Predetermined Flake Production at the Lower/Middle Paleolithic Boundary: Yabrudian Scraper-Blank Technology Ron Shimelmitz , * E-mail: ronishim@gmail Affiliation: Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel ⨯ Steven L. Kuhn, Affiliation: School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America ⨯ Avraham Ronen, Affiliation: Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel ⨯ Mina Weinstein-Evron Published: September 5, 2014DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106293 Abstract While predetermined débitage technologies are recognized beginning with the middle Acheulian, the Middle Paleolithic is usually associated with a sharp increase in their use. A study of scraper-blank technology from three Yabrudian assemblages retrieved from the early part of the Acheulo-Yabrudian complex of Tabun Cave (ca. 415–320 kyr) demonstrates a calculated and preplanned production, even if it does not show the same complexity and elaboration as in the Levallois technology. These scraper dominated assemblages show an organization of production based on an intensive use of predetermination blank technology already in place at the end of the Lower Paleolithic of the Levant. These results provide a novel perspective on the differences and similarities between the Lower and Middle Paleolithic industries. We suggest that there was a change in the paradigm in the way hominins exploited stone tools: in many Middle Paleolithic assemblages the potential of the stone tools for hafting was a central feature, in the Lower Paleolithic ergonometric considerations of manual prehension were central to the design of blanks and tools. Citation:Shimelmitz R, Kuhn SL, Ronen A, Weinstein-Evron M (2014) Predetermined Flake Production at the Lower/Middle Paleolithic Boundary: Yabrudian Scraper-Blank Technology. PLoS ONE 9(9): e106293. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0106293 Editor: Michael D. Petraglia, University of Oxford, United Kingdom Received: June 26, 2014; Accepted: July 29, 2014; Published: September 5, 2014 Copyright: © 2014 Shimelmitz et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Data Availability:The authors confirm that all data underlying the findings are fully available without restriction. All relevant data are within the paper. Funding:The study was supported by the Irene Levi Sala CARE Archaeological Foundation and the open access publishing fund of the University of Arizona Libraries. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0106293
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 07:50:08 +0000
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