Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T14:23:07.425Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Butchering with small tools: the implications of the Evron Quarry assemblage for the behaviour of Homo erectus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Michael Chazan*
Affiliation:
*Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, 19 Russell Street, Toronto, ONT M5S 2S2, Canada

Abstract

Stratified stone tools found with elephant and hippopotamus teeth at Evron Quarry can be dated to before 780 000 years ago. The assemblage includes handaxes, but less expectedly, small stone tools in the form of flakes with notches and points. Not thought to be points for spears or arrows, these small tools are suggested to be usable for butchery. They represent an adaption of local materials that make poor handaxes—so showing an ingenious improvisation on the part of Homo erectus.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barkai, R., Lemorini, C. & Gopher, A.. 2010. Palaeolithic cutlery 400 000–200 000 years ago: tiny meat-cutting tools from Qesem Cave, Israel. Antiquity 84 (325) Project Gallery. Available at: http://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/barkai325/ (accessed 21 January 2013).Google Scholar
Burdukiewicz, J.M. & Ronen, A.. 2003. Lower Palaeolithic small tools in Europe and the Levant. Oxford: Archaeopress.Google Scholar
Chazan, M., Monchot, H. & Kolska Horwitz, L.. 2007. Spatial analysis of lithic artifacts and fauna from Holon, in Chazan, M. & Kolska Horwitz, L. (ed.) Holon: a Lower Paleolithic site in Israel: 163-80. Cambridge (MA): Peabody Museum.Google Scholar
Chazan, M., Avery, D.M., Bamford, M.K., Berna, F., Brink, J., Fernandez-Jalvo, Y., Goldberg, P., Holt, S., Matmon, A., Porat, N., Ron, H., Rossouw, L., Scott, L. & Kolska Horwitz, L.. 2012. The Oldowan horizon in Wonderwerk Cave (South Africa): archaeological, geological, paleontological and paleoclimatic evidence. Journal of Human Evolution 63: 859-66.Google Scholar
De La Torre, I. 2004. Omo revisited: evaluating the technological skills of Pliocene hominids. Current Anthropology 45: 439-65.Google Scholar
Diez-Martin, F., Sánchez, P., Domínguez-Rodrigo, M. & Mabulla, A.. 2009. Were Olduvai hominins making butchering tools or battering tools? Analysis of a recently excavated lithic assemblage from BK (Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania). Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 28: 274-89.Google Scholar
Fischer, A., Hansen, P.V. & Rasmussen, P.. 1984. Macro and micro wear traces on lithic projectile points. Journal of Danish Archaeology 3: 1946.Google Scholar
Gilead, D. & Israel, M.. 1975. An Early Paleolithic site at Kefar Menahem. Tel Aviv 2: 113.Google Scholar
Gilead, D. & Ronen, A.. 1977. Acheulean industries from ‘Evron on the Western Coastal Plain. Eretz Israel 13: 5686.Google Scholar
Haas, G. 1970. Metridiochoerus evronensis n. sp., a new Middle Pleistocene phacochoerid from Israel. Israel Journal of Zoology 19: 179-81.Google Scholar
Hutchins, K. 2011. Measuring use-related fracture velocity in lithic armatures to identify spears, javelins, darts and arrows. Journal of Archaeological Science 38: 1737-46.Google Scholar
Issar, A. & Kafri, U.. 1969. The discovery of a Pleistocene mammalian fauna and artifacts at ‘Evron, Western Galilee. Israel Journal of Earth Sciences 18: 147.Google Scholar
Kuman, K. & Field, A.S.. 2009. The Oldowan industry from Sterkfontein Caves, South Africa, in Schick, K. & Toth, N. (ed.) The cutting edge: new approaches to the archaeology of human origins: 151-69. Gosport (IN): Stone Age Institute Press.Google Scholar
Mora, R. & De La Torre, I.. 2005. Percussion tools in Olduvai Beds I and II (Tanzania): implications for early human activities. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 24: 179-92.Google Scholar
Pargeter, J. 2011. Assessing the macrofracture method for identifying Stone Age hunting weaponry. Journal of Archaeological Science 38: 288288. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2011.04.01.Google Scholar
Porat, N. & Ronen, A.. 2002. Luminescence and ESR age determinations of the Lower Paleolithic site Evron Quarry, Israel. Advances in ESR Applications 18: 123-30.Google Scholar
Prausnitz, M.W. 1969. The sequence of Early to Middle Paleolithic flint industries along the Galilean Littoral. Israel Exploration Journal 19: 129-47.Google Scholar
Rink, W.J. 1997. Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating and ESR applications in Quaternary science and archaeometry. Radiation Measurements 27: 9751025.Google Scholar
Ron, H., Porat, N., Ronen, A., Tchernov, E. & Kolska Horwitz, L.. 2003. Magnetostratigraphy of the Evron Member—implications for the age of the Middle Acheulian site of Evron Quarry. Journal of Human Evolution 44: 633-39.Google Scholar
Ronen, A. 1991. The Lower Paleolithic site Evron-Quarry in western Galilee, Israel. Sonderveröffentlichungen Geologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln 82: 187212.Google Scholar
Ronen, A. 2003. The small tools of Evron-Quarry, western Galilee, Israel, in Burdukiewicz, J.M. & Ronen, A. (ed.) Lower Palaeolithic small tools in Europe and the Levant: 113-20. Oxford: Archaeopress.Google Scholar
Ronen, A. & Amiel, A.. 1974. The Evron Quarry: a contribution to the Quaternary stratigraphy of the coastal plain of Israel. Paléorient 2: 167-73.Google Scholar
Schick, K.D. & Toth, N.. 1993. Making silent stones speak: human evolution and the dawn of technology. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.Google Scholar
Sharon, G. 2009. Large flake Acheulian. Quaternary International 223-224: 226-33.Google Scholar
Sivan, D., Gvirtzman, G. & Sass, E.. 1999. Quaternary stratigraphy and paleogeography of the Galilee coastal plain, Israel. Quaternary Research 51: 280-94.Google Scholar
Steguweit, L. 2003. Gebrauchsspuren an Artefakten der Hominiden Fundstelle Bilzingsleben (Thüringen) (Tubinger Arbeiten zur Urgeschichte 2). Rahden: Marie Leidorf.Google Scholar
Stekelis, M. 1950. Evron. Alon (Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums) 2: 2930 (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Tchernov, E., Kolska Horwitz, L., Ronen, A. & Lister, A.. 1994. The faunal remains from Evron Quarry in relation to other Lower Paleolithic hominid sites in the Southern Levant. Quaternary Research 42: 328-39.Google Scholar
Thieme, H. 1997. Lower Palaeolithic hunting spears from Germany. Nature 385: 807-10.Google Scholar
Toro Moyano, I., De Lumley, H., Barrier, P., Barsky, D., Cauche, D., Celiberti, V., Gregoire, S., Lebegue, F., Mestour, B. & Moncel, M.-H.. 2010. Les industries lithiques archaïques de Barranco León et de Fuente Nueva 3: Orce, bassin de Gaudix-Baza, Andalousie. Paris: CNRS.Google Scholar
Wilkins, J., Schoville, B.J., Brown, K.S. & Chazan, M.. 2012. Evidence for early hafted hunting technology. Science 338: 942-46.Google Scholar
Zaidner, Y., Ronen, A. & Burdukiewicz, J.M.. 2003. L’industrie microlithique du Paléolithique inférieur de Bizat Ruhama, Israel. L’Anthropologie 107: 203-22.Google Scholar
Zaidner, Y., Yesurun, R. & Mallol, C.. 2010. Early Pleistocene hominins outside of Africa: recent excavations at Bizat Ruhama, Israel. PaleoAnthropology 2010: 162-75.Google Scholar