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Between Novelty and Variability: Natufian Hunter-Gatherers (c. 15–11.7 kyr) Proto-Agrotechnology and the Question of Morphometric Variations of the Earliest Sickles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2021

Danny Rosenberg  and
Rivka Chasan
Danny Rosenberg
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Ground Stone Tools Research, Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. [email protected]
Rivka Chasan
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Ground Stone Tools Research, Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. [email protected]
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Abstract

How hunter-gatherers manipulated and utilised their natural surroundings is a widely studied topic among anthropologists and archaeologists alike. This focuses on the Natufian culture of the Late Epipalaeolithic period (c. 15–11.7 kyr), the last Levantine hunter-gatherer population, and specifically on the earliest composite tools designed for harvesting. These tools are widely referred to as sickles. They consisted of a haft into which a groove was cut and flint inserts affixed. This revolutionised harvesting and established it on new grounds. While the plants manipulated by these tools are yet to be identified with certainty, it is evident that these implements were rapidly integrated and dispersed throughout the Natufian interaction sphere, suggesting that they provided a significant advantage, which probably constituted a critical step toward agriculture. At the same time, the Natufian haft assemblage demonstrates high morphometric variability. We review the available data concerning Natufian hafts and offer three possible models to explain the noted variability. We conclude that while these models are not mutually exclusive, this varied technological pattern is best understood as deriving from a protracted formative phase of technological development, progressing through incremental processes of trial and error.

Résumé

RÉSUMÉ

Entre nouveauté et variabilité: chasseurs cueilleurs Natoufienes (vers 15–11.7 kya) proto-agrotechnologie et la question des variations morphologiques métriques des plus anciennes faucilles, de Danny Rosenberg et Rivka Chasan

Comment les chasseurs-cueilleurs manipulaient et utilisaient leur environnement naturel est un sujet largement étudié aussi bien par les anthropologues que par les archéologues. Notre étude se concentre sur la culture natoufienne de l’épipaléolithique tardif (vers 15–11.7 kya), dernière population de chasseurs cueilleurs du levantin et plus particulièrement sur les plus précoces outils composés élaborés pour la récolte. On se réfère généralement à ces outils sous le nom de faucilles. Ils consistaient en un manche dans lequel on avait creusé un sillon et inséré des fragments de silex. Ceci a révolutionné la moisson et l’a établie sur de nouvelles terres. Bien qu’il nous reste à identifier avec certitude quelles étaient les plantes manipulées par ces outils, il est évident que ces outils furent rapidement intégreés et dispersés partout dans la sphère d’interaction de la culture natoufienne, ce qui donne à penser qu’ils apportaient un avantage majeur qui constituait probablement une étape critique vers l’agriculture. En même temps l’assemblage du manche natoufien fait preuve d’un niveau élevé de variabilité morphométrique. Dans le courant article nous révisons les données disponibles concernant les manches natoufiens et offrons trois modèles possibles qui expliquent la variabilité identifiée. Nous concluons que, tandis que ces modèles ne s’excluent pas l’un l’autre ce schéma technologique varié se comprend le mieux comme dérivant d’une phase retardée de développement technologique progressant graduellement à travers un procédé d’essais et d’erreurs.

Zusammenfassung

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG

Zwischen Neuartigkeit und Variabilität: Die Proto-Agrotechnologie der Jäger-Sammler des Natufien (ca. 15–11.7 kyr) und die Frage morphometrischer Variationen der frühesten Sicheln, von Danny Rosenberg und Rivka Chasan

Wie Jäger und Sammler ihre natürliche Umgebung manipulierten und nutzten, ist ein von Anthropolog wie von Archäolog innen weithin untersuchtes Thema. Unsere Untersuchung konzentriert sich auf die Natufien-Kultur des späten Epipaläolithikums (ca. 15–11.7 kyr), die letzte Jäger- und Sammlerpopulation der Levante, und speziell auf die frühesten zusammengesetzten Werkzeuge, die für die Ernte entwickelt wurden. Diese Werkzeuge werden allgemein als Sicheln bezeichnet. Sie bestanden aus einem Griff, in den eine Rille geschnitten und Einsätze aus Feuerstein eingefügt wurden. Dies revolutionierte die Ernte und etablierte sie auf neuem Terrain. Während die Pflanzen, die mit diesen Werkzeugen bearbeitet wurden, noch nicht mit Sicherheit identifiziert werden können, ist es offensichtlich, dass diese Werkzeuge schnell integriert und im gesamten Interaktionsbereich der Natufien-Kultur verbreitet wurden, was darauf hindeutet, dass sie einen bedeutenden Vorteil boten, der wahrscheinlich einen entscheidenden Schritt in Richtung Landwirtschaft darstellte. Gleichzeitig zeigt die Griff-Assemblage des Natufien eine hohe morphometrische Variabilität. In dieser Arbeit überprüfen wir die verfügbaren Daten zu den Griffen des Natufien und bieten drei mögliche Modelle an, die die festgestellte Variabilität erklären. Wir kommen zu dem Schluss, dass sich diese Modelle zwar nicht gegenseitig ausschließen, dass aber dieses vielfältige technologische Muster am besten als Ergebnis einer langwierigen formativen Phase der technologischen Entwicklung zu verstehen ist, die durch schrittweise Prozesse von Versuch und Irrtum fortschreitet.

Resumen

RESUMEN

Entre la novedad y la variabilidad: protoagrotecnología entre los cazadores-recolectores natufienses (c. 15–11.7kyr) y la cuestión de las variaciones morfométricas de las primeras hoces, por Danny Rosenberg y Rivka Chasan

Cómo los cazadores-recolectores manipularon y utilizaron su entorno natural es un tema ampliamente estudiado por los antrópologos y arqueólogos. Nuestro estudio se centra en la cultura Natufiense del Epipaleolítico final (c. 15–11.7 kyr), las últimas poblaciones de cazadores-recolectores levantinas, y específicamente en las primeras herramientas compuestas y diseñadas para la siega. Estas herramientas se conocen ampliamente como hoces. Consistían en un mango en el que se cortaba una ranura y se colocaban inserciones de sílex. Esto revolucionó la forma de cosechar y permitió expandirla en nuevos terrenos. Aunque las plantas manipuladas por estas herramientas aún no se han identificado con certeza, es evidente que estos instrumentos se integraron rápidamente y se dispersaron en la esfera de interacción natufiense, sugiriendo que aportaban una ventaja significativa, que probablemente constituyó un paso crítico hacia la agricultura. Al mismo tiempo, el conjunto de mangos natufienses demuestra una alta variabilidad morfométrica. En este artículo, se aporta una revisión de los datos disponibles sobre los mangos natufienses y se ofrecen tres modelos que explican la variabilidad observada. Concluimos que mientras estos modelos no son mutuamente exclusivos, este patrón tecnológicamente variado se entiende mejor como derivado de una fase formativa prolongada de desarrollo tecnológico que se va modificando a través de procesos de prueba y error.

Keywords

NatufianNear EastEpipaleolithicHarvestingSicklesHunter-gatherers
Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 87 , December 2021 , pp. 31 - 50
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Prehistoric Society

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