When Lithics Hit Bones: Evaluating the Potential of a Multifaceted Experimental Protocol to Illuminate Middle Palaeolithic Weapon Technology

Summary

Recent zooarchaeological and isotope analyses have largely settled the debate surrounding Neanderthal hunting capacity. The vast numbers of Middle Palaeolithic sites containing the butchered remains of large ungulates demonstrates the ability to obtain and, often, highly process these carcasses. Nevertheless, evidence for the effectiveness and ubiquity of Neanderthal hunting technology, specifically composite hafted tools, has not been illustrated across either their entire spatial or temporal range. In-depth studies have focussed mainly on a small sub-set of lithic artefacts from assemblages emphasising features of breakage patterns, retouch, shape and use-wear.nWhilst most studies have focused on damage to lithic material this study uses a multifaceted experimental programme of controlled experiments in both a laboratory and more realistic setting. Such a two-fold approach allows for investigation of both the projectile delivery system and the resulting damage to both animal and projectile. Central to this research is whether diagnostic impact damage on both types of material can be identified and used in turn to infer Neanderthal hunting behaviour. Evaluating the incidence of lithic and faunal damage signatures from such experiments will improve recognition of these signatures in the archaeological record and allow for a better understanding the mechanisms of Neanderthal hunting.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Connecting Middle Paleolithic Datasets: The Interplay of Zooarchaeological and Lithic Data for Unraveling Neanderthal Behavior

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15673