What is new in the Aterian? A functional view on tool use, hafted stone tool technologies and assemblage variability at Ifri n’Ammar within the context of the Northwest African Middle Stone Age
https://doi.org/10.34780/a0b9-9504
Synopsis
This study provided new insights into long-term technological changes during the North African Middle Stone Age (NAMSA) through the functional analysis of the lithic assemblage of Ifri n’Ammar, a rock shelter in the eastern Moroccan Rif. The sites’ well-preserved stratigraphy, containing two distinct occupation phases, including the oldest evidence of the Aterian technocomplex to date, provided an ideal case study for a detailed comprehension of the lithic assemblage variability across the North African Middle Stone Age period.
The functional analysis of the complete lithic assemblage combined with extensive tool experimentation generated innovative data that shed new light on possible distinctions between the different assemblages. Although previous attempts have focused on the presence of Aterian tanged tools to explain the morphological variability between these assemblages, this study demonstrated that the presence of Aterian tanged tools did not influence the activities undertaken at the site. Here, the holistic functional approach, including not only use but also hafting and production wear, enabled the reconstruction of the organic components of the Aterian stone tool technology and led to a more profound understanding of the Aterian technocomplex. On the basis of these results, it could be concluded that the main disparity between the two types of assemblages can be linked to an increased utilisation of animal materials within the Aterian technical system.
The study demonstrated the importance in applying a holistic functional approach for characterising and understanding the North African Middle Stone Age as it generated innovative and highly-detailed insights on the lithic assemblage variability and changes over time.
Keywords:
Stone Age, Tool Use, Ifri n'AmmarChapters
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List of Figures
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List of Tables
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Preface
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Acknowledgments
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1 Introduction
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2 Background
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3 Research objectives
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4 Research strategy
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5 Initial Experiments
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6 Functional Results
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7 Complementary Experiments
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8 Interpretations
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9 Discussion
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10 Conclusion
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References
