Experimentation as a driving force for innovation in the Pre-Still Bay from Southern Africa - Archive ouverte HAL
Autre Publication Scientifique Peer Community In Archaeology Année : 2020

Experimentation as a driving force for innovation in the Pre-Still Bay from Southern Africa

Résumé

The paper describes new analyses of material from the ‘pre-Still Bay’ layers at Diepkloof. Theauthors provide a background to the site and a background to the stratigraphic unit (SU) Lynnusing multiple lines of evidence including OSL dating, paleobotany and faunal analysis. Whilesummarizing previous publications related to SU Lynn, this paper presents new material thathas not been described in previous publications. The study focuses on lithic technology andprovisioning strategies and summarize other evidence. They describe a variety of differentkindsof raw materials that were used, of which a large proportion was heat treated. They alsodescribe over 50 pieces of ochre that show a surprising amount of geological variability. Theyassess the lithic technology at the site using chaîne opératoire approaches and describe 7distinct reduction strategies: centripetal Levallois, the production of triangular flakes,production of quadrangular points, blade and elongated blank production, bladelet production,bipolar/anvil percussion on quartz to create pieces esquillées, and the production of bifacialpieces. They note that in previous publications they argued that bifacial pieces had come downfrom overlying layers but state that their renewed study on more material confirmed thepresence of both bifacially worked pieces and shaping flakes in SU Lynn. They describe the toolcomponent of the assemblage in great detail, including potential evidence for adhesive residuesand a pattern of bifacial and unifacial shaping of otherwise convergent forms. The authors alsopresent a detailed micro- and macroscopic use wear study which suggests that some pieces (n =6) show impact fractures possibly evident of use as projectiles, whereas two triangular toolsshowed possible evidence of longitudinal use.The authors state that SU Lynn may suggest a shift in lithic procurement strategy associatedwith silcrete exploitation. They describe the presence of double-patination suggesting possiblere-tooling, and suggest that knapping took place on site and that exotic materials were carriedin likely following individual provisioning strategies moving over 20 km. They also describe pre-SB Lynn as likely a short-lived occupation. The authors also describe an engraved bone from SU Lynn. They suspect the specimen wasfrom a class size IV bovid like Eland or Buffalo. Based on the geometric configuration of themarks, the authors suggest the markings represent a cross-hatched pattern, and do not appearsimilar to butchery or trampling marks. The depth and V-shape of the incisions lead theresearchers to conclude the marks were made using an unretouched stone tool, possibly withfresh periosteum still covering the bone. They argue based on location of the incisions and SEManalysis that the piece was likely non-functional, and draw a comparison to similar cross-hatchmarkings from Blombos. The authors also describe the presence of evidence for heat treatment in the SU Lynn,describing an increase in the number of silcrete pieces. They suggest that tools were heattreated at various stages of the reduction sequence. They describe one core which may showevidence of reheating, and suggest that heat treatment invention may have occurred onaccident with discarded artifacts near domestic or natural fires. They call this a new hypothesis but I was under the impression that it was the null hypothesis. They also suggest that knappers during SU Lynn period were not as skilled at heat treatment as is suggested by later evidence.
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hal-03082747 , version 1 (18-12-2020)

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Anne Delagnes. Experimentation as a driving force for innovation in the Pre-Still Bay from Southern Africa. 2020, pp.100006. ⟨10.24072/pci.archaeo.100006⟩. ⟨hal-03082747⟩
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