Residue and microwear analyses of the stone artifacts from Schöningen

Veerle Rots; Bruce L Hardy; Jordi Serangeli; Nicholas J Conard

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.07.005

Residue and microwear analyses of the stone artifacts from Schöningen

J Hum Evol. 2015 Dec:89:298-308. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.07.005. Epub 2015 Sep 16.

Authors

Veerle Rots¹, Bruce L Hardy², Jordi Serangeli³, Nicholas J Conard⁴

Affiliations

¹ Service de Préhistoire, University of Liège, Quai Roosevelt 1B, 4000 Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: veerle.rots@ulg.ac.be.
² Department of Anthropology, Palme House, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH 43022, USA.
³ Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Schloss Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany.
⁴ Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Schloss Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany; Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoecology, University of Tübingen, Schloss Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany.

PMID: 26387038
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.07.005

Abstract

Stone artifacts from Schöningen 12 and 13 were examined microscopically to identify residues, wear, and manufacturing traces in order to clarify their possible anthropogenic origins and their function. We present evidence showing that the stone tools were used for working wood and hide and for cutting meat. The results from the use-wear and residue analyses proved complementary in several instances. Suggestive evidence of hafting was observed on a few pieces, which is particularly interesting given the identification of wooden hafts at the site. The positive results of this analysis demonstrate the efficacy and potential of these techniques for Lower Paleolithic sites such as Schöningen.

Keywords: Functional analysis; Hafting; Lower Paleolithic; Tool use.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Archaeology*
Germany
Hominidae / psychology*
Manufactured Materials*
Tool Use Behavior*