TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental assessment of proximal-lateral edge grinding on haft damage using replicated Late Pleistocene (Clovis) stone projectile points
AU - Werner, Angelia
AU - Kramer, Andrew
AU - Reedy, Crystal
AU - Bebber, Michelle R.
AU - Pargeter, Justin
AU - Eren, Metin I.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2019/11/1
Y1 - 2019/11/1
N2 - Archaeologists recognize countless styles of flaked stone projectile points in the archaeological record, but few are as well recognized as the Clovis fluted projectile point. This specimen has a number of interesting morphological and technological features, but one prominent question of its functional morphology involves the lateral edges of the proximal (basal) portion of the point, where it was attached (hafted) to a handle or shaft. These edges are usually ground (or abraded) dull, presumably to prevent cutting of the lashings binding the point in place. However, while logical, this presumption has never been experimentally tested. Do ground proximal-lateral edges prevent damage to haft lashing at a level significantly greater than that of sharp edges? We tested this question via experimental ballistics using standardized specimens possessing ground or sharp proximal-lateral edges. Our results showed that there was virtually no damage to lashings or presence of point wiggle within the haft, regardless of whether points possessed ground or sharp edges. Moreover, when negligible damage (fraying) did occur, it was restricted to the lashings on the point face, not the lashings on the proximal-lateral edges. While it is plausible, and remains to be tested, that the motions involved in cutting, sawing, and butchery cause more interaction between a point’s lateral edges and lashings, our results suggest that with respect to the actions experienced during projectile impact, ground proximal-lateral edges do not function to protect the haft lashings.
AB - Archaeologists recognize countless styles of flaked stone projectile points in the archaeological record, but few are as well recognized as the Clovis fluted projectile point. This specimen has a number of interesting morphological and technological features, but one prominent question of its functional morphology involves the lateral edges of the proximal (basal) portion of the point, where it was attached (hafted) to a handle or shaft. These edges are usually ground (or abraded) dull, presumably to prevent cutting of the lashings binding the point in place. However, while logical, this presumption has never been experimentally tested. Do ground proximal-lateral edges prevent damage to haft lashing at a level significantly greater than that of sharp edges? We tested this question via experimental ballistics using standardized specimens possessing ground or sharp proximal-lateral edges. Our results showed that there was virtually no damage to lashings or presence of point wiggle within the haft, regardless of whether points possessed ground or sharp edges. Moreover, when negligible damage (fraying) did occur, it was restricted to the lashings on the point face, not the lashings on the proximal-lateral edges. While it is plausible, and remains to be tested, that the motions involved in cutting, sawing, and butchery cause more interaction between a point’s lateral edges and lashings, our results suggest that with respect to the actions experienced during projectile impact, ground proximal-lateral edges do not function to protect the haft lashings.
KW - Edge grinding
KW - Experimental archaeology
KW - Haft damage
KW - Late Pleistocene (Clovis)
KW - Lithic technology
KW - North America
KW - Paleoindians
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U2 - 10.1007/s12520-017-0594-2
DO - 10.1007/s12520-017-0594-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85041577926
SN - 1866-9557
VL - 11
SP - 5833
EP - 5849
JO - Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
JF - Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
IS - 11
ER -