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Solutrean laurel leaf production at Maîtreaux: An experimental approach guided by techno-economic analysis

Authors:
  • Fundação Côa Parque
  • Dryas Octopetala / Morph
  • SERAP Vallée de la Claise

Abstract

Large-sized Solutrean laurel leaf typology has been defined on the basis of the exceptional pieces found at Volgu, France, in 1874. The geographical distribution of this rare type of large bifacial piece is limited to the border of the French Massif Central. Located at the northern limit of this distribution area, the Maîtreaux site provides new data on the reduction schemes of these pieces. Refitted sequences indicate that the Solutrean presence was motivated by the exploitation of local flint resources to produce reserves of lithic tools and/or blanks, elements for composite projectiles and preforms for exportation and later finishing and use/retouch elsewhere. Results of techno-economic and spatial analyses are compared with those of an experimental project, mostly centred on laurel leaf techno-economy. This integrated experimental approach strongly contributes to the on-going social interpretation of the Maîtreaux group, allowing us better to characterize and quantify the remains of laurel leaf reduction processes. Also produced were in situ‘undisturbed’ knapping features for taphonomic reference and interpretation. At the site scale, experimental work coupled with spatial and techno-economic analysis is relevant for the interpretation of different geoarchaeological, technical and social aspects of the archaeological record. At a regional scale, experimental work on the available raw materials in each geographic zone is required to clarify issues related to raw-material procurement, exploitation and circulation, such as regional lithic resource exploitation strategies and inter-site discontinuities of production.
... As skill is largely acquired through experience, it stands to reason that Middle Pleistocene hominins were not inherently endowed with the savoir-faire to shape later Acheulian handaxes, and that they rather gained such competencies through socially-structured learning (Bosch et al., 2018;Hiscock, 2014;Pargeter et al., 2019Pargeter et al., , 2020Shipton, 2020;Shipton & Nielsen, 2018;Stout, 2005;Stout & Khreisheh, 2015;Stout et al., 2011;Torres & Preysler, 2020). Over the last decade, studies examining knapping errors in lithic production have attempted to fill in knowledge gaps concerning skill acquisition through associating mishap types and frequencies with differing levels of technological competency (Assaf, 2021;Assaf et al., 2016;Aubry et al., 2008;Buonsanto & Peretto, 2012;Caruana & Herries, 2021;Gómez Coutouly et al., 2021;Herzlinger et al., 2017;Hovers, 2009). This research raises the possibility that our perspective of later Acheulean handaxes is perhaps distorted by a focus on the most well-made specimens in archaeological reports. ...
... Experimental research has provided a comprehensive record of what technical errors are common to knappers at differing skill levels (e.g. Aubry et al., 2008;Callahan, 1979;Edwards, 2001;Geribàs et al., 2010;Shelley, 1990;Torres & Preysler, 2020;Winton, 2005). As knapping errors present significant challenges, learning how to mitigate them through adjusting flaking strategies is a critical aspect of skill acquisition (Assaf, 2021;Assaf et al., 2016;Aubry et al., 2018;Buonsanto & Peretto, 2012;Caruana & Herries, 2021;Edwards, 2001;Gómez Coutouly et al., 2021;Hiscock, 2014;Hovers, 2009;Torres & Preysler, 2020;Winton, 2005). ...
... As knapping errors present significant challenges, learning how to mitigate them through adjusting flaking strategies is a critical aspect of skill acquisition (Assaf, 2021;Assaf et al., 2016;Aubry et al., 2018;Buonsanto & Peretto, 2012;Caruana & Herries, 2021;Edwards, 2001;Gómez Coutouly et al., 2021;Hiscock, 2014;Hovers, 2009;Torres & Preysler, 2020;Winton, 2005). Diacritical analyses of knapping mistakes in archaeological contexts have provided insight into the technical sequences that caused errors to occur, as well as how they were either perpetuated or corrected (Assaf, 2021;Assaf et al., 2016;Aubry et al., 2008;Gómez Coutouly et al., 2021). Reduction sequences that demonstrate attempts to rectify errors are indicative of higher levels of knapping technique and knowledge (Assaf, 2021;Assaf et al., 2016;Torres & Preysler, 2020). ...
Article
Tracing the acquisition of knapping skill in the Acheulian technocomplex is complicated by incomplete records of lithic production. Some studies have turned attention to examining knapping errors as a means of identifying signatures of toolmaking expertise in the deep past. Such insights have recently been applied to handaxes from the Area 1 spring eye at Amanzi Springs, which have suggested this locality functioned as a Large Cutting Tool workshop. Here we extend our analysis to handaxes from the Surfaces 2/3 (∼530–480 ka), Surface 1, and Cutting 5 (<480–408 ka) excavation areas within the Area 2 spring eye, which focuses on the development and frequency of step and hinge fractures and the management of cross-sectional shape. We identify differences in both the flaking strategies and the mitigation of knapping errors that demonstrate a gradual adaptation to local quartzite raw material and the acquisition of technological skill through time.
... Experiments in lithic technology are a common and sometimes fundamental means of replicating and understanding the factors generating certain lithic forms, creating patterning in lithic assemblages and testing certain hypotheses (Carr & Bradbury 2010). Indeed, controlled replicative flintknapping is reemerging as one of the key means of determining past reduction techniques, rediscovering important and even counterintuitive steps and techniques in producing certain forms, and in answering a host of questions associated with efficiency, raw materials, skill, cognition, and the distinctive products and debitage created using various reduction strategies (Stafford 2003;Aubry et al. 2008;Eren et al. 2008Eren et al. , 2011Marwick 2008;Stout et al. 2008;Bradley et al. 2010). Your research might benefit from performing some focused and controlled experiments in lithic technology that test aspects of your methods such as experiments that test indices of reduction tailored to your assemblages (Eren et al. 2005(Eren et al. , 2008Clarkson & Hiscock 2008Eren 2009), test aspects of performance and efficiency (Mathieu & Meyer 1997;Eren et al. 2008;Sisk & Shea 2009; in press), examine taphonomic processes (McBrearty et al. 1998;Eren et al. 2010b), explore the experiential or even musical qualities of flintknapping (Cross et al. 2002), explore cognition and skill (Stafford 2003;Stout 2005;Stout et al. 2008;Eren et al. 2011), or replicate objects, processes, or debitage (Aubry et al. 2008;Marwick 2008;Mercieca & Hiscock 2008;Adams 2010;Bradley et al. 2010;Jeske et al. 2010), to name but a few potential uses for experimentation. ...
... Indeed, controlled replicative flintknapping is reemerging as one of the key means of determining past reduction techniques, rediscovering important and even counterintuitive steps and techniques in producing certain forms, and in answering a host of questions associated with efficiency, raw materials, skill, cognition, and the distinctive products and debitage created using various reduction strategies (Stafford 2003;Aubry et al. 2008;Eren et al. 2008Eren et al. , 2011Marwick 2008;Stout et al. 2008;Bradley et al. 2010). Your research might benefit from performing some focused and controlled experiments in lithic technology that test aspects of your methods such as experiments that test indices of reduction tailored to your assemblages (Eren et al. 2005(Eren et al. , 2008Clarkson & Hiscock 2008Eren 2009), test aspects of performance and efficiency (Mathieu & Meyer 1997;Eren et al. 2008;Sisk & Shea 2009; in press), examine taphonomic processes (McBrearty et al. 1998;Eren et al. 2010b), explore the experiential or even musical qualities of flintknapping (Cross et al. 2002), explore cognition and skill (Stafford 2003;Stout 2005;Stout et al. 2008;Eren et al. 2011), or replicate objects, processes, or debitage (Aubry et al. 2008;Marwick 2008;Mercieca & Hiscock 2008;Adams 2010;Bradley et al. 2010;Jeske et al. 2010), to name but a few potential uses for experimentation. ...
... Relevant metric data on archaeological wooden spears are provided here with previous publications providing some of these data already (Leder et al., 2024;Milks, 2018). Metric data on lithic points can be found in (Abadi et al., 2020;Aubry et al., 2008;Eren et al., 2020;Hallinan & Shaw, 2020;Leder, 2014;Milks et al., 2016b;Newman & Moore, 2013;Shott & Otárola-Castillo, 2022;Taylor, 2022) of 14 cm, Sahle et al., 2013, and15 cm Lombard, 2022a;Sahle et al., 2023). For iron-tipped thrusting spears, existing data provide a range of 5 to 80 cm (median of 23 cm, Lombard, 2022a). ...
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... 5a), cuyos tamaños y sofisticación técnica han concitado el interés de investigadores por más de un siglo (p. e., Aubry et al., 2008). Se ha propuesto que estos objetos habrían sido producidos para probar la destreza de los propios talladores, lo que los convirtió en el signo de una técnica especializada y dotó de una fuerte carga simbólica (Pelegrin, 2013). ...
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... Their initial implementation dates back to the Lower Paleolithic (Stout et al., 2014;van Kolfschoten, 2015), where soft hammers were used to form bifacial tools. The development of the technique made it possible to form perfect Solutrean leaf points (Aubry et al., 2008). In turn, in the Upper Paleolithic, organic hammers were used for the precise detachment of flint blades (Pelegrin, 1991;Averbouh, 1999). ...
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Premiè re approche a` l'interpre´ palethnologique du groupe solutreé des Maıˆ : perspectives sur la technologie et re´ spatiale des vestiges lithiques et ses implications pour l'interpre´ du registre archeó. Master's thesis
  • M Almeida
Almeida, M. 2005.Premiè re approche a` l'interpre´ palethnologique du groupe solutreé des Maıˆ : perspectives sur la technologie et re´ spatiale des vestiges lithiques et ses implications pour l'interpre´ du registre archeó. Master's thesis, Universite´ Paris I – Pantheó – Sorbonne, U.F.R. d'Histoire de l'Art et d'Archeó.
Le Solutréen en France, 449Bordeaux: Imprimeries Delmas. Mémoire no
  • P Smith