The Magdalenian harpoons from the Iberian Mediterranean, based on pieces from Cova de les Cendres (Teulada-Moraira, Valencian region)

Monroig, Dídac Roman; Bonilla, Valentín Villaverde

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2012.03.032

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The Upper Palaeolithic point in our sample matches the Magdalenian barbed points of the Iberian Mediterranean. Compared to contemporaneous French and Cantabrian barbed tips, Mediterranean ones usually have a single row of small barbs that do not protrude much from the shaft, although a certain degree of variability within the assemblages is visible [ 64 ]. The same features characterise both our Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic points.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dynamic lives of osseous points from Late Palaeolithic/Early Mesolithic Doggerland: A detailed functional study of barbed and unbarbed points from the Dutch North Sea

Aleo,

Kozowyk,

Baron

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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Osseous barbed and unbarbed points are commonly recovered from the Dutch North Sea and other Mesolithic sites of northern Europe. Interpreted as elements of projectile weaponry, barbed points are considered by archaeologists to be a technological innovation in the hunting equipment of hunter-gatherers. However, debate about their exact use and identification of the targeted prey species is still ongoing. To shed light on the function of these tools, we analysed a sample of 17 artefacts from the Netherlands with a multi-disciplinary approach encompassing morphometric, functional, and chemical analysis. 14C-AMS dating yielded the oldest date for a barbed point from the Dutch coast (⁓13000 cal. BP). The observation of microwear traces preserved on the tools provides solid evidence to interpret the function of barbed and unbarbed points. We show that there were two distinct tool categories. 1) Barbed points hafted with birch tar and animal or vegetal binding were likely projectile tips for terrestrial and aquatic hunting. We provide strong clues to support the link between small barbed points and fishing using wear traces. 2) Points without barbs served as perforators for animal hides. Our results highlight the importance of use-wear and residue analysis to reconstruct prehistoric hunting activities. The functional interpretation of projectile points must also rely on microwear traces and not merely on the association with faunal remains, historical sources, and ethnographic comparisons.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dynamic lives of osseous points from Late Palaeolithic/Early Mesolithic Doggerland: A detailed functional study of barbed and unbarbed points from the Dutch North Sea

Aleo,

Kozowyk,

Baron

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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“…It is also during the Magdalenian that harpoon technology becomes widespread (Julian 1982). It is not clear what the prey species were, but a link with fishing is most commonly made (Julien 1982; 1995; Román and Villaverde 2012) although this is difficult to prove due to the lack of detailed studies of ichthyofauna.…”

Section: Interaction Niche Construction and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ethnographic records from North America indicate that beaver tail fat provided an important late winter fat component for human diet (Coles 2006). Winter availability also applies to several plant resources such as the rhizomes of reed-maces and the leaves of plants such as watercress ( Nasturtum officinale ) which are high in valuable nutrients, particularly vitamin C. Although it is difficult to be precise about the targeted species, the noted rise of harpoons as an artefact type during this period reinforces the centrality of riverine environments (Julien 1982; 1995; Román & Villaverde 2012). This accords well with Boyle’s (2010) argument in favour of true specialisation during the Magdalenian and Solutrean, and it is possible to see how this adaptation could fit into arguments regarding the expansion of the Magdalenian to north-west Europe (Miller 2012).…”

Section: Interaction Niche Construction and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eels, Beavers, and Horses: Human Niche Construction in the European Late Upper Palaeolithic

Brown¹,

Basell²,

Farbstein

2017

Proc. Prehist. Soc.

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“…Magdalenian culture developed widely across SW Europe (e.g. Breuil, 1912;Utrilla, 1981;González-Sainz, 1989;Angevin, 2012;Bicho & Haws, 2012;Román & Villaverde, 2012;Pétillon, 2013;Bourdier et al, 2017b;Ivanovaitė et al, 2020;Maier et al, 2020), with inter-regionally shared traditions (including possible similar behaviours regarding subterranean appropriation). However, differencesboth thematic (e.g.…”

Section: Materials: Middle/upper Magdalenian Cave Art On the Eastern ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Line of Sight and Potential Audience Analysis to Unravel the Spatial Organization of Palaeolithic Cave Art

Intxaurbe

Gárate

Arriolabengoa

et al. 2022

J Archaeol Method Theory

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The endokarst landscape is the result of long erosion and sedimentation processes that have modelled an environment in which capricious forms abound. Despite being a hostile environment for human life, these caves must have attracted the attention of human groups from as early as the Palaeolithic. It is striking that many examples of rock art appear to be closely symbiotic with their natural support; nevertheless, it is difficult to confirm any relationship in the distribution of the decorated spaces, based on their morphology. Moreover, if we start from the hypothesis—widely accepted, but not demonstrated—that Palaeolithic cave art is a system of visual communication, the visibility of the art or the number of people who could be accommodated in the decorated sectors should be determining factors. In order to avoid making subjective appraisals when analysing these factors, we have designed a Python script with a workflow to work directly with 3D models of caverns using GISs, which can be easily replicated and edited by other researchers. Application of this script in the Magdalenian caves of Atxurra, Santimamiñe and Altxerri (Northern Spain) has allowed us to compare them accurately based on their visibility features. This has shown that in some cases, there may have been prior planning to enhance the visibility of some figures. In all cases, the groups of figures are located in deep and hidden parts of the caves, usually in sectors with limited capacity to accommodate people, which would be consistent with a system of restricted communication.

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The Magdalenian harpoons from the Iberian Mediterranean, based on pieces from Cova de les Cendres (Teulada-Moraira, Valencian region)

Cited by 9 publications

References 2 publications

The dynamic lives of osseous points from Late Palaeolithic/Early Mesolithic Doggerland: A detailed functional study of barbed and unbarbed points from the Dutch North Sea

The dynamic lives of osseous points from Late Palaeolithic/Early Mesolithic Doggerland: A detailed functional study of barbed and unbarbed points from the Dutch North Sea

Eels, Beavers, and Horses: Human Niche Construction in the European Late Upper Palaeolithic

Application of Line of Sight and Potential Audience Analysis to Unravel the Spatial Organization of Palaeolithic Cave Art

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