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Experimental Use of Clovis Weaponry and Tools on African Elephants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

George C. Frison
George C. Frison*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
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Abstract

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Clovis projectile points and chipped-stone tools have been recovered in a number of archaeological sites in the New World, but these cannot be tested on mammoths, which we know from the archaeological evidence Clovis hunters were able to procure. Extensive culling of elephants in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe provided the necessary animals to test replicas of Clovis tools and weaponry. The experiments leave little doubt that Clovis projectile points can inflict lethal wounds on African elephants and that simple stone tools will perform the necessary butchering tasks. The physiology of mammoths and elephants is similar enough to make positive statements on the potential of this kind of stone-tool and weaponry assemblage, but we will never be able to compare elephant and mammoth behavior directly.

Résumé

Résumé

Las puntas de proyectiles tipo Clovis y las herramientas de piedra lascada han sido recobrado de varios sitios arqueológicos en el Nuevo Mundo, pero no es posible probar estas en los mamutes qué sabemós, de los datos arqueológicos, qué los cazadores Clovis podrían obtener. Entresacadura extensiva de los elefantes del Parque Nacional Hwange en Zimbabwe proporcionaba lo necessario de los animales para probar unas replicas de armas y herramientas tipo Clovis. Las pruebas no dejan duda que los proyectiles Clovis podrían hacer y dar heridas mortales a los elefantes africanos, y qué las herramientas liticas sencillas realizarán las tareas necesarias de la carnicería. La fisiología de los mamutes y de los elefantes es sufkiente parecida para ofrecer unas declaraciónes positivas sobre las funciones potenciales de este clase de conjunto de armas y herramientas liticas, pero nunca podríamos comprobar positivamente las maneras de los elefantes y de los mamutes.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 54 , Issue 4 , October 1989 , pp. 766 - 784
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1989

References

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