On the use of metapodial as tools at Schönningen 13II-4
Fecha
2018Autor
Hutson, Jarod M.
Garcia Moreno, Alejandro
Turner, Elaine
Gaudzinski Windheuser, Sabine
Metadatos
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The origins of bone tool technologies : 53-92 (2018)
Resumen
The Schöningen 13II-4 “Spear Horizon” provides an unparalleled view of Middle Pleistocene hominin tech-
nological and subsistence behaviours. The site preserves the remains of more than fifty butchered horses in
addition to other large mammals, but the associated lithic assemblage is relatively small. As a complement
to the lithic tools, Middle Pleistocene hominins at Schöningen used a variety of bone implements related
to stone tool manufacture and maintenance. Here we describe a collection of metapodials from the Schö-
ningen 13II-4 Spear Horizon interpreted as soft hammers. These bones bear consistent patterns of damage
to the proximal and distal ends, indicating their repeated use in heavy percussive activities. We present the
results of preliminary experimental studies aimed to better understand how and for what purposes these
implements were used, and we conclude that the damage to the Schöningen metapodials is consistent with
use in both stone working and bone breaking tasks. Based on the apparent lack of large stone cobbles in
the lithic assemblage, the metapodial tools likely replaced hammerstones in the lithic chaîne opératoire and
in processing bones for marrow. While it is clear that metacarpals and metatarsals were preferred over other
bones for use as soft hammers, there is a relative lack of metapodials among the roughly 15,000 faunal
remains in the entire assemblage. This pattern of skeletal part representation indicates that metapodials
may have been transported away from the Schöningen 13II-4 site to be used at other locations across the
landscape. Together with the well-known spears, these bone implements underscore the importance of
non-lithic technologies for Middle Pleistocene hominins