Stone Age technologies and human behaviors as reflected in decoration of osseous artefacts from the northern part of East-Central Europe

Osseous points and harpoon heads from Šventoji subneolithic sites, coastal Lithuania. First traceological insight into the way they were produced and used

“…Two artefacts of this type occurred at the site, one of which (the ornamented double-row harpoon head) ( Fig. 3F), has already been described elsewhere (Osipowicz et al 2020). The technological characteristic descriptions of this item have therefore been kept to an absolute minimum.…”

“…The adopted terminology is based on a popular conceptual system (e.g. Newcomer 1974;d'Errico et al 1984;Korobkova 1999;Legrand 2007;Christidou 2008;Osipowicz 2010;Buc 2011;Orłowska 2016), that was adjusted to the needs and requirements of the conducted analysis. Traces were recorded in accordance with their type, development, and location and distribution on the analysed tool.…”

“…2E) have already been published elsewhere (cf. Osipowicz et al 2019). Here, it is only possible to note that the observed traces can be classified into two groups: (1) those related to preparing the original tool, i.e., the harpoon head, and (2) those formed as a result of altering it to serve other (secondary) function.…”

“…Cattelain 1997), the function of camps and settlements (Cattelain 2005;Piličiauskas et al 2020), processing and ornamenting techniques used with objects made of osseous raw materials (e.g. Zhilin 1998;David 2005;Langley et al 2016;Osipowicz et al 2020), and the symbolic sphere of Stone Age peoples (e.g. Langley 2015;Osipowicz et al 2019).…”

“…Zhilin 1998;David 2005;Langley et al 2016;Osipowicz et al 2020), and the symbolic sphere of Stone Age peoples (e.g. Langley 2015;Osipowicz et al 2019). At the same time, technological and functional studies are conducted on this type of artefact using more and more cutting-edge and highly diverse scientific instruments, in addition to the already classic stereoscopic and metallographic microscopes, scanning microscopy (SEM; Arndt, Newcomer 1986), and Micro-CT and macro-fracture methods (Bradfield, Lombard 2011), etc.…”