Innovation and change in northern <scp>A</scp>ustralian <scp>A</scp>boriginal spear technologies: the case for reed spears

Allen, Harry; Akerman, Kim

doi:10.1002/arco.5051

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In Asia, resins were used as an adhesive and sealant to coat ceramic jars and seal lids onto pots and as a caulking in boats (Burger et al 2011;Gianno et al, n.d.). In Australia, resins were used 3000 years ago and possibly as far back as 40,000 to 50,000 years ago for a number of different tasks, including hafting stone tools, waterproofing baskets, caulking boats, and making ornamental items (Allen and Akerman 2015;Bradshaw 2013;Gamage et al 2012;Maloney et al 2015;Powell, Fensham, and Memmott 2013). Chinese and Japanese lacquers, often referred to simply as saps, are a complex resinous blend consisting mostly of phenolics, gum, and water obtained from lacquer trees (Anacardiaceae), specifically Toxicodendron vernicifluum and Rhus verniciflue (J.…”

Section: Plant Resinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Archaeological Adhesives

Langejans¹,

Aleo²,

Fajardo³

et al. 2022

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Anthropology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

An adhesive is any substance that bonds different materials together. This broad definition includes materials used in everything from hafted stone tools to monumental architecture. In addition, the combination of bonding, plasticity, and insolubility meant that some adhesives were exploited for waterproofing and sealing of materials, as self-adhering inlays and putties, and as paints, varnishes, and inks. Adhesives have a history of at least 200,000 years. Throughout (pre)history and around the world, people used materials, including bitumen/asphalt, carbohydrate polymers such as starches and gums, natural rubbers, mortars, proteins (from casein, soy, blood, and animal connective tissue), insect and plant resins, and tars made from various barks and woods. Adhesives thus are very diverse and have widely varying properties: they can be tacky, pliable, elastic, brittle, water-resistant, fluid, viscous, clear, dark, and much more. They are a plastic avant la lettre. These properties can and were tweaked by mixing ingredients or by further processing. In the study of archaeological adhesives, their characterization is essential and this is best done with chemical and spectroscopic methods. When larger coherent samples as opposed to single finds are analyzed, adhesive studies can provide data on past technologies, socioeconomic organizations, and environments and raw material availability. Through sourcing and mapping of ingredients and adhesive end products, travel and transfer of materials and knowledge can be illuminated. Additionally, experimental reproductions provide data on technological aspects that otherwise are lost in the archaeological record. An archaeology of adhesives can reveal the transport networks, subsistence, mobility strategies, division of labor, and technological know-how that held societies together.

show abstract

Section: Plant Resinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Archaeological Adhesives

Langejans¹,

Aleo²,

Fajardo³

et al. 2022

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Anthropology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Direct percussion stone points were first produced across northern Australia between 7000 and 5000 BP (Hiscock & Maloney ). Point production increases between 4000 and 1500 calBP, before in some areas changing or declining within the last millennium (Allen & Akerman : 90; Clarkson ; Maloney ). Pressure flaked bifaces (Kimberley Points) (Figure e), first widely occur around 1000 calBP (Maloney et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…). Consequently, the implications drawn from recent spear types (Allen & Akerman ) are avoided here, to focus on archaeological data only. The single residue analysis conducted on a mid to late Holocene point assemblage from Australia, comes from Widgingarri 1 and 2, in the western coastal Kimberley (Wallis & O'Connor ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Retouched, rejuvenated, recycled and occasionally hafted as projectiles: stone points of Holocene Australia

Maloney

2019

Archaeology in Oceania

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Macroscopic evidence for projectile use of stone points across the Kimberley region of northern Australia is examined using archaeological assemblages from the mid to late Holocene. There is scant evidence to support more than occasional projectile use. High rates of rejuvenation, recycling and continuous resharpening contribute to the low frequency of impact damage. The extent and location of edge damage, interpreted as probable use-wear, is demonstrated to have distribution patterns consistent with multipurpose functions. Projectile use was merely one, albeit infrequent function of these versatile tools. This study uses use-wear data to engage with technological organisation theory and discusses rates of use, resharpening, rejuvenation and recycling. Standardisation and an emphasis on maintainability provide the best explanation as to why people produced these tools during the Holocene. RESUMELes preuves macroscopiques de l'utilisation de pointes de pierreà l'aide de projectiles dans la région de Kimberley, dans le nord de l'Australie, ontété examinéesà l'aide d'ensembles archéologiques datant de l'Holocène moyenà tardif. Il existe peu de preuves pour appuyer davantage que l'utilisation occasionnelle de projectiles. Les tauxélevés de rajeunissement, de recyclage et de réaffûtage continu contribuentà la faible fréquence des dommages par impact. L'étendue et l'emplacement des dommages sur les bords, interprétés comme une usure probable, présentent des schémas de distribution compatibles avec les fonctions polyvalentes. L'utilisation de projectiles n'était qu'une des fonctions, même si ellesétaient peu fréquentes, de ces outils polyvalents. Cetteétude utilise des données d'usure pour porter sur la théorie de l'organisation technologique et pour discuter des taux d'utilisation, de réaffûtage, de rajeunissement et de recyclage. La normalisation et l'accent mis sur la maintenabilité fournissent la meilleure explication sur la raison pour laquelle les gens ont fabriqué ces outils pendant l'Holocène.

show abstract

“…The point was small and embedded in beeswax, which was then moulded over the entire point, with the point's base resting against a nodal septum at the end of the reed spear shaft (Phragmites sp. [56]). The spear was thrown with a 'gooseneck' spearthrower (warimi or warimirri [55]), and the point was meant to dislodge beneath the skin on impact.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Archaeology and art in context: Excavations at the Gunu Site Complex, Northwest Kimberley, Western Australia

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Kimberley region of Western Australia is one of the largest and most diverse rock art provenances in the world, with a complex stylistic sequence spanning at least 16 ka, culminating in the modern art-making of the Wunumbal people. The Gunu Site Complex, in the remote Mitchell River region of the northwest Kimberley, is one of many local expressions of the Kimberley rock art sequence. Here we report excavations at two sites in this complex: Gunu Rock, a sand sheet adjacent to rock art panels; and Gunu Cave, a floor deposit within an extensive rockshelter. Excavations at Gunu Rock provide evidence for two phases of occupation, the first from 7-8 to 2.7 ka, and the second from 1064 cal BP. Excavations at Gunu Rock provide evidence for occupation from the end of the second phase to the recent past. Stone for tools in the early phase were procured from a variety of sources, but quartz crystal reduction dominated the second occupation phase. Small quartz crystals were reduced by freehand percussion to provide small flake tools and blanks for manufacturing small points called nguni by the Wunambal people today. Quartz crystals were prominent in historic ritual practices associated with the Wanjina belief system. Complex methods of making bifacially-thinned and pressure flaked quartzite projectile points emerged after 2.7 ka. Ochre pigments were common in both occupation phases, but evidence for occupation contemporaneous with the putative age of the oldest rock art styles was not discovered in the excavations. Our results show that developing a complete understanding of rock art production and local occupation patterns requires paired excavations inside and outside of the rockshelters that dominate the Kimberley.

show abstract

Innovation and change in northern Australian Aboriginal spear technologies: the case for reed spears

Abstract: ABSTRACT

Cited by 13 publications

References 18 publications

Archaeological Adhesives

Archaeological Adhesives

Retouched, rejuvenated, recycled and occasionally hafted as projectiles: stone points of Holocene Australia

Archaeology and art in context: Excavations at the Gunu Site Complex, Northwest Kimberley, Western Australia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About