Recycling in the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age: evidence of flint recycling at Ein-Zippori, Israel

Abstract

This paper presents a new techno-typological analysis of a sample of small flakes that were produced through recycling from discarded blanks at the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age site of Ein-Zippori, Lower Galilee, Israel. This study shows that the systematic production of small flakes from previously discarded blanks was not related to a scarcity in raw materials, but rather to specific decisions concerning the types of tools needed to complete necessary tasks. These results are supported by use-wear analysis noted briefly here and presented in more detail in a separate paper. The results indicate that recycling was a significant lithic production trajectory during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. Recycling also contributes to the variability in lithic assemblages from those cultural periods.

Memory Scrapers: Readymade Concepts and Techniques as Reflected in Collecting and Recycling Patinated Lower Palaeolithic Items at Qesem Cave, Israel

“…Agam & Barkai 2018; Amick 2015; Belfer-Cohen & Bar-Yosef 2015; Corchón Rodríguez 1994; Efrati et al 2019; Iovita et al 2012; Peresani et al 2015; Romagnoli 2015; Shimelmitz 2015; Vaquero 2011), as well as in sites dated to later periods (e.g. Galili 1987; Galili & Weinstein-Evron 1985; Gopher 1990; Hole 1959; Kuijt & Russell 1993; Makkay 1992; McDonald 1991; Parush et al 2018; Vaquero 2011). Such items are often termed ‘double patina’ in prehistoric research (Amick 2015; Goodwin 1960; Vaquero 2011) because the newer modified surfaces are easily distinguishable from the old ones due to colour and texture differences.…”

Microwear analysis of small recycled flakes and recycling products from the Ein-Zippori site, Lower Galilee, Israel

“…A shorter designation (COFs) for cores-on-flakes will be used in this study. Descriptions of the types of blanks made from COFs have also been modified slightly for the Ein-Zippori material (see Parush et al 2018).…”

“…It is difficult to determine if COFs with dorsal removals are actual COFs. COFs with combined ventral and dorsal removals were also much less common than COFs with ventral removals (Parush et al 2018). Four types of flakes or blades were removed from the ventral face or lateral edges of COFs.…”

“…It is during the Late Pottery Neolithic period and Early Bronze Age, when farmers in the southern Levant made and used new (and different) types of flint tools. Ein-Zippori was an example of expedient recycling by settled agriculturalists at a location where lithic raw material was abundant (Parush et al 2018). Small flake blanks were produced quickly for tasks that needed to be completed immediately.…”

“…Other sporadic finds were collected from top soil layers and were dated to the Roman, Byzantine and Crusader periods (Agam et al 2016). Recycled artefacts from the two main occupations, Late Pottery Neolithic WR and EBA Ib and II were examined (see Parush et al 2018 for details about site location and excavated areas). Most recycled artefacts came from WR layers, but artefacts from EBA contexts at the site are included in the microwear sample, which is treated as one assemblage.…”