Adaptive flexibility of Oldowan hominins: secondary use of flakes at Bizat Ruhama, Israel - PubMed (original) (raw)

Adaptive flexibility of Oldowan hominins: secondary use of flakes at Bizat Ruhama, Israel

Yossi Zaidner. PLoS One. 2013.

Abstract

The lithic assemblage of the Early Pleistocene site of Bizat Ruhama, Israel demonstrates the earliest evidence for systematic secondary knapping of flakes. The site, dated to the Matuyama chron, is one of the earliest primary context Oldowan occurrences in Eurasia. According to the experimental replication of the stone-tool production sequence, the secondary knapping of flakes was a part of a multi-stage operational sequence targeted at the production of small (<2 cm) flakes. This sequence included four stages: acquisition of chert pebbles, production of flakes, deliberate selection of flakes of specific morphologies, and their secondary knapping by free-hand or bipolar methods. The results suggest that flakes with retouch-like scars that were produced during this sequence and which commonly are interpreted as shaped tools are unintentional waste products of the small flake production. The intentional manufacture of very small flakes at Bizat Ruhama was probably an economic response to the raw material constrains. Systematic secondary knapping of flakes has not yet been reported from other Early Pleistocene sites. Systematic secondary knapping for small flake production became increasingly important only in the lithic industries of the second half of the Middle Pleistocene, almost a million years later. The results from Bizat Ruhama indicate that Oldowan stone-tool production sequence was conceptually more complex than previously suggested and offer a new perspective on the capabilities for invention and the adaptive flexibility of the Oldowan hominins.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The author has declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1. Map, plan and stratigraphic column of Bizat Ruhama site.

BR1996– Bizat Ruhama, area excavated in 1996. BRAT5, BRT1, BRT2, BRT3, BRT4, BRT6–2004–05 excavated areas and trenches. γ– Sampled locations with in situ artifacts or bones. X – Sampled locations without artifacts or bones. -Thick curved lines mark the contour of the erosional channels along which archaeological layer is exposed. Stratigraphy: 1. 01.–2 m. Loessial arid brown soil; 2. 11–12 m. Brown silty clays/grumosol; the basal 3 m are situated within the Matuyama reverse polarity chron (1.96–0.78 Ma). 3. 1–3 m. Grayish black, massive, prismatic, greasy clay/loam; extensive iron–manganese impregnation; dated to the Matuyama reverse polarity chron (1.96–0.78 Ma). Palustrine origin (seasonal ponds). 4. 0.2–1 m. Massive sand with some clayey domains; archaeological remains in lower 0.2 m; dated to the Matuyama reverse polarity chron (1.96–0.78 Ma); locally reworked sand and soil aggregates from the Stratum 5 topsoil by wind and overland flow. 5. Unknown depth. Red sandy soil (locally known as hamra) formed on coastal sand dunes; archaeological bones and lithics within the uppermost 5 cm and at the interface with Stratum 4; dated to the Matuyama reverse polarity chron (1.96–0.78 Ma).

Figure 2

Figure 2. Cores-on-flake in Bizat Ruhama archaeological assemblages.

Figure 3

Figure 3. Secondary knapped flakes in Bizat Ruhama archaeological assemblages.

Figure 4

Figure 4. Secondary knapped flakes with the signs of dorsal impact in Bizat Ruhama assemblages.

1. Pointed piece with (a) point of percussion, crushing and crack-lines on the dorsal surface; 2. Broken flake with (a) signs of impact and crushing directed from the dorsal surface, (b) signs of impact and crushing directed from the ventral surface; 3. Clactonian notch with (a) opposite point of percussion and crushing on the dorsal surface; 4. Flake with retouch-like scars with (a) opposite scars and crushing on the dorsal surface directed from the ventral surface.

Figure 5

Figure 5. Thickness of complete flakes and secondary knapped flakes in Bizat Ruhama archaeological assemblages.

Figure 6

Figure 6. Schematic representation of the experiment in anvil-supported knapping of the flakes.

a. The flake is rested with the ventral surface on the anvil. When the hammerstone hits the flake, small flakes are detached by an anvil impact from different edges of the flake. Because of the large contact area with the anvil, the removed flakes have large butts. Because of the relatively acute angle between the ventral and lateral surfaces the flakes have prominent bulbs of percussion caused by the anvil impact. At the contact between the hammerstone and the dorsal surface of the flake signs of impact are visible; b. View from above. c. View in the section. The flake that is actually converted into a core can change its shape during the knapping sequence from Clactonian notch to pointed piece etc., until the edges become too abrupt.

Figure 7

Figure 7. Experimental assemblages.

Clactonian notch conjoined with small flake that was detached during the knapping. The flake was placed with the ventral surface on an anvil and struck on the dorsal surface with chert pebble hammerstone.

Figure 8

Figure 8. Experimental assemblages.

Secondary knapped flakes. The “retouch” was accidentally produced by an anvil impact. Pieces 1,2,3,4,5,8,10 exhibit signs of the hammerstone impact on the dorsal faces.

Morphology:

2,3,5,6,9,10– Pointed pieces; 1,7– Clactonian notches; 8– Flake with retouch-like scars.

Figure 9

Figure 9. Experimental assemblages.

Secondary knapped flakes with signs of impact on the dorsal surface. 1– Clactonian notch; 2, 3– Flakes with retouch-like scars; 4– Pointed piece. Arrows mark the signs of impact on the dorsal surface.

Figure 10

Figure 10. Signs of impact on the dorsal and lateral/broken surfaces intersection of secondary knapped flakes in archaeological and experimental assemblages.

Figure 11

Figure 11. Signs of impact on the ventral and lateral/broken surfaces intersection of secondary knapped flakes in archaeological and experimental assemblages.

Figure 12

Figure 12. Small flakes from archaeological and experimental assemblages.

Note the large bulbs of the specimens. The bulbs of experimental specimens were produced by an anvil impact.

Figure 13

Figure 13. Small flakes from archaeological assemblages with signs of impact on the distal edges.

The signs were probably caused by a hammerstone impact.

Figure 14

Figure 14. The size of the scars on cores-on-flake, bipolar and exhausted cores and Clactonian notches.

The maximum length of the largest scar was measured.

Figure 15

Figure 15. The lithic production scheme at Bizat Ruhama.

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Grants and funding

This study is a part of the author PhD dissertation funded by the Research Authority, University of Haifa, Israel. The 2004–05 excavation seasons at Bizat Ruhama were generously funded by the L.S.B. Leakey Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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