Stone Tools in the Paleolithic and Neolithic Near East: A Guide

Contents......Page 8
List of Tables, Figures, and Box......Page 10
Preface......Page 16
I. Stone Tools......Page 20
Stone Age Chronology......Page 24
The Geography of the Levant......Page 25
Culture-Stratigraphic Approaches......Page 29
Culture-Historical Approaches......Page 31
Behavioral-Strategic Approaches......Page 32
IV. Overview......Page 33
I. Mechanics of Stone Tool Technology......Page 36
Fracture......Page 37
Abrasion......Page 39
Flintknapping......Page 40
Pounded Pieces......Page 41
Flakes and Flake Fragments......Page 47
Retouch and Retouched Tools......Page 51
Problematical Artifacts......Page 55
Higher-Order Groupings of Lithic Artifacts......Page 56
III. Interpretive Concepts in Lithic Analysis......Page 58
Raw Material Procurement......Page 59
Tool Production......Page 60
Tool Use......Page 62
Discard/Recycling......Page 63
Social and Cultural Aspects of Lithic Variation......Page 64
Lower Paleolithic Hominin Evolution......Page 66
Lower Paleolithic Lithic References......Page 67
Major Pebble-Cores Types......Page 69
Explaining Variation among Pebble-Cores......Page 73
Major Types of Large Cutting Tools......Page 74
Byproducts of LCT Production......Page 79
Explaining Variation among LCTS......Page 83
IV. Retouched Flake Tools......Page 85
V. Pounded Pieces......Page 87
Pebble Core Assemblages......Page 89
Early Acheulian......Page 92
Late Acheulian......Page 93
Acheulo-Yabrudian......Page 95
Ways to Improve the Lower Paleolithic Lithic Evidence......Page 98
Middle Paleolithic Hominin Behavioral Evolution......Page 100
Middle Paleolithic Lithics References......Page 101
II. Middle Paleolithic Core Technology......Page 103
Levallois Core Technology......Page 104
Products of Levallois Core Technology......Page 105
Products of Middle Paleolithic Blade Technology......Page 112
III. Retouched Flake Tools......Page 113
Points......Page 114
Scrapers......Page 119
Other Retouched Tools: Denticulates, Notches, Awls, Burins, Truncated-Facetted Pieces......Page 121
Explaining Variation among Retouched Tool Types......Page 123
The Levantine Mousterian......Page 124
Interglacial Levantine Mousterian......Page 127
Later Levantine Mousterian......Page 129
Other East Mediterranean Middle Paleolithic Assemblages......Page 130
Southwest Asian Montane Mousterian......Page 131
Differences between Lower and Middle Paleolithic......Page 133
How to Improve the Middle Paleolithic Lithic Evidence......Page 134
Upper Paleolithic Human Behavioral Evolution......Page 136
The Upper Paleolithic Archaeological Record......Page 137
Upper Paleolithic Lithic References......Page 139
Prismatic Blade Core Technology......Page 141
Mechanics of Prismatic Blade Production......Page 142
Blade Cores......Page 143
Carinated Pieces & Multiple Burins: Cores or Retouched Tools?......Page 145
Types of Blades (Blades/Bladelets/Microblades)......Page 146
Primary Elements/Core-Preparation Flakes......Page 147
Core-Rejuvenation/Core-Trimming Elements......Page 149
Endscrapers......Page 150
Burins......Page 152
Retouched Blades/Bladelets......Page 154
Chamfered Pieces......Page 157
Points......Page 158
Common Retouched Tools......Page 161
Grinding and Pounding Tools......Page 165
Emiran......Page 167
Early Ahmarian......Page 171
Atlitian......Page 173
Late Ahmarian/Masraqan......Page 175
Upper Paleolithic Chronological Variability......Page 176
Geographic Variation in the Upper Paleolithic......Page 177
Proposed Changes in Upper Paleolithic Lithic Systematics......Page 178
I. Introduction......Page 180
Epipaleolithic Human Behavioral Evolution......Page 181
The Epipaleolithic Archaeological Record......Page 182
II. Flaked Stone Technology & Typology......Page 183
Epipaleolithic Core Technology......Page 185
Epipaleolithic Retouched Tools Technology......Page 188
Backing and Retouch......Page 189
Burination and Burin Products......Page 191
Retouched and Backed Blade Tools......Page 193
Retouched Bladelets and Microliths......Page 194
Heavy-Duty Core Tools......Page 203
Typology of Groundstone Tools......Page 205
Pulverizing Equipment......Page 206
Grooved and Perforated Stones......Page 209
Variation among Epipaleolithic Groundstone Tools......Page 210
Early Epipaleolithic (24-18 Ka cal. BP)......Page 212
Nebekian......Page 219
Early Hamran......Page 221
Middle-Late/Final Hamran......Page 222
Ramonian......Page 223
Natufian......Page 225
Late/Terminal Ramonian......Page 227
Epipaleolithic in the Montane Levant......Page 228
V. Overview......Page 229
I. Introduction......Page 232
Defining the Neolithic......Page 233
Why Was there a Neolithic?......Page 234
The Neolithic Archaeological Record......Page 235
II. Neolithic Technology......Page 241
Neolithic Flake Cores......Page 242
Neolithic Blade Cores......Page 244
Flakes/Detached Pieces......Page 245
Flakes......Page 247
Pounded Pieces......Page 249
III. Neolithic Flaked Stone Typology......Page 251
Celts (Axes, Adzes, Chisels)......Page 252
Projectile Points......Page 257
Knives......Page 268
Sickle Inserts......Page 271
Retouched Flake Tools......Page 275
Perforators......Page 277
Burins......Page 278
IV. Neolithic Groundstone......Page 279
Pulverizing Equipment......Page 281
Carved Stones......Page 285
Stone Vessels......Page 287
IV. Neolithic Assemblage-Groups/Industries......Page 289
Early Neolithic (12.2-11.8 Ka ca. BP)......Page 293
Middle Neolithic (11.0-8.5 Ka cal. BP)......Page 297
Late Neolithic (8.4-6.5 Ka cal. BP)......Page 299
The Stone Age in the Levant after the Neolithic......Page 304
Epipaleolithic versus Neolithic Differences......Page 305
Ways to Improve Anthropological Relevance of the Neolithic Evidence.......Page 306
I. Biases Influencing the Lithic Record......Page 308
Historical and Geographic Factors......Page 309
Variability in Archaeological Method and Theory......Page 310
II. Patterns in the Levantine Lithic Record......Page 311
Lower Paleolithic......Page 314
Middle Paleolithic......Page 316
Upper Paleolithic......Page 321
Epipaleolithic......Page 323
Neolithic......Page 325
III. The Levantine Lithic Record in Perspective......Page 330
Upper Paleolithic and Epipaleolithic Type-List......Page 336
Neolithic Type List......Page 337
Cores - Discrete Variables......Page 353
Cores - Continuous Variables......Page 355
Débitage - Discrete Variables......Page 356
Débitage - Continuous Variables......Page 360
III. Retouched Tools......Page 361
Retouch - Discrete Variables......Page 362
Pounded Pieces - Continuous Variables......Page 364
Bibliography......Page 366
Index......Page 412