Specialised lithic technology of terminal Pleistocene maritime peoples of Wallacea
File version
Author(s)
Mahirta
O'Connor, Sue
Reepmeyer, Christian
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract
Excavation in Tron Bon Lei shelter on the Indonesian Island of Alor has uncovered a rich Pleistocene lithic assemblage, which includes obsidian artefacts representing a specialised industry previously undetected in any early stone tool assemblage of Island South East Asia (ISEA). Portable X-ray florescence of the obsidian assemblage has revealed three discrete sources, and that at least one of the sources is likely off-island. This indicates that inter-island exchange networks were active from the terminal Pleistocene onwards. Obsidian from all sources was reduced exclusively using bipolar anvil-resting techniques, resulting in the production of exceptionally small bipolar cores and flakes. The assemblage reveals extraordinary effort to reduce the obsidian, with cores being typically smaller than ten millimetres, and many around six millimetres at discard. Using reduction sequence analyses and technological observations, we document this specialised industry and discuss the role these artefacts may have played in the lifeways of the people of Alor Island.
Journal Title
Archaeological Research in Asia
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
16
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Anthropology
Archaeology
Historical studies
Social Sciences
Archaeology
Obsidian technology
Bipolar reduction
Inter-island exchange networks
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Maloney, TR; Mahirta; O'Connor, S; Reepmeyer, C, Specialised lithic technology of terminal Pleistocene maritime peoples of Wallacea, Archaeological Research in Asia, 2018, 16, pp. 78-87