Bone as a Tool
The analysis of bone tools in the archaeological record is often qualitative, with a lack of awareness of the artifact as a complex tool with its own specific curation and life history. The CEAD research group is currently testing hypotheses regarding specific damage morphologies created while using bones as tools, and tracking how patterns in damage change over time. This project aims to help CEAD researchers make inferences regarding behavior and knapping strategies in non-lithic tool technologies.
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Heat treatment
We are working on examining archaeological evidence of some of the earliest uses of fire engineering to improve the quality of stone tool raw materials for their use in tool production. The heat treatment of silcrete extends into the Middle Stone Age in southern Africa, occurring as early as approximately 74,000 years ago. Through experimental efforts to better understand the conditions under which heat treatment of silcrete occurred in southern Africa we can gain insight into the conditions under which this process arose and became a regular part of tool production, as well as the level of investment required in the stone tool production process , with implications for the energetic costs of acquiring food resources for early modern humans living during this time. |