Remains of the day-preservation of organic micro-residues on stone tools

Langejans, Geeske H. J.

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2009.11.030

Cited by 79 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 101 publications

(144 reference statements)

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“…The sites were selected for their different environmental settings; this was important for a complementary study on the preservation of userelated residues (see Langejans, 2010). The replicates at Sterkfontein (on chert and a few on quartzite 2 ) and Sibudu (on hornfels) have a similar fine-to medium-grain size and were selected to facilitate comparison with the archaeological assemblages found at these sites, and to allow comparison between the two localities (see Langejans, 2010). The dull ends of the flakes were painted to allow easy retrieval after the experiments.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…My results demonstrate that distribution patterns on individual tools are not clear when residues have partly decayed. In this simple experiment that used flakes for single actions, the clear pattern of residue distribution was lost when decay set in (also see Barton, 2009;Langejans, 2010;Lu, 2006;Rots and Williamson, 2004). When the primary residue types suffer greater decay than residues that were initially less well represented, the secondary residues give the appearance of having been more important.…”

Section: Samplementioning

confidence: 98%

“…It is easy to identify primary and secondary remains when working on experimental samples, but reconstructing these categories for archaeological material with a dynamic use and taphonomic history is complex. Elsewhere, each tool received a score, named preservation index, to qualify the primary residues remaining after the weathering process (Langejans, 2010). A score of 5 represents excellent preservation and an index of 2.5 means that half of the original residues are preserved; no residues were observed at an index of 0.…”

Section: Microscopy and Quantificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To move beyond questions that centre on a novelty factor (generally the oldest) or questions that are so broad due to the pilot nature of a study, researchers should consider analysing samples larger than 20 tools (for more on sample size see ). Sample selection, should be based on proven preservation of residues because this saves valuable research time (Langejans, 2010).…”

Section: A Contextual Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Discerning use-related micro-residues on tools: testing the multi-stranded approach for archaeological studies

Langejans

2011

Journal of Archaeological Science

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Samplementioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Microscopy and Quantificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Contextual Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Discerning use-related micro-residues on tools: testing the multi-stranded approach for archaeological studies

Langejans

2011

Journal of Archaeological Science

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“…There is some literature available on inorganic stone tool burial experiments for residue analysis (Catteneo et al 1993; see also Barton 2009;Eisele et al 1995 andLangejans 2010). Catteneo et al (1993:32) simply describe the burial place as a "pit in a Sheffield garden" while Eisele et al (1995:44) buried stone tools "in dirt".…”

Section: Buried Stakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sticks and stones: a functional analysis of Aboriginal spears from Northern Australia

Nugent¹

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Ethnographic information indicates that, prior to British colonisation in 1788, Aboriginal Australians used spears for hunting, fishing, fighting, retribution, punishment, in ceremony and as commodities for trade. Aboriginal peoples understood the seasons and the availability of food resources within their countries. The British colonists, in rapidly developing much of the continent, dispossessed many Indigenous peoples of their land disrupting their way of life, especially access to food resources. Spears were an integral component of the toolkit Aboriginal people used to procure such resources but by the turn of the twentieth century, they increasingly made spears for trade and barter rather than for hunting and fishing. By the mid-twentieth century, spears, often incorporating the use of European technology and materials, were being made for sale in a cash economy. No residues were detected on the archaeological wooden spear tips indicating that organic residue survival on wood requires anaerobic burial conditions such as extremely desiccated or waterlogged terrestrial environments that are rarely found in Australia. The results of a burial experiment support this conclusion. Hypothesised indications of use-wear observed on the wooden spearheads did not always co-occur with use-related residues. Arguably, wear traces indicative of wooden projectile use may be very difficult to ascertain. Apart from fish scales and adipose tissue, however, a considerable variety of use-related residues were detected on many spears. Considered to be the key indicator of a spear's past use for hunting, fighting, fishing and in ceremony is the presence of blood. The biochemical test to screen for the presence of blood on wood was assessed as reasonably reliable but only for approximately two years, therefore explanations for the absence of blood residues on this raw material remain problematic. Blood residues, bone, hair and muscle tissue were detected on only one stone-headed spear that was collected in the early twentieth century from the iii southern Gulf of Carpentaria mainland. This result indicates the spear was likely used to hunt small game rather than made specifically for trade or barter. The remainder of the sample collected at around the turn of the twentieth century displayed many residues, including starch granules, hair, feather, and muscle tissue but no blood. These spears were likely manufactured in campsite environments, possibly as trade items. Most spears collected in the mid-twentieth century displayed few residues, suggesting they were made for sale in workshop environments. Residues indicative of specific manufacturing processes were also observed on some spears. In addition, the macroscopic examination of spears in tandem with relevant ethnographic information suggests that not all of the spears were made at the places recorded as their collection location in museum documentation.Although more research involving residue analysis of archaeological wooden material is required, especially to initially...

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Stones

2017

Chemicals and Methods for Conservation and Restoration

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Remains of the day-preservation of organic micro-residues on stone tools

Cited by 79 publications

References 101 publications

Discerning use-related micro-residues on tools: testing the multi-stranded approach for archaeological studies

Discerning use-related micro-residues on tools: testing the multi-stranded approach for archaeological studies

Sticks and stones: a functional analysis of Aboriginal spears from Northern Australia

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