Microblade technology and the rise of serial specialists in north-central China

• Autor: Yi, Mingjie ; Barton, Loukas ; Morgan, Christopher ; Liu, Decheng ; Chen, Fuyou ; Zhang, Yue ; Pei, Shuwen ; Guan, Ying ; Wang, Huimin ; Gao, Xing ; Bettinger, Robert L.
• Assuntos: Ancient civilizations ; Anthropological analysis ; Anthropology ; Archaeological research ; Archaeology ; Asia ; China ; Diet ; Far East ; Food consumption ; Food habits ; Lithic industry ; Methodology and general studies ; Microblade technology ; Nutrition ; Prehistory and protohistory ; Serial specialist ; Technology ; Typology, technology and attribute analysis ; Winter mobility ; Younger Dryas
• É parte de: Journal of anthropological archaeology, 2013-06, Vol.32 (2), p.212-223
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• Descrição: ► We challenge the idea that north-central China microblade technology was mainly for weapons. ► In this region composite microblade tools are more commonly knives than points. ► This microblade technology becomes dominant during the cold, dry Younger Dryas. ► The best documented Younger Dryas microblade site is dominated by a taxon (Lepus) useful mainly for skins. ► These microblades were used mainly for production of clothing that permitted winter mobility. Though present before the Last Glacial Maximum, microblade technology is uncommon in the lithic assemblages of north-central China until the onset of the Younger Dryas (12,900–11,600calBP). While it is clear that microblades here and elsewhere were connected with mobile adaptations organized around hunting, the attendant assumption that they served primarily in hunting weaponry is not. The archaeological record of north-central China, including excavations at Pigeon Mountain (QG3) and Shuidonggou Locality 12 (SDG 12) in Ningxia Autonomous Region, and Dadiwan in Gansu Providence, and a handful of bone/antler tools slotted for microblade inserts, indicate a more direct linkage to mobility. These data suggest the rise of microblade technology in Younger Dryas north-central China was mainly the result of microblades used as insets in composite knives needed for production of sophisticated cold weather clothing needed for a winter mobile hunting adaptation akin to the residentially mobile pattern Binford termed “serial specialist.” Limited time and opportunities compressed this production into a very narrow seasonal window, putting a premium on highly streamlined routines to which microblade technology was especially well-suited.
  
• Editor: Amsterdam: Elsevier Inc
  
• Idioma: Inglês