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NEOLITHIC FLAKED STONE ARTEFACTS FROM VELA CAVE NEAR VRANJA (ISTRIA)
Stašo Forenbaher
; Institut za antropologiju, Gajeva 32, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Dejana Nikitović
; University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M1C 1A4
Sažetak
In this paper we present the results of the analysis of f laked stone artefacts found in
post-Mesolithic levels of Vela Cave (Vela peć) in North Istria. We directly link to our
paper published in the previous issue of this journal where we described the site in detail,
explained its phasing and presented the results of the analyses of the pottery assemblages.
We stress that Phase 3, which in the previous paper was not dated to any particular period,
is now, after the analyses of lithic artefacts, dated to the Late Neolithic period.
A total of 144 f laked stone artefacts were recovered from the secure post-Mesolithic
contexts of Vela Cave, mostly from Neolithic Phases 2 and 3. Twenty-eight lithic artefacts
(mostly chips) from the context of the Middle/Late Bronze Age Phase 4 are considered
to be residual finds from the Neolithic levels.
Two main classes of raw material were used in the production of lithic artefacts in
Vela Cave. The first class is made up of dark cherts of lesser quality and their termically
altered reddish version. The other class is made up of pale and brown cherts acquired
from unknown (but probably non-local) sources. The two raw material classes were used
for somewhat different purposes. The materials acquired locally were used twice more
often, primarily for production of simple, f lake-based tools employing ad hoc technologies.
In contrast to that, exotic pale and brown cherts were used primarily for production of
blades.
The most copious technological category is debris, most of which comes as chips,
which suggests that f lake production was frequent in Vela Cave. These are exclusively
small and mostly irregular or completely amorphous core fragments. Prismatic blade
cores are represented by one small fragment and one overshot blade. Flakes constitute
two thirds of all debitage, while the rest are blades and bladelets. Tools make up 13%
of the total assemblage. Almost a third of them are scrapers, always made on f lakes.
Geometric microliths, backed blades, microburins and retouched blades were all made
on blades. Flake-based tools (aside from scrapers) include retouched f lakes, scaled pieces
and perforators. Two small points represent the only products of bifacial f laking.
The Vela Cave and Pupićina Cave f laked stone assemblages show many common
characteristics. It is not surprising considering the facts that the two caves are situated close
by and were inhabited simultaneously. However, a careful survey of quantitative analyses
results shows that there are a number of differences in representation of raw material
classes and technological categories of artefacts, as well as different diachronic trends.
Already the comparison of Vela and Pupićina Cave pottery assemblages (published in the previous issue of this journal) indicated somewhat different functions of the sites.
Considering that Vela Cave yielded small quantity of household waste and with clear
evidence of penning, it is much closer to the Grotte Bergerie model i.e. specialized f lockparking
site visited seasonally and rarely and shortly occupied by people. While lower
frequency of pottery fragments suggests that household activities were carried out at
the site (for which earthenware was used), high frequency of lithic artefacts indicates
practising other activities related to manufacture and usage of f laked stone tools.
Many shepherds’ activities suggest usage of sharp-edged tools. In case Vela Cave was
mostly used as a pen, high amount of such tools and their on-site production are not
surprising. The tools in question need not to be sophisticated, therefore, the characteristics
of Vela Cave f laked stone assemblage correspond to this.
Exotic raw material such as obsidian is absent; quality raw material from non-local
sources is less in use, and two thirds of f laked stone artefacts are made of local cherts. Blade
technology is partially present and does not become more common during the Neolithic.
On the contrary, it seems that the simple ad hoc f laking technology was employed at Vela
Cave during this whole period.
During the Neolithic, chert f laking is less documented at Pupićina, and more in Vela
Cave. While an impressive number of tools made of quality non-local raw materials,
imported in their final form, are in use at Pupićina, tools made of local chert are in use
at Vela Cave, and, moreover, chert is reduced at the site. The shift from Pupićina to Vela
Cave in means of lithic manufacture can indicate clear distinction in functions of two
neighbouring caves. Flintknapping is carried out at the site where tools are recurrently
necessary, and, at the same time, the space occupied by people is less contaminated with
dangerous waste.
The results of Vela and Pupićina Cave lithics analysis confirm our hypothesis based
on pottery analysis, on simultaneous occupation and functional correlation of both sites.
The results are a useful contribution to the larger picture of differences in ways of usage
of the two sites.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
47203
URI
Datum izdavanja:
15.12.2009.
Posjeta: 2.202 *