عنوان

The Antiquity of the Bow and Arrow in the Kalahari Desert:

Number

LA113475

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

The Antiquity of the Bow and Arrow in the Kalahari Desert:

General Material Designation

[Article]

Other Title Information

Bone Points from White Paintings Rock Shelter, Botswana

First Statement of Responsibility

Lawrence H. Robbins, Alec C. Campbell, George A. Brook, et al.

Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.

Leiden

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Brill

Text of Note

This paper presents new information on the antiquity of the bow and arrow in the Kalahari. Excavations at White Paintings Shelter (WPS) uncovered bone point fragments that appear to have been parts of reversible arrowheads that could have been used with poison. We present a sequence of nine new, internally consistent OSL ages that date specific soil horizons at WPS. These dates/soil horizons are related to the bone point finds. The oldest bone points are estimated to date between 35-37 ka, while worked bone technology extends to at least 45 ka. Several engraved points are also discussed in relation to ethnographic evidence regarding decorated bone link-shafts collected in the 1970s. Additional information includes the first description of a reversible bone arrow point, made by a person who used such points with poison in his youth. This paper presents new information on the antiquity of the bow and arrow in the Kalahari. Excavations at White Paintings Shelter (WPS) uncovered bone point fragments that appear to have been parts of reversible arrowheads that could have been used with poison. We present a sequence of nine new, internally consistent OSL ages that date specific soil horizons at WPS. These dates/soil horizons are related to the bone point finds. The oldest bone points are estimated to date between 35-37 ka, while worked bone technology extends to at least 45 ka. Several engraved points are also discussed in relation to ethnographic evidence regarding decorated bone link-shafts collected in the 1970s. Additional information includes the first description of a reversible bone arrow point, made by a person who used such points with poison in his youth.

Date of Publication

2012

Physical description

7-20

Title

Journal of African Archaeology

Volume Number

10/1

International Standard Serial Number

2191-5784

Subject Term

link-shafts

Subject Term

OSL chronology

Subject Term

poison use

Subject Term

Reversible arrowheads

Alec C. Campbell

George A. Brook

Lawrence H. Robbins

Michael L. Murphy

Robert K. Hitchcock

Call Number

10.3213/2191-5784-10211

Electronic name

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y