Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Technological and Typological Elements in the Production of Flint Projectile Points of the Neman Culture in the Polish Lowland Region

Abstract

The production of flint projectile points in the late stage of the Neman culture shows certain elements which are clearly similar in terms of technology and typology to the solutions known from flint-working of the people representing the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age cultures. The occurrence of such features has already been presented in relation to Neman culture ceramic production which lies at the heart of the concept of separating horizons within Linin type complexes. An in-depth analysis of the techno-typological features of flintworking in the Neman culture, and especially the typological category of projectile points, reveals similar patterns as well as cultural and chronological references in the case of ceramics. The most striking elements show analogies to those known from the south-eastern area of the cultural groupings influenced by impulses flowing from the civilization centres of the time. Traces of these influences are clear in certain typological and technological solutions, such as the forms of triangular projectile points, or in applying a trough-like retouch on such points. At the current stage of research, it is hard to determine whether the analogies observed result from not yet recognised intercultural contacts, or rather constitute a certain signum temporis characteristic of production in a wider area but during a single, specific chronological interval.