Cortell-Nicolau Alfredo, Key Alastair, Palomo Antoni
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Pl. 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ, UK.
Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 2;15(1):11247. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-95054-2.
European geometric microlith shape variation is often used as a marker of cultural differences between groups of Mesolithic hunter gatherers and/or Neolithic farmers. Indeed, the 2D plan-view shape of these lithics is known to vary in spatially and temporally systematic ways between archaeological sites. Such differences are well evidenced in the Iberian Peninsula between the 9th and 8th millennia BP. Here we test an alternative hypothesis for the structured variation observed in geometric microliths: whether their plan-view shape significantly impacts the force, energy and displacement experienced when they are used as projectile tips. If functional differences between groups help to explain the shape variation observed in the archaeological record, then any role for cultural (non-functional social) explanations is potentially reduced. We undertook controlled static penetration tests using an Instron materials tester and an assemblage of replicated Iberian geometric microliths hafted to standardised wooden shafts. Results indicate that the maximum force required, energy used, and displacement at maximum force experienced by these hafted geometric microliths when used as projectile armatures is not significantly influenced by their 2D plan-view shape. Rather, gross form attributes such as maximum thickness, distance from the tip of the microlith to the start of the shaft, and the maximum width of the hafting substrate/adhesive are the greatest determinants of penetration ease, along with the positioning of the microlith when hafted. Our data therefore supports past research that proposes a cultural role for geometric microlithic shape variation in the European Mesolithic and Early Neolithic. Moreover, it highlights the functional importance of maintaining relatively thin microblades during microlith production, along with taking care to minimise the size of hafting components and the necessity to haft them in the most efficient way.
欧洲几何微石器形状的变化常被用作中石器时代狩猎采集群体和/或新石器时代农民群体之间文化差异的标志。事实上，已知这些石器的二维平面图形状在考古遗址之间会以空间和时间上系统的方式变化。这种差异在公元前9000年至8000年的伊比利亚半岛得到了充分证明。在这里，我们对在几何微石器中观察到的结构化变化测试了另一种假设：即它们的平面图形状在用作投射物尖端时是否会显著影响所经历的力、能量和位移。如果群体之间的功能差异有助于解释考古记录中观察到的形状变化，那么文化（非功能性社会）解释的任何作用都可能会降低。我们使用英斯特朗材料试验机和一组复制的伊比利亚几何微石器进行了控制静态穿透测试，这些微石器被固定在标准化的木杆上。结果表明，这些固定的几何微石器用作投射物电枢时所需的最大力、使用的能量以及最大力时的位移，并未受到其二维平面图形状的显著影响。相反，诸如最大厚度、从微石器尖端到杆起始处的距离以及固定基底/粘合剂的最大宽度等总体形态属性，以及固定时微石器的定位，是穿透难易程度的最大决定因素。因此，我们的数据支持了过去的研究，该研究提出几何微石器形状变化在欧洲中石器时代和新石器时代早期具有文化作用。此外，它突出了在微石器制作过程中保持相对较薄的微刀片的功能重要性，同时要注意尽量减小固定部件的尺寸以及以最有效的方式进行固定的必要性。
