The use of fan scrapers: Microwear evidence from Late Pottery Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, Ein Zippori, Israel

Abstract

Abstract:The results of a microwear analysis of samples of fan scrapers and fan scrapers spalls from late Pottery Neolithic (PN) and Early Bronze Age (EBA) occupation layers at Ein Zippori, Lower Galilee, Israel are presented. The goal of the microwear analysis was to determine the function of the fan scrapers and compare the visible usewear on the scrapers found in late PN and EBA lithic assemblages. The results indicate that during both periods most of the fan scrapers were used to skin and butcher animals, while some were also used for hide processing and bone working. The working edges of the fan scrapers had sharp, moderate, or steep edge-angles, and different edges were used for different tasks. Edges with microwear from scraping meat, bone, and hides (including some hides that may have been treated with abrasives) had steep edge-angles, while there were moderate or sharp edge-angles on the edges of fan scrapers used for cutting. Two sub-types of fan scrapers were identified, flat cortex fan scrapers (FCFS), and cortical fan scrapers (CFS) with convex dorsal faces. The CFS were abundant in PN contexts, while the FCFS were more common in EBA layers. However both of the sub-types had similar microwear traces.

A techno-typological analysis of fan (tabular) scrapers from Ein Zippori, Israel

“…The use wear traces found on these scrapers were very similar to those found on fan scrapers (Yerkes et al 2016). Late PN scrapers (which are not fan scrapers) are predominantly 'end' and 'side' scrapers (e.g., Gopher 1989: 117; Barkai & Gopher 2012: 837;Khalaily et al 2015) and this is the case in the late PN layers of Ein Zippori as well.…”

“…We suggest that these spalls were most probably removed from fan scraper lateral edges (see below in section 3.5, and Yerkes et al 2016). Fan scraper spalls have not yet been clearly defined in the literature, and those from Megiddo (Shimelmintz & Adams 2014) technologically differ from the spalls presented here.…”

“…• Fan scrapers edge angles correlate with function (Yerkes et al 2016) and this aspect shows no chronological trend -no differences in usewear traces between WR and EBA fan scrapers were observed.…”

“…It has been suggested in the past that fan scrapers could have been used for wood-working, plant processing, sheep shearing, butchering activities, and for ritual practices (McConaughy 1979;1980;Rowan & Levy 1991;Unger-Hamilton 1991: 152;Henry 1995: 372-373;Barket & Bell 2011). However, recently Yerkes et al (2016) examined microwear traces on a large sample of fan scrapers and their spalls from Ein Zippori and concluded that those fan scrapers were used for skinning and butchering animals, as well as for working hide and bone.…”

“…12.2) respectively. The results of functional analysis of fan scrapers and spalls (Yerkes et al 2016) suggest that steeper edges were mostly used for scraping, while sharper edges were used also for cutting. Apparently, this variability in both thickness and angle of the working edges is similar in both groups of fan scrapers.…”