Last Glacial Maximum Microblade Production at Shizitan 29 and its Implications for North China Pressure Technology
Resource
MOST 108-2410-H-002- 199-MY2
Journal
JOURNAL OF FIELD ARCHAEOLOGY
Journal Volume
48
Journal Issue
3
Pages
161
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
Abstract
A techno-functional approach applied to the lithics of the Late Upper Palaeolithic Shizitan 29 site allows the identification of previously unrecognized technical features of microblade pressure production and new behavioral understanding of its evolution beginning ca. 26,000 cal b.p. These technical features may relate to the evolution of so-called boat-shaped cores, including the development of two blade scar sequences and the 8-like contour of the striking platform (likely related to fixing cores in a holding device). Counter to traditional typological lithic analyses centered on final core morphologies, we seek to identify technical objectives related to the required pressure production. In doing so, we argue that earlier semi-conical cores may have maximized the exploitation of the core volume, while subsequent boat-shaped cores developed to maximize the efficiency of the production of straight profile, regular blades. This allowed microblades to become a critical adaptation for final Pleistocene hunter-gatherers in northern East Asia.
Subjects
Late Upper Palaeolithic; pressure production; techno-functional approach; semi-conical microcore; boat-shaped microcore; lithic analysis; hunter-gatherer adaptations; SHANXI PROVINCE; HUMAN-BEHAVIOR; SITE; SHUIDONGGOU; EMERGENCE; INDUSTRY; ORIGIN; VARIABILITY; RETHINKING; CHRONOLOGY
Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Type
journal article
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Grimaldi2023_Last Glacial Maximum Microblade Production at Shizitan 29 and its Implications for North China Pressure Technology.pdf
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