Rainbow in the dark. The identification of diagnostic projectile impact features on rock crystal

Fernández-Marchena, Juan Luis; Rabuñal, José Ramón; Mateo-Lomba, Paula; Lombao, Diego; Hernando, Raquel; Cueva-Temprana, Arturo; Cazalla, Irene

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102315

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…A use-wear analysis was carried out on all arrowheads recovered from the site (four made of chert and one made of bone), following our own multimethod and multiscalar analysis system for projectiles (Fernández-Marchena et al, 2020). This approach is based directly on the combined methods of diagnostic impact fracture analysis developed by Fischer et al (1984) and the analysis of microscopic linear impact traces (MLIT) by Moss (1983).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Death in the high mountains: Evidence of interpersonal violence during Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age at Roc de les Orenetes (Eastern Pyrenees, Spain)

Moreno‐Ibáñez,

Saladié,

Ramírez‐Pedraza

et al. 2024

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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ObjectivesTo test a hypothesis on interpersonal violence events during the transition between Chalcolithic and Bronze Age in the Eastern Pyrenees, to contextualize it in Western Europe during that period, and to assess if these marks can be differentiated from secondary funerary treatment.Materials and MethodsMetric and non‐metric methods were used to estimate the age‐at‐death and sex of the skeletal remains. Perimortem injuries were observed and analyzed with stereomicroscopy and confocal microscopy.ResultsAmong the minimum of 51 individuals documented, at least six people showed evidence of perimortem trauma. All age groups and both sexes are represented in the skeletal sample, but those with violent injuries are predominantly males. Twenty‐six bones had 49 injuries, 48 of which involved sharp force trauma on postcranial elements, and one example of blunt force trauma on a cranium. The wounds were mostly located on the upper extremities and ribs, anterior and posterior. Several antemortem lesions were also documented in the assemblage.DiscussionThe perimortem lesions, together with direct dating, suggest that more than one episode of interpersonal violence took place between the Late Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age in northeastern Spain. The features of the sharp force trauma indicate that different weapons were used, including sharp metal objects and lithic projectiles. The Roc de les Orenetes assemblage represents a scenario of recurrent lethal confrontation in a high mountain geographic context, representing the evidence of inferred interpersonal violence located at the highest altitude settings in the Pyrenees, at 1836 meters above sea level.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Death in the high mountains: Evidence of interpersonal violence during Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age at Roc de les Orenetes (Eastern Pyrenees, Spain)

Moreno‐Ibáñez,

Saladié,

Ramírez‐Pedraza

et al. 2024

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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“…The techno-typological analysis of rock crystal artefacts is challenging, as the fracture characteristics of rock crystal are not identical to those of flint and chert (cf. Fernández-Marchena et al 2020; Tardy et al 2016). Most pertinently, the anisotropic nature of rock crystal means that the energy from a blow may not travel evenly through the crystal (Fernández-Marchena & Ollé 2016; Rodríguez-Rellán 2016), and the unique shape of the parent crystal also affects the reduction process.…”

Section: Neolithic Rock Crystal At Dorstone Hill Herefordshirementioning

confidence: 99%

Not All That Glitters is Gold? Rock Crystal in the Early British Neolithic at Dorstone Hill, Herefordshire, and the Wider British and Irish Context

Overton

Healey²,

Rovira³

et al. 2022

CAJ

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Evidence for working rock crystal, a rare form of water-clear type of quartz, is occasionally recovered from prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland, however, very little has been written on the specific methods of working this material, and its potential significance in the past. This paper presents the first synthesis of rock crystal evidence from Britain and Ireland, before examining a new assemblage from the Early Neolithic site of Dorstone Hill, Herefordshire. This outlines a methodology for analysing and interpreting this unusual material, and, through comparison with the flint assemblage, examines the specific uses and treatments of this material. Far from being used to make tools, we argue the distinctive and exotic rock crystal was being used to create distinctive and memorable moments, binding individuals together, forging local identities, and connecting the living and the dead.

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“…11c and d). The use of Gigapixel images (Vergès and Morales, 2014;Fernández-Marchena et al, 2020) becomes in these cases a suitable strategy to discern these striations. This is illustrated in the Gigapixel-like image (Supplementary Fig.…”

Section: Micro-tracesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of the use-wear and residues resulting from limestone working. Experimental approach to the parietal art of La Viña rock shelter (La Manzaneda, Asturias, Spain)

López-Tascón

Pedergnana²,

Ollé

et al. 2020

Quaternary International

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The Palaeolithic rock engravings that are located along the Nalón river basin in Northern Spain (central area of Asturias) have been studied from various perspectives (morphology, depth, style, manual range), but no use-wear studies on the stone tools used to produce such engravings have ever been undertaken. This paper aims to explore a new approach to this type of incisions based on use-wear analysis of experimental lithic tools used to engrave limestone blocks and slabs. Our results show that the use-wear traces generated by engraving limestone are welldeveloped and can be defined with specific criteria. The principal objective of this study was to provide the first experimental reference collection of use-wear resulting from engraving limestone using flint and quartzite experimental tools to compare with the traces that appear on tools in the archaeological record in contexts with parietal and portable art and, more specifically, to add a new approach to the multidisciplinary study of the La Viña rock shelter.

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Rainbow in the dark. The identification of diagnostic projectile impact features on rock crystal

Cited by 9 publications

References 38 publications

Death in the high mountains: Evidence of interpersonal violence during Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age at Roc de les Orenetes (Eastern Pyrenees, Spain)

Death in the high mountains: Evidence of interpersonal violence during Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age at Roc de les Orenetes (Eastern Pyrenees, Spain)

Not All That Glitters is Gold? Rock Crystal in the Early British Neolithic at Dorstone Hill, Herefordshire, and the Wider British and Irish Context

Characterization of the use-wear and residues resulting from limestone working. Experimental approach to the parietal art of La Viña rock shelter (La Manzaneda, Asturias, Spain)

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