1. The earliest evidence for mechanically delivered projectile weapons in Europe
- Author
-
Francesco Boschin, Giovanni Birarda, Vincenzo Spagnolo, Daniele Aureli, Adriana Moroni, Antonio Tagliacozzo, Annamaria Ronchitelli, Ivana Fiore, Paolo Boscato, Stefano Ricci, Chiaramaria Stani, Katsuhiro Sano, Monica Gala, Simona Arrighi, Lisa Vaccari, Jacopo Crezzini, Stefano Benazzi, Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, della Terra e dell'Ambiente., Università degli Studi di Siena = University of Siena (UNISI), Anthropologie des techniques, des espaces et des territoires au Pliocène et au Pléistocène (AnTET), Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité (ArScAn), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris Nanterre (UPN)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris Nanterre (UPN)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), U.R. Ecologia Preistorica, Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali ', Laboratorio di Paleontologia e Archeozoologia, Soprintendenza Speciale al Museo Nazionale Preistorico ed Etnografico 'L. Pigorini', Roma, Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico 'L. Pigorini, De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, Università degli studi di Trieste, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna [Bologna] (UNIBO), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis (UP8)-Université Paris Nanterre (UPN)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis (UP8)-Université Paris Nanterre (UPN)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Università degli studi di Trieste = University of Trieste, Katsuhiro Sano , Simona Arrighi, Chiaramaria Stani, Daniele Aureli, Francesco Boschin, Ivana Fiore, Vincenzo Spagnolo, Stefano Ricci, Jacopo Crezzini, Paolo Boscato, Monica Gala, Antonio Tagliacozzo, Giovanni Birarda, Lisa Vaccari, Annamaria Ronchitelli, Adriana Moroni, Stefano Benazzi, and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Bordeaux (UB)
- Subjects
010506 paleontology ,Injury control ,[SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory ,Accident prevention ,Italy, Uluzzian, lunate, weapon, usewear ,Poison control ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,[SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences ,Uluzzian, projectile weapons ,Humans ,0601 history and archaeology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Neanderthals ,060102 archaeology ,Ecology ,Projectile ,Fossils ,projectile weapons ,06 humanities and the arts ,Uluzzian ,Archaeology ,Europe ,Geography ,Italy ,Impact energy ,Weapons - Abstract
Microscopic analysis of backed lithic pieces from the Uluzzian technocomplex (45–40 thousand yr ago) at Grotta del Cavallo (southern Italy) reveals their use as mechanically delivered projectile weapons, attributed to anatomically modern humans. Use-wear and residue analyses indicate that the lithics were hunting armatures hafted with complex adhesives, while experimental and ethnographic comparisons support their use as projectiles. The use of projectiles conferred a hunting strategy with a higher impact energy and a potential subsistence advantage over other populations and species. Microscopic analysis of backed stone pieces from the Uluzzian technocomplex of Italy (45–40 thousand years ago) identifies them as hafted armatures, probably used as projectiles.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF