Hammerstones Research Articles

Ostrich eggshell bead-making in East Africa: a study of crafting in the El Molo community, Kenya

ABSTRACT Ostrich eggshell beads have been produced by African societies for over 50,000 years and are still used in East Africa and elsewhere, yet the only well-documented ethnographic record of their manufacture comes from San and Bakgalagadi communities in the Kalahari region of southern Africa. Even so, some aspects of their social significance have not been extensively explored. In particular, research on ostrich eggshell beads in southern Africa has historically focused largely on the use of beads in exchange contexts with less emphasis on their use in bodily adornment or the social contexts of manufacture and consumption. This paper reports on the production process and cultural significance of ostrich eggshell beads among the El Molo community of Marsabit County, Kenya. Undertaken as part of the British Museum’s Endangered Materials Knowledge Program (EMKP), this project used unstructured interviews, participatory videos, photography and note-taking to document the entire process of ostrich eggshell bead manufacture, including the collection of hammer stones (soit), the making of strings (arkat) for stringing the beads, the breaking of shells, shaping and rounding, stringing and the making of diverse beadwork items, including rumirumi, kukuti, karkato, lilim and rarak. The social significance of these various items is also reported. This study helps to preserve this knowledge and the continuation of the craft in the community, while also providing data for the enrichment of interpretations of ostrich eggshell beads from archaeological collections in the region, which have received inadequate research attention. The project represents the first detailed ethnographic work ever undertaken on ostrich eggshell beads in East Africa. The materials produced will be available on the EMKP open access online repository.

Design and development of a sensorized hammerstone for accurate force measurement in stone knapping experiments.

The process of making stone tools, specifically knapping, is a hominin behaviour that typically involves using the upper limb to manipulate a stone hammer and apply concentrated percussive force to another stone, causing fracture and detachment of stone chips with sharp edges. To understand the emergence and subsequent evolution of tool-related behaviours in hominins, the connections between the mechanics of stone knapping, including the delivery of percussive forces, and biomechanics and hominin anatomy, especially in the upper limb, are required. However, there is an absence of direct experimental means to measure the actual forces generated and applied to produce flakes during knapping. Our study introduces a novel solution to this problem in the form of an ergonomic hand-held synthetic hammerstone that can record the percussive forces that occur during knapping experiments. This hammerstone is composed of a deformable pneumatic 3D-printed chamber encased within a 3D-printed grip and a stone-milled striker. During knapping, hammer impact causes the pneumatic chamber to deform, which leads to a change in pressure that is measured by a sensor. Comparisons of recorded pressure data against corresponding force values measured using a force plate show that the synthetic hammer quantifies percussion forces with relatively high accuracy. The performance of this hammerstone was further validated by conducting anvil-supported knapping experiments on glass that resulted in a root mean square error of under 6%, while recording forces up to 730 N with successful flake detachments. These validation results indicate that accuracy was not sensitive to variations up to 15° from the vertical in the hammer striking angle. Our approach allows future studies to directly examine the role of percussive force during the stone knapping process and its relationship with both anatomical and technological changes during human evolution.

The archaeological visibility of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) nut-cracking

The earliest evidence for complex tool use in the archaeological record dates to 3.3Ma. While wooden tools may have been used by our earliest ancestors, the evidence is absent due to poor preservation. However, insights into possible early hominin wooden tool use can be gained from observing the tool-use practices of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). By using stone hammers used to crack various nuts, chimpanzees leave a durable material signature comprised of formal tools and associated diagnostic fragments. While the archaeological evidence of chimpanzee wooden tool use is temporary, the combination of stone hammers and wooden anvils can create a more enduring lithic record. This study explores the lithic assemblages associated with wooden and stone anvil use at nut-cracking sites in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, using technological and use-wear analyses. Our results indicate clear differences in density, fracture patterns, and use-wear in the lithic records between wooden anvil and stone anvil sites. New archaeological excavations at six chimpanzee nut-cracking sites reveal that the anvils' material directly influences the visibility of nut-cracking evidence in the archaeological record. By examining the nature of the lithic signatures associated with wooden anvil and stone anvil use by chimpanzees, we can formulate hypotheses about the probability of such behaviors being preserved and identifiable in the Plio-Pleistocene hominin archaeological record. The variability in material signatures from nut-cracking on different anvils suggests that stone anvils leave a clear archaeological record. Evidence for wooden anvil use is likely underrepresented due to the more ephemeral nature of the associated percussive damage and material signature. It may, however, still be possible, albeit challenging, to identify wooden anvil use in the archaeological record.

구석기시대 사용된 자갈돌의 시론적 연구

Paleolithic people made and used tools from a variety of materials, including stone, bone, antler, and wood. In particular, based on stone tools found in Paleolithic sites, many researchers have made an effort to reveal the function of the site and the life and culture of the people. It has found not only cores, flakes, retouched tools, but also pebbles that were not retouched but had traces by use in Paleolithic sites. Although utilized pebbles have been continuously used in the Paleolithic, they have not been treated much as a subject of research. So we will try to understand various functions of utilized pebbles through use-wear analysis, experiments, and ethnographic research. There are many different types of utilized pebbles in Paleolithic sites, but they can be largely categorized as hammer stones, anvil stones, pitted stones, and ground stones. Hammer stones can be used alone or in combination with other tools. It is generally assumed that they were used to make stone tools, but they were used for a variety of purposes. Anvil stones were used alone as hammer stones for knapping big stones, or such as bipolar debitage in combination with hammer stones, or to crack bones or hard fruits. Pitted stones have the function of both a hammer and an anvil. Depending on the size and depth of the pits formed on the pebble, it can be assumed that it was used for various functions, such as making stone tools and breaking hard fruits, nuts. Ground stones have grinding or stripe traces on the surface, and it is likely that they were used to work with leather, bone, and antler. Utilized Pebbles had been used as tools by people for a long time since the Paleolithic and reflected the technology, activities, and culture of the people at that time. Various types of utilized pebbles, including hammer and anvil stones, have been identified in Paleolithic sites on the Korean Peninsula. If studies on the utilized pebbles are accumulated, it is expected that we have dynamic interpretations related to the technological and economic activities of Paleolithic people.

Stone hammer-axes in the context of the Early Bronze Age features in Moravia

Finds of stone hammer-axes are relatively uncommon in the context of the Early Bronze Age, not just in Moravia. They are more frequently encountered in the funeral environment while their occurrence in settlement contexts can be described as exceptional. The two newly presented boat-shaped doubleedged hammer-axes originate from both a settlement site (Držovice, ‘Díly odvrahoviční’) and a grave (Olomouc-Slavonín, ‘Horní lán’) of the Únětice culture in central Moravia. What had been a common and significant male attribute in graves of the Corded Ware culture (and partially in the EpiCorded complex) became a rarity during the Early Bronze Age. This was especially in the milieu of the Únětice culture, as the stone industry gradually gave way to the metal industry. Finding analogies to the custom of depositing a stone hammer axe in settlement pits or graves as an offering is not uncommon in Moravia, Bohemia and the neighbouring regions. This is usually the heritage of the Corded Ware culture and it remains speculative whether these were clearly secondarily used objects (archaics) or contemporary imitations of earlier models. Both of the recently found hammer-axes differ from those of the Corded Ware culture, raising questions about Únětice’s own production, as local materials (siltstone, sandstone) were used in their making. The archaeological assemblage from the Držovice settlement is dated to the earlier period and the inhumation grave from Olomouc-Slavonín to the classical period of the Únětice culture. The practical function and the symbolic role of these artefacts are not yet precisely understood. Their finds are not abundant, but they come from diverse archaeological contexts, ranging from common settlement pits to modestly equipped graves and even rich male burials.

Muchkas-1 — a new reference complex of the Chuzh’yael’ Culture on the Mezen’ River

The results of the studies of the Muchkas settlement in 2020 are reported. The site is located on the right bank of the Mezen’ River in Udorsky District of the Komi Republic (northeast of the East European Plain). The exploitation of an unpaved motor road endangered the preservation of dwelling No. 1, which necessitated extensive excavation of an area of 82.5 m2. On the basis of the analysis of the complex of traces and remains, it has been determined that the studied structure is of a rectangular shape in plane, measuring 3.8m×5.5m with the area of 20 m2. Within the building, two hearths were used sequentially or concurrently. Related to them are two external horizontal heating-and-ventilating chimneys. Some information is preserved about the underground part of the structure. This was a frame strengthened at corners by bundles of thinner trunks of trees, possibly, pointed and stuck into the ground. Pine and to a lesser extent spruce, juniper, and birch were used to build the dwelling. The collection of Muchkas-1 con-tains 3819 objects, including 30 identifiable flint implements, a flint pendant, 21 implements made from non-siliceous rocks, fragments of three ceramic vessels, and debris of calcinated bones. Scrapers predominate in the flint toolset, while knives, awls, and arrowheads are represented to a lesser extent. As the result of the traceological analysis, it has been determined that the arrowhead and the pendant bear traces of long-term carrying in a container, or wea-ring on the clothing or on the body. Tools made of non-isotropic rock include mostly grinding stones. A hammer stone and an adze are represented by single specimens. Among the faunal remains, bones of reindeer, beaver, marten, wolverine, squirrel, black grouse, goose, and pike have been identified. This attests to the dominant role of hunting in the appropriating economy of the inhabitants of Muchkas-1 settlement. The specifics of the building struc-ture and technical-and-typological parameters of the pottery and stone tools allow attributing Muchkas-1 complex to the Chuzh’yael’ Culture of the final Neolithic period — the Chalcolithic. By virtue of 10 radiocarbon dates, the time of its construction is determined by the end of the 4th — first half of the 3rd mil. BC. The published data advance our understanding of the traditions of housebuilding, stone-working, and pottery-making of the prehistoric population of North-Eastern Europe and permit considering Muchkas-1 complex as a source of reference for the study of the Chuzh’yael’ Culture of the 4th — first half of the 3rd mil. BC.

임실하가 구석기유적의 돌날제작기법 연구

The blade is a representative artifact of the upper Paleolithic of Korea. The study of the manufacturing techniques of the blade and restoration of it play an important role in understanding of survival skills of upper Paleolithic human. This paper researches into the technology and process of the blade production through the blade production technology we learned from ‘Refitting artifact’ of Imsil Haga site, and analogizes the kind of the hammer which they used for the blade production in comparison with the existing research result of experimental archaeology on the blade production. Restoring the blade production process as a result of the analysis of ‘refitting artifacts’, 1. Shaping, removed cortical face and unnecessary parts of the raw material are made into sizes and shapes suitable for blade production using stone hammer direct percussion (refitting artifacts 1, 3). 2. creation of a striking platform, 3. blade debitage using the Antler hammer direct percussion. (refitting artifacts 1, 3) 4. Change the striking platform according to the production process, and blade debitage by making the most of the stones several times (refitting artifacts 1, 2). 5. When knapping accidents (step, hinge, and flange) appeared on the blade core, or when the size of the core became smaller and it became difficult to make a blade of the desired size, the blade was discarded without production more blades. The reason for the abandonment of the blade was 1. If it is no longer possible to make the blade due to the Knapping accidents (step, plunging, hinged), 2. If the size of the blade cannot be made, The ‘Refitting artifact 1’ includes two tools (tanged point), which analyzed the length and production space of the tool that the tool maker wanted. First of all, considering that the length of the blade identified in ‘Refitting artifact 1’ is about 40 to 88mm, and the tanged point is about 51, 54mm, it is thought that the stone maker made a blade with a length of about 50 to 70mm or made a tool. The excavation location of tanged point is about 2m away from the central part of the bladecore, and it is thought that the tool was made by moving the blade after manufacturing it.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF GUA PELANGI, JELEBU, NEGERI SEMBILAN, MALAYSIA: ITS POTENTIAL AS A HERITAGE TOURISM SITE

Archaeological studies conducted in Gua Pelangi, Negeri Sembilan have been able to find an early civilization aged between 14,000 to 9,000 thousand years ago which was used as a shelter from hot rain and wild animals, in addition to making stone tools and food preparation. The interpretation was based on the findings of 299 lithic artifacts, 52,929 faunal remains and evidence of burning such as ash, charcoal and burning sediments that are still in situ have been recorded. This site is also used as a workshop for the manufacture of stone tools with the presence of hammer stone, cores, anvil, flake, chopper and debitage. Analysis of the fauna remains found clearly shows that this community hunts and collects terrestrial, arboreal/semi-arboreal and aquatic/semi-aquatic vertebrate animals and mollusk shells. Based on the scientific evidence, ecotourism activities involving cave exploration, pioneering and jungle trekking, camping, limestone hill climbing, cooking demonstrations in the forest and visits to local community villages have been carried out. This shows that efforts to develop Gua Pelangi into a tourism product have begun and this is able to develop the economy of the local community in the area.

Knapping force as a function of stone heat treatment.

We propose a quantitative framework for understanding the knapping force requirements imposed by different raw materials in their unheated and heat-treated states. Our model interprets stone tool knapping as being the result of cracks formed during the first impact with a hammer stone, followed by continued stressing of these cracks that eventually leads to flake detachment. We combine bending strength, indentation fracture resistance and "Griffith" crack lengths of flint and silcrete to obtain functions identifying critical forces for flaking without or after heat treatment. We argue that these forces are a key factor for understanding the "knappability" of different raw materials, because only forces with 100N or less can be used for very precise strike control. Our model explains for the first time why experimental knappers frequently observe that flint (a stronger material, which, in our case, has a strength above 100 MPa) is easier to knap than silcretes (which is relatively weaker with strength values at or below 60 MPa). Our findings allow for understanding the differences between heat-treated and untreated flint and silcrete in terms of knapping quality, and they allow to compare the qualities of different raw materials.

Identifying functional and regional differences in chimpanzee stone tool technology.

The earliest hominin archaeological sites preserve a record of stone tools used for cutting and pounding. Traditionally, sharp-edged flakes were seen as the primary means by which our earliest ancestors interacted with the world. The importance of pounding tools is increasingly apparent. In some cases, they have been compared with stone hammers and anvils used by chimpanzees for nut-cracking. However, there has been little focus on providing a robust descriptive and quantitative characterization of chimpanzee stone tools, allowing for meaningful comparisons between chimpanzee groups and with archaeological artefacts. Here we apply a primate archaeological approach to characterize the range of chimpanzee nut-cracking stone tools from Djouroutou in the Taï National Park. By combining a techno-typological analysis, and two- and three-dimensional measures of damage, we identify clear differences in the location and extent of damage between nut-cracking hammerstones and anvils used at Djouroutou and when compared with other wild chimpanzee populations. Furthermore, we discuss these results in relation to interpretations of Plio-Pleistocene percussive technology. We highlight potential difficulties in identifying the underlying function of percussive artefacts based on morphological or techno-typological attributes alone. The material record from Djouroutou represents an important new datum of chimpanzee regional and material culture.

Stone tools improve diet quality in wild monkeys

Tool use is a fundamental feature of human evolution. Stone tools are in the archaeological record from 3.4 Ma, even before Homo,1 and the use of stone tools probably predated the split between hominins and panins.2 Using tools (hereafter, tooling cf Fragaszy and Mangalam3) is hypothesized to have improved hominins' foraging efficiency or access to high-quality foods.4-7 This hypothesis is supported if feeding with tools positively contributes to diet quality in extant non-human primates or if foraging efficiency is increased by tooling. However, the contribution of tooling to non-human primates' foraging success has never been investigated through a direct analysis of nutritional ecology.8,9 We used multi-dimensional nutritional geometry to analyze energy and macronutrients (nonstructural carbohydrates, lipids, and protein) in the diets of wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinous) that routinely crack palm nuts with stone hammers.10,11 We show that eating nuts obtained through tooling helps monkeys to achieve more consistent dietary intakes. Tooling increased the net energy gain by 50% and decreased the proportion of fiber ingested by 7%. Tooling also increased the daily non-protein energy intake. By contrast, protein intake remained constant across foraging days, suggesting a pattern of macronutrient regulation called protein prioritization, which is also found in contemporary humans.8,9 In addition, tooling reduced dispersion in the ratio of protein to non-protein energy, suggesting a role in macronutrient balancing. Our findings suggest that tooling prior to tool making could have substantially increased the nutritional security of ancestral hominins, sowing the seeds for cultural development.5,7 VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Stone Hammers of Ananyino Cultural and Historical Area

The paper addresses the origin, chronology and use of stone hammers of the Ananyino Cultural and Historical Area. Stone hammers were commonly used in the pre-Scythian period across the steppe zone of Eastern Europe and in the North Caucasus. Two categories of these items were spread in the territory of the Ananyino Cultural and Historical Area - equal-arm hammers and axe-hammers. The paper features evidence of local manufacture of axe-hammers, whereas such evidence is presently not available for equal-arm hammers. Placing hammers in burials next to weapons and depicting them on steles in the same position as military metal axes and socketed axes make it possible to be attribute them to weapons. The existence period of stone hammers has been determined within a wide range of the 9th – first half of the 7th enturies BC, and within a narrow range of the mid-8th – first quarter/first half of the 7th century BC.

Observations on the production technology of the Tápióbicske and Abrudbánya gold armlets

The study discusses the technological traces of the Middle Bronze Age gold armlets with crescent-shaped terminals from Tápióbicske (Hungary, Pest County) and Abrud (Romania, Alba County). Our aim was to conduct in-depth analyses of these finds’ production technological, and use-wear traces, as well as the identification of their modern damages. Several tools, e.g., a bronze chisel, stone hammers, bronze, and hardwood awls, were used to make these exceptional finds based on surface traces. The parallels of these tools are well-known from the contemporaneous archaeological material. Our results suggest that both ornaments can be described as finished products. In the case of the Tápióbicske armlet, it was possible to identify abrasion traces related to long or intensive use. We also propose that the craftsmen working on these ornaments had an advanced technological knowledge. This statement can be applied particularly to the Tápióbicske armlet whose ornaments were made by a highly experienced, professional metal smith.

Characteristics of Lithic Sound to Assess a Rock’s Predictability of Flaking

ABSTRACT It has been suggested that a lithic resource’s candidacy for predictability of fracture when knapped, and whether or not a stone has been heat treated, can be assessed by the duration, pitch, and loudness of sound made when a stone is struck. A hammer stone machine held and struck specimens of 16 lithic types. Acoustic information was processed with a Kay Computer Speech Laboratory. Differences exist in sound duration, pitch and loudness between lithic types, un-heat-treated and heat-treated stone, and stone of the same type but of high and of low quality. Heat treated samples conduct sound waves of longer duration than unheated samples, and heat-treated samples’ sounds were louder than un-heat-treated samples. An ancient knapper could use perceptible differences in sound produced by a nodule when tapped with a hammerstone to select or discard nodules or flakes of one lithic type over another based on anticipated predictability of flaking.

Les industries archaïques au Proche-Orient

Le Proche-Orient (de la façade méditerranéenne à l’Iran et de la Mer Rouge à la Mer Noire) se situe au carrefour des continents africain, asiatique et européen. Il représente un passage obligé lors de la dispersion des premiers humains hors d’Afrique. Les découvertes réalisées récemment, principalement en Syrie, Jordanie et Israël, montrent que les premiers peuplements de ce secteur remontent à plus de 2 millions d’années (Ma). La localisation des gisements renfermant des industries archaïques de type Oldowayen au sens large, souvent désignées par la locution « Core and Flake Industries » indique que plusieurs routes ont été maintes fois utilisées pour relier l’Égypte et la Péninsule Arabique aux bassins de l’Euphrate et du Tigre. Du Sud vers le Nord, si la route du littoral et le fossé tectonique de la Mer Morte, du Jourdain et de la Beqaa ont été des lieux privilégiés de peuplements très anciens, la route du désert au travers de la Jordanie et de la Syrie a été également utilisée voilà plus de 2 Ma. On observe au moins trois phases successives d’industries archaïques. Dans la plus ancienne, de 2,5 à 1,8 Ma environ, dominent les choppers, les chopping-tools, les nucléus et les éclats sans traces de retouches intentionnelles (Sites de Aïn Al Fil en Syrie, de la Vallée de Zarqa en Jordanie notamment) ; elle pourrait être qualifiée de Préoldowayen ou Oldowayen inférieur. De 1,8 à 1,3 Ma environ, se développe une culture comparable avec la présence supplémentaire de polyèdres réguliers et parfois d’une ébauche de façonnage bifacial ainsi que l’apparition de rares retouches intentionnelles autres que les stigmates d’utilisation ; nous l’appellerons Oldowayen supérieur (Hummal G-inférieur en Syrie, Bizat Ruhama et Ubeidiya inférieur en Israël). À partir de 1,3 Ma environ, commencent à apparaître des bifaces grossiers, toujours taillés au percuteur de pierre. Cette industrie marque la transition vers les industries acheuléennes, on pourrait la qualifier d’Acheuléen archaïque. Les premiers bifaces ont fait leur apparition dans un fond technologique de type très oldowayen (Hummal, Ubeidiya). Cependant, dans le Levant, des sites souvent considérés comme « pré-acheuléens » car ils ne possédaient pas de bifaces, mais plus récents que 1,3 Ma, ont été qualifiés de « Tayacien » pour les différencier de l’Acheuléen au sens strict. Ils semblent bien contemporains des premières phases acheuléennes et pourraient correspondre à un Oldowayen final. La question reste cependant posée de savoir s’il s’agit bien de cultures non acheuléennes ou « d’Acheuléens sans bifaces ». The Middle East (from the Mediterranean coast to Iran and from the Red Sea to the Black Sea) is located at the crossroads of African, Asian and European continents. It is a compulsory route well-trodden during the dispersal of the first humans out of Africa. Recent discoveries, mainly in Syria, Jordan and Israel, show that the first settlements in this area date back to over 2 million years (Ma). The location of the deposits containing archaic industries of the Oldowan type in the broad sense, often called “Core and Flake Industries”, indicates that several roads have been repeatedly used to connect Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula with the Euphrates and the Tiger basins. From south to north, if the coastal road and the tectonic depression of the Dead Sea, the Jordan Valley and the Beqaa were privileged places of very old settlements, the desert roads through Jordan and Syria were also readily used even before 2 Ma. We can observe at least three successive stages of archaic industries. During the oldest one, from about 2.5 to 1.8 Ma, choppers, chopping-tools, cores and flakes are prevailing without traces of intentional retouching (Sites of Aïn Al Fil in Syria, of the Zarqa Valley in Jordan in particular). This period might be named Pre-Oldowan or Lower Oldowan. From approximately 1.8 to 1.3 Ma, a similar culture developed with the additional presence of regular polyhedrons and sometimes a rough bifacial shaping as well as the beginning of rare intentional retouching other than that of use-wear; we will call it Upper Oldowan (Lower G-Hummal in Syria, Bizat Ruhama and Lower Ubeidiya in Israel). Starting around 1.3 Ma, coarse bifaces begin to appear, always knapped with a stone hammer. This technology points to the transition towards Acheulean industries. The first bifaces appeared within a very Oldowan technological background (Hummal, Ubeidiya). However, in the Levant, sites often considered as “pre-Acheulean” because they lacked bifaces, though they belonged to more recent periods, younger than 1.3 Ma, have been termed “Tayacian” in order to underline their difference from Acheulean properly speaking. They seem contemporary with the first Acheulean phases and could correspond to a final Oldowan. The question remains, however, whether these are non-Acheulean cultures or “Acheuleans without bifaces”.

Реконструкция техник металлообработки меди и бронзы тагарской культуры на базе экспериментально-трасологического анализа

The paper is devoted to the reconstruction of metalworking techniques of the Tagar archaeological culture on the basis of experimental traceological analysis. A series of experiments was carried out for comprehensive research of the rock art in Minusinsk Basin. 23 basic samples were produced and nine tools were casted, which were then treated by cold forging and locksmithing. As a result, the techniques that were used in manufacture of 62 labor instruments and weapons were reconstructed. The technological chains were based on casting in two-part, including clay, vertical or horizontal molds, with following forging (stone hammers) and abrasion (sandstone, sandstone with wet sand). The tools and elements of impact weapons were treated by hardening forging. The surfaces of the penetrating purpose weapons (the points of the picks) were not hardened, but only sharpened. The increasing of collection of experimental samples is scheduled.

Copper Mining in the Bronze Age at Mynydd Parys, Anglesey, Wales

The Bronze Age in Britain is now a term often used to include both the first use of copper c. 2400 bc and also tin-bronze from c. 2100 bc, all of which required the extensive use of copper. Prehistoric mining for this metal has been identified in surface and underground workings in Parys Mine, Mynydd Parys, Anglesey, although almost all of the surface workings are now obscured by the extensive deep spoil from more recent mining in the industrial period. These copper-bearing ores are in bedded lodes, together with some intruded vein deposits. The Bronze Age workings have been exposed underground where they have been intersected by the early 19th century industrial workings on and above the 16 fathom and 20 fathom levels in the Parys Mine. Spoil exposures contain stone hammers (‘mauls’), wood fragments, and charcoal; samples of the latter have been radiocarbon dated with chronological modelling suggesting activity took place in the first half of the 2nd millennium cal bc. Although relatively limited in extent, these important prehistoric mining sites are among the earliest found in the UK. They have survived due to their protection from surface erosion and limited accessibility.

Раскопки стоянки Афонтова гора IV (Овражная, пункт II) в Красноярске в 2021 году

Discovered in 2019 Late Paleolithic site Ovrazhnaia is the utmost western point of archaeological heritage site OAH “Afontova Gora IV” on the territory of Krasnoyarsk city. Rescue archaeological research of the site Ovrazhnaia has been carried out for two years (2020-2021) on the territory allocated for the construction of the highway. In 2021, relatively detached archaeological complexes with dwelling and production areas with hearths, game animals butchering areas and stone production workshops were unearthed within the excavated section of about 11 000 sq. m. Five thousand stone artefacts and more than 15 thousand faunal remains were discovered in total. The most significant discovery is a pit (hearth?) with stone walling and humous filling in it. Multiple fossilized hare bones (at least 25 animals) and a significant inventory of stone tools were found on the bordering area of about 300 sq. m. The stone inventory of Ovrazhnaia site includes almost all known types of the Late Paleolithic tools in Siberia: cores for large and middle-size blades, wedge-shaped microcores, side-scrapers, end-scrapers, burins, chisel-like tools, knives, hammer stones, choppers. Slotted tools, points, hammer stones (strikers) are made of reindeer antlers; long bones were used to manufacture needles and a needle case. Faunal remains are mainly represented by the reindeer and hare bones, rarely - red deer, horse, bison, mammoth (fragments of mammoth tusk).Nowadays, the Late Paleolithic site Ovrazhnaia (OAH “Afontova Gora IV”) is the most informative site on the territory of Krasnoyarsk city.

Primary reduction technology in the Sukhaya Mechetka site assemblage

The Sukhaya Mechetka site in the Lower Volga region being widely known due to the unique preservation of cultural remains, their clear geological position and a rich set of tools has long become a kind of icon of the Middle Paleolithic of Eastern Europe. Improtantly the site was excavated over a wide area (about 650 square meters). During the excavation an assemblage of stone items including more than 350 tools, cores and about 10,000 flint and quartzite flakes of various types was collected. The neogene flint and the paleogene quartzite were used as raw materials approximately equally. According to our observations almost all available and suitable for processing stone rocks that were carried to the site as nodules, blocks, fragments and flakes were intensively used. Raw materials were collected in the immediate vicinity of the site. The signals of raw materials shortage and significant depth of its processing were detected. The distribution of the products of flint and quartzite raw materials on the site is irregular. Primary knapping was carried out according to typical Middle Paleolithic technologies. A small series of stone hammers display specific patterns of their use-wear. The cores and the flakes produced with these hammers were found. The complete sequence of preparation and flaking from the pre-cores to the residual forms has been documented. The shortage of high-quality raw material resulted in extremely complete usage of the most cores. Additionally many residual forms have been used for making tools. The cores can be divided into radial, cuboid and Levallois samples.

Raman and optical microscopy of bone micro-residues on cobbles from the Cerutti mastodon site

Cobbles from the Cerutti Mastodon (CM) site have impact marks and usewear suggesting that mastodon bones were placed on stone anvils and struck with stone hammers to produce two concentrations of broken bones and stones. Critics have suggested that the stones may have broken by rolling down slopes rather than in situ at the two concentrations. Our analysis of two cobbles (pegmatite CM-254 and andesite CM-281) identifies bone micro-residues that are not evenly distributed over the cobbles, and are unlikely to have been transferred from sediment or from passive contact with adjacent macro-bones. Bone micro-residues on cobble CM-254 were recovered from surfaces associated with usewear, but were absent from the naturally broken surface found in direct contact with a mastodon rib. In addition, bone micro-residues on cobble CM-281 were recovered from upward facing locations with impact marks and other usewear; but were absent on the downward facing surface. Bone micro-residues are absent in sediment away from the bone concentrations. These new data support the argument that the associated concentration of broken stones and mastodon bones is in situ, and that bones in this concentration were likely broken by the pegmatite cobble (comprising CM-254 and other fragments), when it struck mastodon bones placed on the andesite cobble CM-281. These findings add to the totality of evidence that supports human agency rather than geological processes as the driver responsible for the CM taphonomic pattern.