralp (Valais, Switzerland)","authors":"T. Hess, R. Turck, Gertrud de Vries, Philippe Della Casa","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1899626","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1899626","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Rock crystal is among the most fascinating materials in the archaeological record. It is formed in alpine-type fissures by hydrothermal processes. Due to its physical properties, rock crystal has been a valuable resource throughout human history. In alpine regions, it was frequently used for the production of stone tools between the Mesolithic and the Bronze Age. However, there are only a handful of known prehistoric crystal quartz quarries in Europe. The following article presents evidence for rock crystal mining during the Early Mesolithic and the final stage of the Neolithic at a high-altitude site in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. In combination with radiocarbon dates from previous studies, the results of our fieldwork indicate that in the Swiss Alps rock crystal was mined almost 10,000 years ago. Furthermore, typo-technological analyses provide new insights into the way in which the raw material was processed during the represented time periods.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"209 - 220"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1899626","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45093626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-20DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1899443
D. Arp
ABSTRACT Despite facing the challenges of preservation and rarity of evidence in the archaeological record, hafting methods are a research pursuit of archaeologists seeking to explain the construction of weapons and tools. Various works have included references to a unique method of hafting, referred to in this article as growth-assisted hafting, which involved inserting a stone into a living tree branch and waiting for wood growth to encase the inclusion before harvesting and constructing the knife, club or axe. Such a method would lack toolmarks and exhibit some evidence in wood grain patterns and possible abnormal fiber build-up of continued tree growth around the inclusion. This paper is a historical review of the alleged practice based on accounts from around the world and how the practice has re-appeared in the modern primitive skills subculture.
{"title":"Hafting with a Living Tree: A Historical Review of the Alleged Practice of Growth-Assisted Hafting","authors":"D. Arp","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1899443","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1899443","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Despite facing the challenges of preservation and rarity of evidence in the archaeological record, hafting methods are a research pursuit of archaeologists seeking to explain the construction of weapons and tools. Various works have included references to a unique method of hafting, referred to in this article as growth-assisted hafting, which involved inserting a stone into a living tree branch and waiting for wood growth to encase the inclusion before harvesting and constructing the knife, club or axe. Such a method would lack toolmarks and exhibit some evidence in wood grain patterns and possible abnormal fiber build-up of continued tree growth around the inclusion. This paper is a historical review of the alleged practice based on accounts from around the world and how the practice has re-appeared in the modern primitive skills subculture.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"204 - 208"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1899443","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42929737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-01DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1887611
H. Baills
ABSTRACT The Santa Maria di Agnano cave (Puglia, Italy) shows a long human occupation that began in the Gravettian and went on in the Epigravettian periods. Among the lithic pieces discovered, many are so-called shouldered objects. This article intends to present and study them, but also to discuss the relevance of the diagnosis about shouldered points and shouldered bladelets. More broadly, the issue of the association of the shouldered point with ancient Epigravettian is discussed and questioned. On the basis of observations made in the Santa Maria di Agnano cave, the duration of existence of shouldered points and bladelets is discussed, which leads s to questioning the status of thes pieces as a key fossil.
{"title":"The Shouldered Pieces from the Santa Maria di Agnano Cave (SMA-Extern). Their Chrono-cultural Positioning During the Upper Paleolithic in Southern Italy","authors":"H. Baills","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1887611","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1887611","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The Santa Maria di Agnano cave (Puglia, Italy) shows a long human occupation that began in the Gravettian and went on in the Epigravettian periods. Among the lithic pieces discovered, many are so-called shouldered objects. This article intends to present and study them, but also to discuss the relevance of the diagnosis about shouldered points and shouldered bladelets. More broadly, the issue of the association of the shouldered point with ancient Epigravettian is discussed and questioned. On the basis of observations made in the Santa Maria di Agnano cave, the duration of existence of shouldered points and bladelets is discussed, which leads s to questioning the status of thes pieces as a key fossil.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"192 - 203"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1887611","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46533330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-19DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1886487
D. Delpiano, Jacopo Gennai, M. Peresani
ABSTRACT The technological dichotomy between Discoid and Levallois methods, which accompanies the Mousterian assemblages for most of the Middle Paleolithic, is a debated topic because of the implications for Neanderthals’ behavioral complexity. We here propose and discuss the possible reasons supporting the Levallois-Discoid shift, considering part of the late Mousterian sequence of Grotta di Fumane. Among these, we include the strategies of resource exploitation and territorial mobility, and the productivity and effectiveness rates between the two methods. Though both highlighting differences, these cannot justify a sharp change in production strategies. Looking specifically at the technological objectives, we compared a category of common products: the backed artefacts. This category includes similar tools, but morpho-functional differences suggest different degrees of efficiency. The comparison helped to better define the Discoid and Levallois technologies in their functional and potential objectives, whose variations may have influenced the alternating pattern in the technological choices here recorded.
摘要Discoid和Levallois方法之间的技术二分法伴随着旧石器时代中期的Mousterian组合，由于其对尼安德特人行为复杂性的影响，一直是一个有争议的话题。考虑到Grotta di Fumane的Mousterian晚期序列的一部分，我们在这里提出并讨论了支持Levallois Discoid转变的可能原因。其中，我们包括资源开发和领土流动的战略，以及这两种方法之间的生产率和有效率。尽管两者都突出了差异，但这并不能证明大幅改变生产策略是合理的。具体来看技术目标，我们比较了一类常见产品：背衬工艺品。这一类别包括类似的工具，但形态和功能的差异表明效率不同。这一比较有助于更好地定义Discoid和Levallois技术的功能和潜在目标，它们的变化可能影响了这里记录的技术选择的交替模式。
{"title":"Techno-Functional Implication on the Production of Discoid and Levallois Backed Implements","authors":"D. Delpiano, Jacopo Gennai, M. Peresani","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1886487","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1886487","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The technological dichotomy between Discoid and Levallois methods, which accompanies the Mousterian assemblages for most of the Middle Paleolithic, is a debated topic because of the implications for Neanderthals’ behavioral complexity. We here propose and discuss the possible reasons supporting the Levallois-Discoid shift, considering part of the late Mousterian sequence of Grotta di Fumane. Among these, we include the strategies of resource exploitation and territorial mobility, and the productivity and effectiveness rates between the two methods. Though both highlighting differences, these cannot justify a sharp change in production strategies. Looking specifically at the technological objectives, we compared a category of common products: the backed artefacts. This category includes similar tools, but morpho-functional differences suggest different degrees of efficiency. The comparison helped to better define the Discoid and Levallois technologies in their functional and potential objectives, whose variations may have influenced the alternating pattern in the technological choices here recorded.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"171 - 191"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1886487","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47753050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-10DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1883250
Eşref Erbil, Gizem Kartal, Zeynep Beyza Ağırsoy
ABSTRACT Kızılin is a cave settlement within the provincial borders of Antalya. The settlement is dated to the Epi-palaeolithic period. Some knapped stone findings were identified during the terrace excavation conducted in this site. This study focuses on examining the knapped stone chaîne opératoire of the inhabitants, and on analyzing the knapped stone findings by a techno-typological approach. Our analyses led us to identify all technological phases of knapped stone process practiced at the Kızılin site. Typologically, the knapped stone tool industry was found to consist of microliths and macroliths. It has been observed that the microliths are higher in number compared to the macroliths. In this context, the results obtained were compared with the Epi-palaeolithic layers of Öküzini and Karain settlements where their similarities and differences are revealed.
{"title":"A New Settlement from the Epi-Palaeolithic Period: The Operational Sequence and Techno-Typology of the Knapped Stone Industry at the Kızılin Site (Antalya, Turkey)","authors":"Eşref Erbil, Gizem Kartal, Zeynep Beyza Ağırsoy","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1883250","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1883250","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Kızılin is a cave settlement within the provincial borders of Antalya. The settlement is dated to the Epi-palaeolithic period. Some knapped stone findings were identified during the terrace excavation conducted in this site. This study focuses on examining the knapped stone chaîne opératoire of the inhabitants, and on analyzing the knapped stone findings by a techno-typological approach. Our analyses led us to identify all technological phases of knapped stone process practiced at the Kızılin site. Typologically, the knapped stone tool industry was found to consist of microliths and macroliths. It has been observed that the microliths are higher in number compared to the macroliths. In this context, the results obtained were compared with the Epi-palaeolithic layers of Öküzini and Karain settlements where their similarities and differences are revealed.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"143 - 163"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1883250","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44836607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-10DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1881267
Guillermo Bustos-Pérez, J. Baena
ABSTRACT Estimating flake mass based on remaining attributes bears an important relationship for the interpretation of lithic assemblages. Previous works have pointed out the relationship between flake attributes and prediction of flake mass. This study builds on previous works by using data from an experimental collection of flakes. Estimated mass was arrived at by generating a multiple linear regression model that combines several predictive variables. Variable selection for model training was carried out by using best subset selection, which evaluates all possible combinations of variables. Evaluation of the model was performed by computing common machine learning statistics along with estimated percentage error. Results make it possible to determine the best variables and estimate their relationships with flake mass. On the other hand, results also show that although the model is slightly biased and performs adequately, it has a limited inferential ability, especially when compared with other methods/indexes employed to estimate reduction.
{"title":"Predicting Flake Mass: A View from Machine Learning","authors":"Guillermo Bustos-Pérez, J. Baena","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1881267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1881267","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Estimating flake mass based on remaining attributes bears an important relationship for the interpretation of lithic assemblages. Previous works have pointed out the relationship between flake attributes and prediction of flake mass. This study builds on previous works by using data from an experimental collection of flakes. Estimated mass was arrived at by generating a multiple linear regression model that combines several predictive variables. Variable selection for model training was carried out by using best subset selection, which evaluates all possible combinations of variables. Evaluation of the model was performed by computing common machine learning statistics along with estimated percentage error. Results make it possible to determine the best variables and estimate their relationships with flake mass. On the other hand, results also show that although the model is slightly biased and performs adequately, it has a limited inferential ability, especially when compared with other methods/indexes employed to estimate reduction.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"130 - 142"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1881267","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41649089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-07DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1880735
Małgorzata Kot, Natalia Gryczewska, M. Biard
ABSTRACT The paper examines the possibility of recognising leafpoint industry in the case that its most characteristic feature is missing. The conducted research aimed at identifying whether it is possible to determine Jerzmanowician assemblage based on the small debitage solely. To answer this question, leafpoints were experimentally knapped and all the produced debris carefully collected. The obtained debitage was subsequently analysed in respect to its morphometric and morphologic features to determine whether one can observe any distinctive characteristics. The results were compared with the stone assemblage from Koziarnia Cave, one of the few Jerzmanowician sites in Poland, confirming that one can determine which layer contains Jerzmanowician features.
{"title":"When the Leafpoints are Missing: On the Possibility of Identifying of Jerzmanowician Assemblages based on the Small Debitage Alone","authors":"Małgorzata Kot, Natalia Gryczewska, M. Biard","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1880735","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1880735","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The paper examines the possibility of recognising leafpoint industry in the case that its most characteristic feature is missing. The conducted research aimed at identifying whether it is possible to determine Jerzmanowician assemblage based on the small debitage solely. To answer this question, leafpoints were experimentally knapped and all the produced debris carefully collected. The obtained debitage was subsequently analysed in respect to its morphometric and morphologic features to determine whether one can observe any distinctive characteristics. The results were compared with the stone assemblage from Koziarnia Cave, one of the few Jerzmanowician sites in Poland, confirming that one can determine which layer contains Jerzmanowician features.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"119 - 129"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1880735","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42332961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-29DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1874705
Leanna Maguire, Briggs Buchanan, Michael Wilson, M. Eren
ABSTRACT A variety of flaked stone projectile point attributes can affect impact durability, which is the relationship between projectile impact force and point breakage. We examine the role of isometric scaling – size – on impact durability. Using 30 experimentally knapped points that varied predominately only in size, we conducted a ballistics experiment to understand whether points of certain sizes were more likely to break, or more likely to lose length, either absolutely or as a percentage of original length. Our results suggested that points of different sizes did not differ in how much absolute length they lost, but that there is a significant relationship between point size and percentage of original length lost – namely that larger points are more likely to lose less percentage length. Our experimental results suggest that point size should be considered along with shape and other attributes in future studies of impact durability and technological evolution.
{"title":"The Effect of Isometric Scaling on Flaked Stone Projectile Point Impact Durability: An Experimental Assessment","authors":"Leanna Maguire, Briggs Buchanan, Michael Wilson, M. Eren","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1874705","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1874705","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A variety of flaked stone projectile point attributes can affect impact durability, which is the relationship between projectile impact force and point breakage. We examine the role of isometric scaling – size – on impact durability. Using 30 experimentally knapped points that varied predominately only in size, we conducted a ballistics experiment to understand whether points of certain sizes were more likely to break, or more likely to lose length, either absolutely or as a percentage of original length. Our results suggested that points of different sizes did not differ in how much absolute length they lost, but that there is a significant relationship between point size and percentage of original length lost – namely that larger points are more likely to lose less percentage length. Our experimental results suggest that point size should be considered along with shape and other attributes in future studies of impact durability and technological evolution.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"260 - 269"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1874705","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48116649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-18DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1873584
Antonio Pérez Balarezo
The first moments are always the most exciting, because they are, at the same time, the least clear, the most fragmentary and vague that our perception can organize. Due to this unstable nature, th...
{"title":"Between Universals and Technical Specificities. Review and Comments on the Book “Les premières traditions techniques du Paléolithique ancient” by L. De Weyer","authors":"Antonio Pérez Balarezo","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1873584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1873584","url":null,"abstract":"The first moments are always the most exciting, because they are, at the same time, the least clear, the most fragmentary and vague that our perception can organize. Due to this unstable nature, th...","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":"46 1","pages":"165 - 168"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01977261.2021.1873584","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46356846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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