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. 2020 Jun 3;15(6):e0233340.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233340. eCollection 2020.

Versatile use of microliths as a technological advantage in the miniaturization of Late Pleistocene toolkits: The case study of Neve David, Israel

Affiliations

Versatile use of microliths as a technological advantage in the miniaturization of Late Pleistocene toolkits: The case study of Neve David, Israel

Iris Groman-Yaroslavski et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

The miniaturization of stone tools, as reflected through the systematic production of bladelets and bladelet tools (microliths), characterized many industries of the Late Pleistocene, with the Levantine Epipalaeolithic serving as a well-studied example. It is commonly held that microliths were used as modular inserts in composite projectiles, while their incorporation in other tools for different tasks is generally overlooked, the latter aspect being the main focus of this paper. We present here a more inclusive approach through a case study of the Geometric Kebaran (Middle Epipalaeolithic, ca. 18,500-15,000 cal BP) site of Neve David, Mount Carmel, Israel. Recent excavations at the site exposed a variety of features, and one well-preserved shallow pit provided a large lithic assemblage with ca. 90 microliths. We studied this assemblage using both the low- and high- magnification use-wear protocols, accompanied by a range of experiments. Our results show that a) the fragmentation rate is very high in this assemblage (ca. 90%), b) most of the microliths have identifiable use-wear, c) the microliths were commonly used as inserts in composite projectiles, d) many microliths were used for functions not related to weaponry and hunting, such as wood-working, weed harvesting and meat processing. These findings strongly support the suggestion that the small insets, regardless of their specific type (trapeze, rectangle, backed/retouched bladelet), were used in a wide variety of composite tools. We argue that such a versatile approach and flexibility in the use of microliths reflect a technological advantage where a minimal set of microlithic types, produced in large numbers, could provide the required elements for weapons, as well as for a variety of cutting, processing and harvesting tools needed for mundane tasks at a large Middle Epipalaeolithic camp.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Location map of Neve David and Locus 5.
(a) Location map of Mount Carmel. (b) Neve David and other contemporaneous sites mentioned in the text. (c) Excavation plan showing the location of Locus 5. (d) Field photo of Locus 5.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Microliths from Locus 5.
(1–24) Geometric microliths. (25–43) Non-geometric microliths. Locations of detailed photos and micrographs are indicated, with references to Figs 6, 7, 9 and 10.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Schematic representation of DIF types considered in the current study.
Side view showing the profile of (a) Step terminating bending fracture. (b) Hinge terminating bending fracture. (c) Feather terminating bending fracture. (d) Crushed fracture. (e) Dorsal view showing profile of burination on a sharp edge. (f) Ventral view showing two spin-off secondary cones initiating on a bending fracture.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Experiments using various hafting arrangements and hand-held microliths for wood working.
(a) Terminal-transversal hafting used for shaving bark and wood along the fibers. (b) Terminal-transversal hafting used for cutting wood along the fibers. (c) Terminal-longitudinal hafting used for shaving bark and wood along the fibers. (d) Terminal-longitudinal hafting used for cutting bark and wood perpendicular to the fibers. (e) Lateral-longitudinal hafting used for shaving bark and wood along the fibers. (f) Lateral-longitudinal hafting used for cutting bark and wood perpendicular to the fibers. (g) Hand-held microlith used for shaving bark and wood along the fibers. (h) Hand-held microlith used for sawing bark and wood perpendicular to the fibers. All the tools were used for 1000 strokes. Arrows indicate the direction of motion.
Fig 5
Fig 5. DIFs observed on the ND microliths.
(a) Feather terminating bending fracture. (b) Step terminating bending fracture, see also Fig 2 14. (c) Burination, see also Fig 2 12. (d) Hinge terminating bending fracture, see also Fig 2 11. (e) Crushing, see also Fig 2 30. (f) Spin-off fracture at distal and step terminating bending fracture on left lateral, see also Fig 2 32. Original magnification is indicated near the scale bar.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Micrographs showing linear traces associated with DIFs.
(a) A cluster of fine striations, see also Fig 2 3 for the location of the traces on the tool. (b) Isolated sterea, see also Fig 2 19 for the location of the traces on the tool. (c) Striations extending oblique to a burination DIF, see also Fig 2 12 for the location of the traces on the tool. (d) Isolated streak of polish extending away from the impact fracture, see also Fig 2 20 for the location of the traces on the tool. Original magnification is indicated near the scale bar.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Key examples of non-projectile use-wear observed on experimental tools.
(a) Sawing wood for 60 minutes showing close and overlapping edge removals along the edge, usually with cone initiation and step termination, extending in two directions oblique or perpendicular to the working edge indicating the motion of the tool. (b) Scraping wood for 45 minutes showing a convex edge resulting from prolonged contact with the wood at the same spot, with edge removals close and run together, with cone initiation and feather termination, an axis perpendicular to the edge and creating an almost abrupt edge. (c) Sawing bone for 10 minutes showing an irregular shape as a result of the massive damage, edge removals are close, vary in size with a crushed initiation and feather termination. (d) Scraping bone for 38 minutes showing a section of edge removals, overlapping, stepped, with step termination. (e) Drilling dry bone for 18 minutes showing fractures with an oblique axis that indicates the rotational motion with slight crushing at the tip resulting from the downwards pressure. (f) Defleshing for 2 hours showing tiny edge removals associated with a weak polish produced by the contact with flesh and periosteum spreading in a scintillation pattern along the edge. Original magnification is indicated near the scale bar.
Fig 8
Fig 8. Macrographs showing macro-wear on experimental tools from the experiments in this study.
(a) Terminal-transversal hafting, shaving wood: edge removals close and run together, with bending initiation and step termination (marked by arrows), located at the middle part of the tool. (b) Terminal-transversal hafting, sawing wood: tiny edge removals with cone initiation and step termination in a cluster, overlapping and with an axis oblique to the working edge (an example marked by an arrow). (c) Lateral-longitudinal hafting, shaving wood: edge removals of the same type as in macrograph a, but smaller in size. (d) Lateral-longitudinal hafting, sawing wood: heavy damage of edge removals of different size and shape. (e) Terminal-longitudinal hafting, shaving wood: edge removals separated and run together along the working edge, invasive, with bending initiation and step termination, extending in an axis perpendicular to the edge, located at the un-hafted upper part of the tool. (f) Terminal-longitudinal hafting, sawing wood: edge removals of different size and shape, extending in two directions in an axis oblique to the edge. (g) Hand-held, shaving wood: tiny edge removals, some with bending initiation and with a feather termination extending in a more or less perpendicular axis to the edge. (h) Hand-held, sawing wood: tiny edge removals of different size and shape extending in two directions in an axis oblique to the edge. Original magnification is indicated near the scale bar.
Fig 9
Fig 9. Macro and micrographs of non-projectile use-wear observed on the Locus 5 microliths.
(a) Edge removals close and run together, with bending initiation and step termination with an axis oblique to the edge indicating the oblique position of the haft, restricted to the upper part of the tool, interpreted as wood shaving tool used hafted in a terminal-longitudinal arrangement, see Fig 2 18 for the location of the traces on the tool. (b) Invasive band of faint polish, marked by the dotted line, interpreted as transversal filleting of meat. (c) Rough, dull polish with multiple longitudinal fine striations shown by the arrows, interpreted as cutting herbaceous plants with the intervention of dust particles, see Fig 2 15 for the location of the traces on the tool. (d) Band of faint polish marked by the dotted line developed to a low degree along the edge, interpreted as meat cutting, see Fig 2 29 for the location of the traces. (e) Tiny edge removals extending in two directions associated with meat cutting polish indicating bidirectional cutting. (f) Edge removals with cone initiation and feather termination extending obliquely-perpendicular to the axis of the tool, observed on the pointy edge of a microliths, indicating the rotational motion of the tool, interpreted as a drilling tool, see Fig 2 7 for the location of the traces on the tool. Original magnification is indicated near the scale bar.
Fig 10
Fig 10. Microliths with traces associated with hafting and a reconstruction of the hafting arrangement.
(1) Microlith showing multiple DIFs on the sharp lateral interpreted as a transversal point hafted in a terminal-transversal hating arrangement depicted in the drawing. (1a) Close view of the DIFs with arrows showing the direction of impact. (1b) Striations MILT observed on the ventral face opposite the DIFs indicating the direction of impact. (1c) A bright spot shown by the arrow interpreted to be produced by the contact with the haft and perhaps adhesive material. (2) A microlith with DIF at distal end interpreted as the hafted part of a point due to the presence of hafting traces at the lower part of the tool opposite the break. (2a) Close-up view at the bending fracture and opposing lateral notch-like damage of overlapping edge removals assumed to be produced due to binding. (2b) An isolated fracture with bending initiation and step termination assumed to be produced by the contact with a haft and perhaps binding. (2c) Another isolated fracture, opposite the fracture in Fig 2B, termed by Rots [71] sliced into scalar bending scar, assumed to be the result of the contact with the haft and perhaps binding. (2d) A bright spot resulting from the contact with the haft and perhaps adhesive material observed on the bulbar area. Original magnification is indicated near the scale bar.

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