عنوان

Ochre for the Toolmaker:

Number

LA113715

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

Ochre for the Toolmaker:

General Material Designation

[Article]

Other Title Information

Shaping the Still Bay Points at Sibudu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

First Statement of Responsibility

Sylvain Soriano, Paola Villa, Lyn Wadley, et al.

Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.

Leiden

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Brill

Text of Note

During a study of the Still Bay industry at Sibudu (Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa), we observed ochre deposits on the platforms of flakes associated with the production of bifacial points, which are highly characteristic of this industry. We discuss several hypotheses to explain this phenomenon, implicating either an intentional or unintentional anthropogenic origin, or a natural origin. These considerations are based on the characteristics of the ochre deposits (appearance, position and distribution), the technical features of the lithic artifacts on which they are observed and the sedimentary and archaeological context in which they were found. All of these elements converge to demonstrate that the ochre was indirectly deposited on the flake platforms through the use of iron oxide nodules as knapping tools for the manufacture of bifacial points. The significance of this behavior is discussed in light of increasingly frequent discoveries of ochre or other mineral materials with equivalent properties in the context of the MSA in South Africa. During a study of the Still Bay industry at Sibudu (Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa), we observed ochre deposits on the platforms of flakes associated with the production of bifacial points, which are highly characteristic of this industry. We discuss several hypotheses to explain this phenomenon, implicating either an intentional or unintentional anthropogenic origin, or a natural origin. These considerations are based on the characteristics of the ochre deposits (appearance, position and distribution), the technical features of the lithic artifacts on which they are observed and the sedimentary and archaeological context in which they were found. All of these elements converge to demonstrate that the ochre was indirectly deposited on the flake platforms through the use of iron oxide nodules as knapping tools for the manufacture of bifacial points. The significance of this behavior is discussed in light of increasingly frequent discoveries of ochre or other mineral materials with equivalent properties in the context of the MSA in South Africa.

Date of Publication

2009

Physical description

41-54

Title

Journal of African Archaeology

Volume Number

7/1

International Standard Serial Number

2191-5784

Subject Term

lithic technology

Subject Term

Middle Stone Age

Subject Term

ochre

Subject Term

Still Bay

Lyn Wadley

Paola Villa

Sylvain Soriano

Call Number

10.3213/1612-1651-10121

Electronic name

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y