Penetration Efficiency of Bone Projectile Points: Experimental Analysis Based on Late Pleistocene Artifacts from Sheriden Cave, Ohio

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This experimental study assesses the penetration efficiency of bone projectile points. Based on the well-preserved Late Pleistocene artifacts from Sheriden Cave, Ohio, it investigates how well this particular style of tool functions as a projectile tip. A total of 120 bone points were recreated from bovine femurs based on original casts of the artifacts. These points were tested under controlled conditions using a calibrated bow to fire at bone and simulated carcass materials. The study evaluates whether these projectiles are durable enough to penetrate large animal bones as was previously suggested for the faunal remains found at Sheriden Cave. The analysis includes measuring damage to the projectile point, the target bone, as well as the penetration depth. Effective penetration may suggest a hunting use, while insufficient penetration might indicate alternative uses. Although this experiment provides valuable insights, it does not definitively prove either scenario but serves as a theoretical tool for interpreting the archaeological record.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 52832