A closer look at an eroded dune landscape: first functional insights into the Federmessergruppen site of Lommel-Maatheide

Abstract

The vast Federmessergruppen site of Lommel-Maatheide, which is located in the Campine region (Northern Belgium), revealed the presence of numerous Final Palaeolithic concentrations situated on a large Late Glacial sand ridge on the northern edge of a contemporary lake. This situation offers a unique possibility for a large-scale functional analysis in order to understand the occupation of such a Late Glacial dune landscape. The variable preservation state of the lithic artefacts permitted to evaluate in detail the impact of post-depositional processes on the potential of functional studies. Also, the impact of excavation protocols on the preservation of wear traces and residues was evaluated, in particular the impact of mechanical sieving. The integrated functional research that included the microscopic examination of wear traces, fractures and residues, next to experimentation, permitted the identification of a range of crafting and hunting activities, thereby demonstrating the potential of such assemblages for obtaining innovative insights into Late Glacial site dynamics in spite of a varying preservation state.