Скачать или смотреть New Experiments with Osseous Barbed Projectile Points Provide Insights

into Early and Middle Holocene Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher Hunting Techniques

by Grzegorz Osipowicz (1), Justyna Orłowska(1), Lembi Lõugas (20), Heidi Luik (2), Giedre Piličiauskienė (3), Gytis Piličiauska (4), Ilga Zagorska (5)
1 Institute of Archaeology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Szosa Bydgoska st. 44/48, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
2 Archaeological Research Collection, Tallinn University, Tallin, Estonia
3 Department of Archaeology, Vilnius University, Universiteto 7, LT 01513 Vilnius, Lithuania
4 Archaeology Department, Lithuanian Institute of History, Kraziu 5 st., 01108 Vilnius, Lithuania
5 Institute of Latvian History, University of Latvia, Kalpaka Bulvāris 4, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia

One of the most essential attributes of the Early Holocene hunter-gatherer equipment is projectile weaponry, particularly barbed points made from osseous raw materials. Traceological analysis of various barbed points has provided crucial evidence for interpreting their function as critical elements of hunter-gatherer equipment. In the microscopic research conducted as part of the project Life and death written in bones. The technological and functional aspect of the osseous artefacts of Early and Middle Holocene hunter-gatherer-fishers communities inhabiting the East Baltic Plain, dozens of morphologically diverse barbed points were analysed. These traceological analyses showed a notable absence of impact breakages typically associated with this type of weapon on utmost artefacts. Given that most of the analysed finds originated from sites with aquatic contexts, a hypothesis was proposed that these artefacts might have been used for hunting aquatic animals. To test this hypothesis, we conducted experimental research to create a reference collection of use-wear traces forming at the surface of different barbed points used to hunt a water pray. Our presentation will present the experiments focused on fish hunting with various methods, including bows and spears. They aimed to understand better the morphological features and distribution of use-wear damage typical for hunting on water pray with bone points and differences relative to points used for hunting terrestrial pray.

The project: Life and death written in bones. The technological and functional aspect of the osseous artefacts of Early and Middle Holocene hunter-gatherer-fishers communities inhabiting the East Baltic was funded by the National Science Centre Poland, project no. 2021/43/B/HS3/00500.

Corresponding author: e-mail: [email protected]