The Knapping of Quartz Crystals during the Later Stone Age at Matupi Cave, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

ABSTRACT Matupi Cave, located in the Ituri rainforest, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has been long considered an early example of Later Stone Age quartz microlithism in equatorial Africa from >40,700 BP. We reassessed the lithic collection of Matupi to provide a new description of specific technical behaviors, namely, the use of quartz crystals. This newly described technical behavior can act as an anchor point for future micro-regional comparative studies of Later Stone Age quartz microlithic assemblages in the equatorial belt of Africa. The knapping of quartz crystals occurs before 25 ka BP and is observed until Holocene times. It reflects mainly bladelet production but also the manufacture of specific tool implements. Based on techno-functional and “chaîne opératoire” approaches, we describe the crystal extraction process and their use as core- and tool-blanks. We also characterize the flaking and retouch goals. Finally, we discuss our results in terms of technical convergences and techno-cultural continuity and we suggest a possible technological determinism in knapping possibilities due to crystals specific volumetric patterns.