Variations in lithic artefact density as a tool for better understanding Middle Palaeolithic human behaviour: The case of Nesher Ramla (Israel)

Centi, Laura; Zaidner, Yossi

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2020.03.025

Cited by 24 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Likewise, both Lake Woods 1 and 2 have a similarly high proportion of retouched flakes (v ¼ 0.18, p ¼ 0.671), consistent with high mobility (e.g. Centi and Zaidner 2020;Clark and Barton 2017).…”

Section: Artefact Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 75%

Diverse stone artefacts around Lake Woods, Central Northern Territory, Australia

Shipton

Cohen

Forbes

et al. 2021

Australian Archaeology

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Lake Woods is a large freshwater body on the northern edge of Australia's arid zone where research since the late 1960s has suggested late Pleistocene, later Holocene, and recent human occupations. We report on surface collections and test excavations undertaken at four sites on the western side of the lake basin in 2019. Each site produced a distinctive lithic assemblage, characterised by different types of shaped and retouched lithics and grindstones. Some material matches the ethnographic descriptions of W. Murgatroyd and R. Paton of local stone tool technology. Our work also confirms the hypothesis of M. Smith that there was later Holocene occupation in the area; and is not inconsistent with the hypothesis of J. Bowler that there was a late Pleistocene occupation around the lake, but definitive evidence of this remains ambiguous. Grindstones occur at all sites, indicating that the harvesting of grass seeds was consistently an important subsistence component for people living by the lake. Distinctive lithic types are found at Lake Woods that are characteristic either of tropical northern Australia or arid southern Australia, suggesting the lake was an inter-regional locus for human activity and a potential zone of interaction between different groups at various times in the past.

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Section: Artefact Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 75%

Diverse stone artefacts around Lake Woods, Central Northern Territory, Australia

Shipton

Cohen

Forbes

et al. 2021

Australian Archaeology

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“…These materials are commonly transformed through percussive activities and both broken bones and flaked flint materials appear in high frequencies at the site (Centi & Zaidner, 2020;Crater Gershtein et al, 2020;Prévost & Zaidner, 2020;Zaidner et al, 2014). Based on the diversity of micro-polish types previously identified in the Nesher Ramla's GST assemblage, we also included other types of activities in our experimental program (Paixão et al, in press).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using mechanical experiments to study ground stone tool use: Exploring the formation of percussive and grinding wear traces on limestone tools

Paixão

Pedergnana²,

Marreiros

et al. 2021

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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Ground Stone Tools (GST) have been identified in several Levantine archaeological sites dating to the Middle Paleolithic. These tools, frequently made of limestone, are often interpreted based on their morphology and damage as having been used for knapping flint, and sometimes for breaking animal bones or processing vegetal materials as well. However, the lack of experimental referential collections on limestone is a major obstacle for the identification of diagnostic traces on these types of tools and raw material. In this sense, the understanding of the specific function of these GST and the association between tool types and activity often remains unknown or merely speculative.Recent discoveries at the site of Nesher Ramla revealed one of the largest Middle Paleolithic assemblages of limestone GST. Our use-wear analysis has identified several types of both macro and micro-wear traces on different tools. Such diversity highlights the need for developing an experimental reference collection that can enable detailed comparison between experimental and archaeological use-wear evidence.In this paper, we present the results of mechanical experiments specially designed to understand and quantify major characteristics of macro and micro use-wear traces on limestone GST as a result of three main activities: 1) animal bone breaking, 2) flint knapping and 3) grinding acorns. This study pursues three main goals: a) improving our ability to distinguish natural from anthropogenic alterations on limestone; b) identifying and characterizing differences between wear-traces (macro and micro) produced by different activities, and c) building a reference collection for thorough comparisons of use-wear and residues on archaeological tools.Our results indicate that it is possible not only to identify anthropogenic alterations but also to specifically distinguish the use-wear traces formed on limestone as result of percussive activities of bone and flint. This is shown by controlled experiments allowing variables other than the worked material to remain constant.This study aims to contribute towards establishing an experimental and multi-scale library of usewear traces on limestone.

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“…All the units are rich in lithic and faunal remains as well as GSTs and manuports. Their frequencies vary along the sequence, however, with units III and V showing the highest density of archaeological materials compared to the upper units I and II (Centi & Zaidner, 2020;Prévost & Zaidner, 2020;Zaidner et al, 2018) (Fig. 1).…”

Section: The Site Of Nesher Ramla (Israel)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The retouched tool assemblages are mostly composed of intensively retouched side-scrapers and tools with lateral tranchet blow (Prévost et al this issue;Zaidner & Grosman, 2015). Nesher Ramla also presents the largest assemblage of bulb retouchers known in the Middle East for MP contexts (Centi and Zaidner, 2020). In terms of raw material exploitation, the knapped lithic assemblage is dominated by a local Mishash flint followed by the exploitation of flint from indeterminate sources and Eocene flint which are considered to be non-local or semi-local (Ekshtain and Zaidner, this issue).…”

Section: The Site Of Nesher Ramla (Israel)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Middle Paleolithic ground stones tools of Nesher Ramla unit V (Southern Levant): A multi-scale use-wear approach for assessing the assemblage functional variability

Paixão

Marreiros

Dubreuil

et al. 2022

Quaternary International

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In the archaeological record, Ground Stone Tools (hereafter GST) represent an important tool group that provides invaluable data for exploring technological development and changes in resource exploitation over time. Despite its importance, Lower and Middle Paleolithic (MP) GST technology remains poorly known and understudied. The MP record of the Levant constitutes a compelling case study for exploring the nature and character of GST technology. Especially the site of Nesher Ramla (Israel, end of Marine Isotope Stage 6/beginning of 5) has provided one of the world's largest GST assemblages from MP contexts.Aiming at evaluating the variability of tool types at the site from a technological and functional perspective, this study follows an analytical approach which integrates different scales of analysis.Our workflow seeks to generate and combine qualitative and quantitative data allowing: 1) the identification of damage areas, and 2) functional analysis, based on the location, distribution, and characterization of use-wear traces.This study shows a substantial level of diversification in resource exploitation (e.g., mineral, hard animal material and likely perishable components). Results show the presence of several tool types on which diagnostic use-wear can be associated with different activities. Importantly, our analysis indicates the presence of various hammerstone types showing distinct wear characteristics. The variability observed within the hammerstones likely reflects different functions, including in some cases the processing of distinct worked materials. Ultimately, this study contributes to our understanding of the significance of GST technology for the ecological dynamics of MP populations.

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Variations in lithic artefact density as a tool for better understanding Middle Palaeolithic human behaviour: The case of Nesher Ramla (Israel)

Cited by 24 publications

References 59 publications

Diverse stone artefacts around Lake Woods, Central Northern Territory, Australia

Diverse stone artefacts around Lake Woods, Central Northern Territory, Australia

Using mechanical experiments to study ground stone tool use: Exploring the formation of percussive and grinding wear traces on limestone tools

The Middle Paleolithic ground stones tools of Nesher Ramla unit V (Southern Levant): A multi-scale use-wear approach for assessing the assemblage functional variability

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