Publication “Hafting of Middle Paleolithic tools in Latium (central Italy): New data from Fossellone and Sant’Agostino caves”, PLOS ONE, 06/19

Sylvain Soriano a le plaisir de vous annoncer la publication d’un article concernant l’analyse de résidus organiques interprétés comme du mastic d’emmanchement sur des outils lithiques du Paléolithique moyen récent d’Italie centrale.

Degano I., Soriano S., Villa P., Pollarolo L., Lucejko J.J., Jacobs Z., Douka K., Vitagliano S. et Tozzi C., 2019, « Hafting of Middle Paleolithic tools in Latium (central Italy): New data from Fossellone and Sant’Agostino caves », PLOS ONE, vol. 14, n° 6, p. e0213473.

Le DOI ci-dessous renvoie sur l’article en open access :
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213473

Abstract
Hafting of stone tools was an important advance in the technology of the Paleolithic. Evidence of hafting in the Middle Paleolithic is growing and is not limited to points hafted on spears for thrusting or throwing. This article describes the identification of adhesive used for hafting on a variety of stone tools from two Middle Paleolithic caves in Latium, Fossellone Cave and Sant’Agostino Cave. Analysis of the organic residue by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry shows that a conifer resin adhesive was used, in one case mixed with
beeswax. Contrary to previous suggestions that the small Middle Paleolithic tools of Latium could be used by hand and that hafting was not needed since it did not improve their functionality,
our evidence shows that hafting was used by Neandertals in central Italy. Ethnographic evidence indicates that resin, which dries when exposed to air, is generally warmed by exposure to a small fire thus softened to be molded and pushed in position in the haft.
The use of resin at both sites suggests regular fire use, as confirmed by moderate frequencies of burnt lithics in both assemblages. Lithic analysis shows that hafting was applied to a variety of artifacts, irrespective of type, size and technology. Prior to our study evidence of hafting in the Middle Paleolithic of Italy was limited to one case only.

---

---