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Posted on 08/31/2010 6:53:27 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Minuscule flakes made from recycled flint were identified at the late Lower Palaeolithic site of Qesem Cave in Israel (Figure 1), dated to 400-200 thousand years ago (kya) (Barkai et al. 2003; Gopher et al. In press). Our ongoing research at this exceptionally well-preserved site indicates that it was repeatedly occupied by early hominins, ancestral to Homo sapiens and/or Neanderthals (Hershkovitz et al. In press), who left ample evidence of their lifestyle. Our analysis of the tiny flakes (Figure 2) suggests that they were used to cut meat.
The occupants of Qesem Cave produced innovative flint tools, and in particular sharp flint blade knives, using cutting-edge technology of the time (Barkai et al. 2009). They hunted cooperatively, bringing body-parts of fallow deer back to the cave, which were then butchered, shared (Stiner et al. 2009), and -- as suggested by fire usage throughout the cave's 7.5m-deep stratigraphy -- eventually barbecued. Microscopic use-wear analysis of flint artefacts from Qesem Cave, complemented by experimental replication work, revealed that a diversified assemblage of flint blades was manufactured and used. Thick-edged blades, shaped through retouch, were used for scraping semi-hard materials such as wood or hide, whereas blades with straight, sharp working edges were used to cut soft tissues (Lemorini et al. 2006). Functional studies point to short-lived usage of these meat-cutting blades, which were hardly ever re-sharpened for further use. This behaviour was evidently sustained by an innovative systematic blade production technology, providing a constant supply of fresh cutting edges (Barkai et al. 2009).
(Excerpt) Read more at antiquity.ac.uk ...
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To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. |
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I think I saw a set of those at Big Lots last week for $9.99...
Ping,please
Wow, there’s two obvious typos in the ping message, I’ve been using it for months.
Add you to the list? Will do! See your FReepmail for the official greeting (well, as official as we get).
Walmart had ‘em the week before, under the ‘Watch for Falling Civilizations’ sign.
And please add me to the GGG list. It as always fascinating.
>>Walmart had ‘em the week before, under the ‘Watch for Falling Civilizations’ sign.<<
I read a while ago that “LOL” by itself is not an “appropriate” Internet response.
Well...
LOL!!
You put two exclamation points after it, so those jokers need to *get off your back*. ;’)
I have quite a few of those little chips (from hunting arrowheads.) I thought they were just debris from making the arrowheads.
I’ve found plenty of little irregular obsidian chips with one edge knapped razor sharp. Play with it a bit and you’ll suddenly discover a way to hold it that perfectly fits your grip. Then you’ll see how they flaked off pieces to make it fit you.
I’ve found what I believe to be tools that are that way. I need to go back and re-examine the chips. Very interesting.
Palaeolithic cutlery 400 000-200 000 years ago: tiny meat-cutting tools from Lilliput Cave, Israel
If you order now, you also get this pair of flint-edged scissors, free!
Darn those pesky hominins.. always leaving their flint blades on my lawn!
Does that say “Ginsu”?
Why doesn’t Ron Popeil sell stuff like that?
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