Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vvkck Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T09:05:03.342Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Levallois point embedded in the vertebra of a wild ass (Equus africanus): hafting, projectiles and Mousterian hunting weapons

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Eric Boëda ,
J. M. Geneste ,
C. Griggo ,
N. Mercier ,
S. Muhesen ,
J. L. Reyss ,
A. Taha  and
H. Valladas
Eric Boëda
Affiliation:
Université de Paris X, Nanterre, Département d'Ethnologie/Préhistoire, 200 Avenue de la République, 92001 Nanterre Cedex, France
J. M. Geneste
Affiliation:
Service Régional d'Archéologie d'Aquitaine, 54 rue Magendie, 33000 Bordeaux, France
C. Griggo
Affiliation:
UMR 9933 CNRS Université de Bordeaux I, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France
N. Mercier
Affiliation:
Centre des Faibles Radioactivités, Laboratoire mixte CNRS-CEA, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
S. Muhesen
Affiliation:
Ministère de la Culture, Direction Génerale des Antiquités et des Musées, Damascus, Syria
J. L. Reyss
Affiliation:
Centre des Faibles Radioactivités, Laboratoire mixte CNRS-CEA, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
A. Taha
Affiliation:
Musée d'Ethnographie de Palmyre, Palmyra, Syria
H. Valladas
Affiliation:
Centre des Faibles Radioactivités, Laboratoire mixte CNRS-CEA, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The hunting methods of the Neanderthals are rarely evident in detail in the archaeological record. Here, the rare and important discovery of a fragment of broken Levallois point, embedded in the neck-bones of a wild ass, provokes plenty of discussion of the methods of hafting and killing game in the Middle Palaeolithic of Syria.

Keywords

LevalloisSyriaNeanderthalwild assprojectilehunting
Type
Notes
Information
Antiquity , Volume 73 , Issue 280 , June 1999 , pp. 394 - 402
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bachechi, L., Fabbri, P.-F. & Mallegni, F.. 1997. An arrow-caused lesion in a late Upper Palaeolithic human pelvis, Current Anthropology 38: 135–40.Google Scholar
Barton, R.N.E. & Bergman, C.A.. 1982. Hunters at Hengistbury: some evidence from experimental archaeology, World archaeology 14(2): 237–48.Google Scholar
Beyries, S. 1987. Quelques exemples de stigmates d’emmanchements observés sur des outils du paléolithique moyen, in Stordeur, D. (ed.), La main et l’outil: manches et emmanchements préhistoriques: table ronde 26–29 novembre 1984: 55–61. Lyon: G.S. Maison de l’Orient méditerranéen. Collection des Travaux de la Maison de l’Orient 15.Google Scholar
Beyries, S. & Plisson, H.. In press. Pointes ou outils triangulaires? Données fonctionnelles dans le moustérien Levantin, Paléorient 24/15.Google Scholar
BoËda, E. 1994. Le concept Levallois: variabilité des méthodes. Paris: CNRS. Monographic du CRA 9.Google Scholar
BoËda, E. 1995. Levallois: a volumetric construction, methods, a technique, in Dibble, H.L. & Bar-Yosef, O., The definition and interpretation of Levallois technology: 41–68. Philadelphia (PA): Prehistory Press. Monographs in World Archaeology 23.Google Scholar
BoËda, E., Connan, J., Dessort, D. Mijhesen, S. Mercier, N. Valladas, H. & Tinerat, N.. 1996. Bitumen as hafting material on Middle Palaeolithic artefacts, Nature 380: 336–8.Google Scholar
BoËda, E. & Muhesen, S.. 1993. Umm El Tlel (El Kowm, Syrie): étude préliminaire des industries lithiques du Paléolithique moyen et supérieur, Cahiers de Veuphrate 7: 47–60.Google Scholar
Bratlund, B. 1990. Rentierjagd im Spätglazial. Eine Unter-suchung der Jagdfrakturen an RentierKnochen von Meindorf und Stellmoor, Kveis Storman, Offa 47: 7–34.Google Scholar
CarrÈre, P. 1991. Contribution de la balistique au perfectionnement des études techno-fonctionnelles des pointe de projectiles préhistoriques, Palèo 2: 167–76.Google Scholar
Cauvin, J., Cauvin, M.-C. & Stordeur, D.. 1979. Recherches préhistoriques à El Kowm (Syrie). Première campagne 1978, Cahiers de l’Euphrate 2: 80–118.Google Scholar
Fisher, A., Vemming Hansen, P. & Rasmussen, P.. 1984. Macro and micro wear traces on lithic projectile points; experimental results and prehistoric examples, Journal of Field Archaeology 3: 19–46.Google Scholar
Friedman, E., Goren-Inbar, N. Rosenfeld, A. Marder, O. & Burian, F.. 1995. Hafting during Mousterian times — further indication, Journal of the Israel Prehistoric Society 26: 8–31.Google Scholar
Fujimoto, T. 1979. Upper Paleolithic and Epi-Paleolithic assemblages in the Palmyra basin: site 50 and 74, in Hanihara, K. & Akazawa, T. (ed.), Paleolithic site of Douara Cave and Paleogeography of Palmyra Basin in Syria: 77–130. Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press. University of Tokyo Bulletin 16.Google Scholar
Geneste, J.-M. & Plisson, H.. 1993. Hunting technologies and human behavior: lithic analysis of Solutrean shouldered points, in Knecht, H. Pike-Tay, A. & White, R. (ed.), Before Lascaux. The complex record of the Early Upper Paleolithic: 117–35. London: CRC Press.Google Scholar
Meignen, L. & Bar Yosef, O.. 1992. Middle Palaeolthic lithic variability in Kebara cave, Mount Carmel, Israel, in Akazawa, T. Aoki, K. & Kimura, T. (ed.): The evolution and dispersal of modern humans in Asia: 129–48. Tokyo: Hokusen-Sha.Google Scholar
Mercier, N., Valladas, H. & Valladas, G.. 1995. Flint thermoluminescence dates from CFR Laboratory at Gif: Contributions to the study of the chronology of the Middle Palaeolithic, Quaternary Science Reviews (Quaternary Geochronology) 14: 351–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Molist, M., Cauvin, M.-C. & Taha, A.. 1987–88. Le gisement d’Umm El Tlel-2 (El Kowm, Syrie): rapport préliminaire des travaux, Annales archéologiques arabes syriennes 37/38 (1990) 1987–1988: 67–77.Google Scholar
Oakley, K.P. 1949. Man the toolmaker. London: British Museum.Google Scholar
Odell, G.-H. & Cowan, F.. 1986. Experiments with spears and arrows on animal targets, Journal of Field Archaeology 13: 195–212 Google Scholar
Rust, A. 1943. Die alt-und mittelsteinzeitlichen Funde von Stellmoor. Neumunster.Google Scholar
Shea, J.J. 1988: Spear points from the Middle Palaeolithic of the Levant, Journal of Field Archaeology 15: 441–50.Google Scholar
Shea, J.J. 1997. Middle Paleolithic spear point technology, in Knecht, H., Projectile technology. 79–106. New York (NY): Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Soriano, S. 1995. Analyse conceptuelle et fonctionnelle des pointes à dos microlithes au Périgordien supérieur. Application à la série de Rabier (Lanquais, Dordogne). Mém. de maîtrise, Université de Paris X Nanterre.Google Scholar
Thieme, H. & Maier, R.. 1995. Archaologische Ausgrabungen im Braunkohlentagebau Schoningen, Landkreist Helmstedt. Hanover: Verlag Hahnsche Buchhandlung.Google Scholar