Projectile Points Research Articles

Limaces and Unifaces in the Paiján Industry, Peru, and the Early Prehistory of America

ABSTRACT On the coast of Peru, early human occupation is represented by the Paiján tradition. As well as the stemmed bifacial projectile points, “limaces” are characteristic of this paleo American lithic complex, in comparison with similar forms of the European Mousterian, a term that has been changed to "uniface" because of the variety of shapes in Paiján assemblages. In contrast with the Mousterian expedient technology, unifaces are highly curated tools that are discarded following repeated sequences of use and resharpening that finally render them non-functional. The discovery of a cache of two little-used unifaces in a bifacial knapping workshop shows the process of reduction to which the unifaces encountered so far have been subjected. Unifaces are generally found in the context of occupations dating from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition (Paleo-American stage) throughout America. Unifaces should be considered as one of the characteristic tool types of this stage, besides the lithic projectile points.

Plains Paleoindian Projectile Point Penetration Potential

The iconic Paleoindian projectile points of the northern portion of the North American Great Plains—Clovis, Folsom, Agate Basin, Plainview (Goshen), Hell Gap, Alberta, Scottsbluff, and Eden—span nearly 4,000 radiocarbon years. Here, we apply recent findings from experimental archaeology to a database of 343 Paleoindian points to better understand how well these point types potentially functioned relative to each other in terms of penetration. Given that tip cross-sectional area (TCSA) and tip cross-sectional perimeter (TCSP) inversely correlate with penetration depth, we measured and analyzed these two attributes on each specimen in our database. Our results indicate significant differences in the Paleoindian point types’ tip cross-sectional geometries, suggesting that these points were not equally effective at penetration and that there is not a progressive trend in penetration effectiveness from Early to Late Paleoindian times. We conclude with a discussion of hypothetical Paleoindian point evolution and the reasons for the possible selection for or against penetration. The results speak to the assessment of archaeological and ethnographic technologies with full knowledge of their performance potential as gleaned from experimental archaeology. Such knowledge will help anthropologists propose more robust hypotheses involving the evolution of technology and culture, both past and present.

Geoarchaeological Excavations at the Guest Mammoth Site (8MR130), Florida, USA

In 1983, a five-page article was published in The Florida Anthropologist which reported on a submerged mammoth kill site in the Silver River near Ocala, Florida. This claim was supported by evidence consisting of a projectile point, six direct percussion flakes, and “numerous” pressure flakes found in situ with the remains of three Columbian Mammoths. In addition, three of the mammoth bones exhibited what were interpreted as cut-marks. The Guest Mammoth site was the first professional archaeological investigation on an underwater precontact site in the Americas. At the time of discovery, no locality east of the Mississippi River had yielded convincing evidence of human and megafauna interaction. For these reasons and others, the Guest Mammoth site fell into archaeological limbo. The author directed geoarchaeological investigations at the Guest Mammoth site from 2014 to 2019 to assess the standing hypothesis that the site is an intact Late Pleistocene archaeological locality. This paper evaluates the results of the original site excavations and contributes new geoarchaeological data to determine the Guest Mammoth's place in the North American archaeological record. The data presented here do not support the conclusion that the Guest Mammoth site is an unequivocal Late Pleistocene archaeological locality because the mammoth bone and artifact bearing component is not stratigraphically secure and has limited chronological control. However, the presence of datable Late Pleistocene strata and faunal material along with non-diagnostic artifacts indicate that the Silver River is worthy of further geoarchaeological inquiry for Late Pleistocene archaeological sites.

Using visible derivative spectroscopy to assess flaked projectile point provenance: Application and preliminary analysis of the welling site, Ohio, U.S.A

AbstractLinking the stone raw material of a lithic artifact to its original outcrop is an important endeavor that facilitates archaeologists' understanding of prehistoric mobility, trade, economics, and land use. Based on macroscopic identification, archaeologists' presume that prehistoric Holocene occupants of the Welling Site, Ohio, made use of the locally available Upper Mercer chert for the majority of their projectile points. Here we apply visible derivative spectroscopy (VDS) to quantitatively assess this claim by examining 55 projectile points from the site. VDS identified 85%, whereas macroscopic analysis found 73% of the projectile points examined derived from the Upper Mercer Chert. These proportions are not statistically different given the sample size. Although the VDS analysis supported the hypothesis that Welling's Holocene projectile points were predominately produced from Upper Mercer chert, discrepancies between the results of macroscopic versus VDS chert identification point to future avenues of research including an expansion of VDS analyzed hand samples and comparison of VDS to other sourcing methods. Nevertheless, we propose that VDS has much promise and should be researched further so that archaeologists' can add another tool to their lithic artifact raw material sourcing toolbox.

Late Holocene triangular lithic projectile points, their morphometric variability and hafting systems in the Southern Pampean Hills (Córdoba, Argentina)

The shape variability of triangular stone projectile points and their hafting systems are analyzed to understand the technological practices during the Late Holocene in the Southern Pampean Hills (Córdoba, Argentina). Archaeometric studies were carried out on archaeological triangular lithic projectile points and plant remains. We present results of geometric morphometrics, functional analysis for the determination of microwear use traces and analysis of FT-IR organic residue recovered from the basal and middle blade areas. Complementary anthracological investigations were developed for the taxonomic identification of plants for comparison with the organic remains recovered from the projectile points. Archaeological and actualistic samples come from two multicomponent archaeological sites of Ongamira valley, Córdoba, Argentina where camelids (Lama guanicoe) and cervids (Ozotoceros sp. and Mazama sp.) were the main hunted prey. From our results, we discuss previous typological approaches based on the similar shapes and different weapon systems for the various hunter-gatherer occupations during the Late Holocene. Accordingly, it is assumed that there is technological continuity at least for 2000 years (between 3900 and 1900 BP) not only in flaked stone technology but also in hafting practices based on the preparation of the base shape of triangular projectile points and the use of local plant resins.

Submerged landscape evolution of the Beagle Channel: context of the first record of underwater archaeological evidence

ABSTRACT We analyze the finding of a lithic projectile point at more than 100 meters depth in the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) in relation to submerged landscapes. On the one hand, this underwater evidence is examined as part of an inundated archaeological landscape supporting the hypothesized Pleistocene coastal dispersion in southern South America. On the other hand, the lithic projectile point is evaluated as a submerged isolated artefact as the result of human movements through aquatic environments due to foraging and transport practices in the sea during the Holocene. Technological properties and post-depositional modifications of the projectile point are described, and the artefact location is assessed in light of paleogeographic models. The presented evidence does not support an early human occupation in the region, but the particular archaeological detection offers insights to the alternative explanation, and to the potential of underwater explorations in the region.

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition about 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

The study of cultural change associated with the emergence of complex societies in Ancient China has heavily relied on evidence from ceramics, lithic technologies, changes in settlement pattern, burial practices, and prestige goods. However, it remains unclear whether, and if so to what extent, other aspects of material culture follows similar evolutionary trajectories. Here, we analyze a large bone tool assemblage found in Longshan (n = 76) and Yueshi (n = 124) contexts at Yinjiacheng, a key site from the Haidai region. These two cultural entities are of particular interest as they allow to investigate cultural change dynamics in the Haidai region during the transition between the Late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. Our assessment allows us to document changes in bone technology along three lines of evidence: typological diversity, technological know-how, and morphometric standardization. From a typological standpoint, we document an increased diversity in tool types during the Yueshi period compared to Longshan. However, the techniques used to manufacture bone tools during the Longshan and Yueshi periods remain broadly the same. Furthermore, we identify the persistence of a specific reduction sequence for the manufacture of some awl and projectile point sub-types shared by the two cultural systems. Morphometrically, Longshan domestic tools are generally more standardized than Yueshi tools, while Yueshi hunting implements show a higher degree of standardization compared to their Longshan counterparts. We argue this pattern reflects the preservation of a common know-how among Longshan and Yueshi settlers at Yinjiacheng. We interpret the typological diversification of Yueshi hunting implements and changes in the standardization of Yueshi bone tools as a proxy for the articulation of this knowledge through applying less rigid rules of production to meet new emerging needs.

FELL CAVE REINTERPRETED

Since first excavated by Junius Bird in 1936-1937, Fell Cave has been a key site for understanding the process of human peopling of Fuego-Patagonia. The recovery of extinct faunal remains in association with hearths and fishtail projectile points -now known to be diagnostic of early occupations- suggested to Bird that the deposits dated to the Late Pleistocene age of the deposits, which was later confirmed by radiocarbon dating. A rock fall apparently sealed those early deposits, separating them neatly from the Holocene occupations. The materials recovered on that campaign are stored at the American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. After that initial season, many more excavations took place, including a return by Bird 39 years later, producing a new collection now stored at the CEHA, Instituto de la Patagonia, Universidad de Magallanes, Chile. We present here a preliminary study of the earlier bone assemblages, offering some comparisons with other early Fuego-Patagonia sites, and present an alternative interpretation of the significance of the rock fall. Finally, we explore some implications for the chronology and history of occupations of the site.

Technical and conceptual behaviours of bone and antler exploitation of last hunter-gatherers in Northern Iberia. The osseous industry from the Magdalenian layers of Ekain cave (Basque Country, Spain)

The site of Ekain Cave presents a large archaeological sequence encompassing all the Upper Palaeolithic periods. Here we present results of a technological analysis conducted on the bone and antler industry from the Magdalenian (Lower, Middle and Upper) levels. The industry reflects the pattern seen at other Magdalenian sites in north Spain and the Pyrenees, such as the choice of bone for domestic activities (awls, needles and polishers) whereas antler was employed mainly for hunting and/or fishing weapons (projectile points and barbed points). The succession of cold and amelioration phases recorded during the Magdalenian has its effect on the fauna present and on the availability of raw material, in particular, cervid antler.The present study identifies for the first time the use of debitage by fracturation in northern Iberia. A hypothesis that may explain the incentives behind the adoption of such a procedure in Ekain is proposed. These results are put in the context of the operational sequences for the osseous industry in the north of Iberia during the last Upper Palaeolithic. Indeed, our study reinforces the hypothesis that a high degree of exchange of technical and conceptual behaviours between the North and the South of the Pyrenees and the Iberian Mediterranean area as already suggested by works on lithic technology and cave and mobile art.

Obsidian conveyance among hunter-gatherers in northwestern Patagonia

In this paper we explore obsidian conveyance in the Diamante Valley, in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Obsidian is the third most-common toolstone used in the Diamante Valley after basalts and local cryptocrystallines. Obsidian artifacts are predominantly projectile points and bifaces, with few cores and early-stage reduction debris. To explain these patterns, we conducted XRF sourcing and technological analysis of 177 obsidian artifacts collected there. We also conducted a GIS-based least cost path analysis to assess the costs of conveying obsidian from sources to sites in the Diamante watershed. We found that hunter-gatherers used Las Cargas as the principal obsidian source, followed by Maule 1 and 2, El Peceño, and Coche Quemado. The nearest source, Laguna del Diamante, was the least used. These data, combined with an analysis of the ways cores, formed tools, and debitage types were conveyed and ultimately deposited at sites in the Diamante watershed, suggest a late Holocene pattern of highland-oriented indirect access, implying highland village sites likely served as nodes in a regional and extraregional exchange network focused not only on obsidian but also on other goods, information, and social obligations.

Accuracy of the typological classifications of the Late Glacial and Early Holocene osseous projectile points according to the new AMS dates of selected artifacts from Poland

Late Glacial and Early Holocene bone and antler artifacts are recovered from all over the Polish Lowland. Elements of projectile weaponry, in the form of various points made of osseous raw materials, were an important part of hunter-gatherer equipment of that time. We present the results of AMS dating of a unique collection of thirteen artifacts that had previously been chrono-culturally attributed by means of relative dating using typological approaches only. The results obtained are considered alongside current knowledge and typological arrangements for these types of tools in Europe. We also attempt to determine the interpretative potential of the technological studies to which the discussed osseous points were subjected in terms of possibly identifying processing techniques that can be specific to the given periods of the Stone Age. Suggestions made in this respect are verified through the radiocarbon dating results.

Allometry of unifacial flake tools from Mojave Desert terminal pleistocene/early holocene sites: Implications for landscape knowledge, tool design, and land use

This study evaluates the allometry of terminal Pleistocene-early Holocene age unifacial flake tools in the northcentral Mojave Desert of California to reveal linkages between landscape knowledge, tool design, and land use. Analyses of 438 unifacial flake tools (all types) show at the population scale that Mojave Desert Paleoindians, like other post-Clovis Paleoindians across North America, possessed good knowledge of the landscape and designed flake tools for short-term purposes. This design strategy repeats in three study areas but to varying degrees: flake tools in the Fort Irwin study area were designed for shorter-term use than those from the pluvial China Lake and Lake Mojave study areas. Chert flake tools were designed for somewhat shorter-term use than those made from fine-grained volcanic stones, with obsidian flake tools designed for longevity. The regional ubiquity of knappable lithic raw materials, especially cherts, partially explains the short-term design strategy given Paleoindians’ knowledge of the landscape, including where to find knappable stones. Given that the design strategy of unifacial flake tools varies by raw material type, it provides a reminder that Great Basin Paleoindian land use models derived solely or largely from obsidian projectile points and bifacial tools may result in biased interpretations.

Clovis through Big Sandy Technological Response to the Younger Dryas in Northern Alabama

ABSTRACT Kuhn and Miller (2015) suggest that changes in projectile point life histories could result from (a) increased replacement costs due to limited raw material access, or (b) a decline in average hunting returns. In northern Alabama, where raw material access can be held constant, we use variation in biotic structures to make predictions for life histories of Clovis to Big Sandy projectile points over the course of the Younger Dryas (12,900–11,700 calendar years ago). Then, using data from the Alabama Paleo Point Survey and private collections, we find a decrease in projectile point size through time, and fluctuations in resharpening. These trends follow changes in forest structure, average prey size, and hunting returns. We conclude that there are no abrupt technological changes coeval with the Younger Dryas onset. However, with the Younger Dryas terminus and subsequent Holocene warming, foragers in northern Alabama made significant changes in projectile point technology.

Temperature and phase transitions of laser-ignited single iron particle

The combustion behavior of single laser-ignited iron particles is investigated. Transient particle radiant intensities at 850 nm and 950 nm are measured by post-processing recorded high-speed camera images using an in-house developed particle tracking program. Then, the time-resolved particle temperature is obtained based on two-color pyrometry. A plateau-like stage shortly after the ignition is repeatedly observed, and identified as iron particle melting by the measured temperature and the estimated melting time. Besides, an abrupt brightness jump near the end of combustion is observed for most burning particles, while a small portion of the particles (< 10%) show a second plateau-like stage instead. The particle temperature right after the brightness jump (1880±70 K) is almost identical to that during the second plateau-like stage. This temperature corresponds to two phase-change temperatures in the Fe-O phase diagram: i) L2 <=> Fe3O4 (s) at 1869 K (congruent melting) and ii) L2 <=> Fe3O4 (s) + O2 (g) at 1855 K (eutectic reaction), where L2 represents a liquid iron oxide. Based on this, the presence of the brightness jump (spear point) is explained by a sudden solidification of supercooled iron oxide droplets with an atomic O/Fe ratio larger than or close to 4/3. Particles’ near-peak temperatures are also measured based on time-integrated spectra. The results indicate that the near-peak temperature increases first fast and then slowly with an increase of oxygen concentration. At higher oxygen concentrations, smaller particles have a slightly lower temperature. The effect of particle size on the near-peak temperature is negligible at lower oxygen concentrations due to weaker radiation. The morphology of combusted particles is examined by micrography. Some burned particles appear as hollow thin-shell spheres at all adopted oxygen concentrations. Additionally, nano oxides are found at 13–51% oxygen concentrations. Less traces of nano oxides were observed at reduced oxygen concentrations. The nano-oxide formation mechanisms are analyzed based on thermochemical equilibrium calculations.

Materials from Dwelling 2 on Suchu Island, the Lower Amur (1977 Season, Excavation III)

This article presents the fi nal results of excavations at one of the largest Neolithic sites in northeastern Asia— a settlement on Suchu Island on the Amur. Most of the rich collection (3967 spec.), owned by IAET SB RAS (stone tools, ceramics, ornaments, and artistic and ritual artifacts), has not been described before. This publication focuses on the analysis of artifacts from dwelling 2 (excavation III, 1977). We describe the construction of this semi-underground dwelling, circular in plan view. The typological analysis of the lithics indicates a complex economy. Many of them (arrowheads, projectile points, inserts, knives, plummets) relate to hunting and fi shing, and to processing carcasses (end-scrapers, scrapers, burins, combination tools), others are chopping tools. The distinctive feature of the lithics is that some are bifacial. The analysis of the ceramics suggests that they belong to the Late Neolithic Voznesenovskoye culture. The use of binocular microscopy allowed us to assess the technological and constructive properties of the ceramics, as well as their morphological, decorative, and functional features. Non-ut ilitarian artifacts shed light on the worldview of the Suchu people. The collection dates to the mid-second millennium BC.

Points of contention: Tradition, resistance, and arrow points in the California missions

Archaeological excavations at California mission sites have revealed diverse projectile points manufactured and used by Indigenous people. Through the examination of assemblages from four central California missions—San José, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Carlos—this paper considers the potential of lithic technologies to illuminate the interrelated issues of tradition and resistance. Based on our case study, and a comparative discussion of similar projectile points from other missions in Alta and Baja California, we argue that these artifacts offer an opportunity to move beyond the idea that the persistence of cultural traditions equals passive resistance in colonial settings. In addition to strong continuities of arrow point types from precontact times into the colonial period, the data from California also demonstrate that Native people incorporated new materials into their lithic technologies and perhaps even created new point types after the Spanish invasion. These patterns speak to the dynamic nature of tradition as well as the varied ways that Indigenous people sought to repudiate the values of colonialism in their daily lives. Taken together, the projectile points from California mission sites encourage archaeologists to consider how lithic technologies may reflect the capacity (realized or not) for Indigenous autonomy and active refusal of colonialism.

Why Did Projectile-Point Size Increase in the Andean Altiplano Archaic? An Experimental Atlatl Analysis

Archaic projectile points from the Andean Altiplano exhibit a curious trend of increasing size over time, in contrast to a well-documented size reduction throughout North America. Although a number of hypotheses exist to account for decreasing projectile-point size, there are currently no explicit explanations for increasing size. We consider several hypotheses and interrogate two techno-economic hypotheses. We posit that increasing point size compensated for lost dart momentum or accuracy that resulted from the shortening of atlatls or atlatl darts as wood became increasingly scarce on the tree-sparse Altiplano. We evaluate these hypotheses using a replicated Andean atlatl system in ballistic trials. Contrary to expectation, results show that point enlargement significantly reduces penetration depth, allowing us to confidently reject the momentum hypothesis. Point enlargement, in contrast, tentatively correlates positively with accuracy. Our experiment further shows that camelid bone is an effective and economical alternative to wood for atlatl production. Despite suboptimal lengths, camelid radioulna atlatls have a convenient morphology that requires low production time, which helps explain empirically observed camelid bone atlatls from the Andean highlands. More generally, our observations lead us to consider that central tendencies in archaeologically observed projectile-point size may reflect a trade-off between penetration and accuracy.

A Story of us: A New Look at Human Evolution

A Story of us: A New Look at Human Evolution

New morpho-technological studies to enhance the knowledge of Fell point variability in southeastern South America

In the wide field of archaeology, stone tools are one of the major pieces of evidence to assess the knowledge and understanding of the peopling of the Americas. To answer anthropological questions concerning migration routes, colonization events, and further socio-cultural developments in the Americas, long term research has been directed to deepening the knowledge and understanding diverse technological topics of terminal Pleistocene/Early Holocene lithic remains, with particular focus on “fishtail”, “Fell’s cave”, or just “Fell” projectile points. Resulting from the research advances, this paper provides further detailed information to enlarge the database and morpho-technological knowledge of Fell points from north of the La Plata River, in the southern cone of South America. The analyzed sample has shown that there is broad technical and dimensional variability. Based on specific technological features and well-dated coeval finds, with some caution I consider the hypothesis that in certain places, the Fell points makers might have developed a regional variant with barbs or highly acute shoulders. The new observations have significant implications for understanding one of the earliest bifacial technologies in the archaeology of the Americas.

Morphological and functional variability in triangular projectile points in the Piedmont Southeast, 1300–1600 CE

ABSTRACT Triangular arrowheads are overwhelmingly the dominant projectile point form across eastern North America from 600 to 1600 CE. Although triangular points have been studied less than earlier technologies, important research has been conducted over the last 25 years on their morphology, function, and temporal relationships. One important observation from reading these works is that there is noticeable variability within the triangular form both between and within regions. However, this variability has not been studied extensively by quantitative means. In this research, we examine a collection of 199 points from two Piedmont Siouan sites in the upper Yadkin River valley dating to 1300–1600 CE. We analyzed seven discrete attributes using discriminant function analysis and found quantitative support for the contemporaneous existence of the three forms and evidence of changes in morphology over time. We follow this with an examination of the context and breakage patterns of these types to discuss their roles in social, political, and economic activities. We then compare our results to those from other areas of eastern North America to address why such variability and changes over time may have occurred.