tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023805782808412230.post7615486099339701325..comments2024-03-09T15:46:44.638+01:00Comments on For what they were... we are: Advanced lithic tech 70,000 years ago in South AfricaMajuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023805782808412230.post-34304106564479880732012-11-08T17:47:32.893+01:002012-11-08T17:47:32.893+01:00Atlatl darts and arrows wobble, blowgun darts don&...Atlatl darts and arrows wobble, blowgun darts don't, allowing precision shooting in very dense foliage. <br /><br />Pure speculation: Poison darts were the preferred norm, but coastal people developed heat-treated microlith projectiles to kill (semi)aquatic animals that had unusual blood/respiration (high hemoglobin, myoglobin) systems virtually immune to poisons allowing escapes.DDedenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10033851770461086341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023805782808412230.post-77867751909737277872012-11-08T16:42:33.324+01:002012-11-08T16:42:33.324+01:00I haven't got access to the paper so far (only...I haven't got access to the paper so far (only to the supp. materials and abstract) so I can't judge. Probably some of what you say is a very valid criticism, however re. point #3, I understand that a composite weapon (or tool) is not the same as a merely hafted one but one in which different small blades or other pieces form part (through a haft or handle) of a larger tool/weapon. The typical example would be the Aztec swords or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuahuitl" rel="nofollow">macuahuitl</a> or the similar Taino ones or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macana" rel="nofollow">macanas</a>. <br /><br />Re. point #5, the heating technology was studied years ago also at Pinnacle Point: see <a href="http://leherensuge.blogspot.com.es/2009/08/not-yet-metallurgy-but-same-basic.html" rel="nofollow">this blog note</a> and <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813142137.htm" rel="nofollow">this news entry</a>. I'll add it to the "see also" section because it seems relevant. It's probably implicit in the bibliography. <br /><br />A related <a href="http://forwhattheywereweare.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/blombos-point-since-i-started-reading.html" rel="nofollow">research at Blombos</a> found the first known use of pressure retouch similar to Solutrean. Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023805782808412230.post-17026582671457917412012-11-08T09:47:13.341+01:002012-11-08T09:47:13.341+01:00several comments:
1: It's too especulative. Th...several comments:<br />1: It's too especulative. They don't show any proof of microliths been used efectivelly as weapons (they don't show any impact scar, fracture or micro-wear related with weapon use). <br />2: They are not SO micro. Some of the blades reach 3cm length and more than 1 cm width. Some of the Mousterian points used as weapon tips in European Late Middle Paleolithic have the same dimensions. <br />3: Composite weapons are not only related with microliths. Hafted tools were probably used also in MP (see Roots work). <br />4: They don't explain why it is so important to asses "modernity". they say: "Advanced technologies with elaborate chains of production are also proxies, as these often demand high-fidelity transmission and thus language" this can be applied easily for Middle Paleolithic<br />5: They don't show any picture o description of cores,nor demonstrate that heating technology is really present.<br />6: This phrase is too epic: "Microlith-tipped projectile weapons increased hunting success rate, reduced injury from hunting encounters gone wrong, extended the effective range of lethal interpersonal violence29, and would have conferred substantive advantages on modern humans as they left Africa and encountered Neanderthals equipped with only hand-cast spears." How can they relate South African things with things that happened in Europe more than 30 kyr after? Why there is no evidence of such microlith technology in Levant?<br />7: This is disturbing: " the need to study materials recovered from the smallest sieve fractions" They don't do it??<br /><br />In my opinion a bad paper trying to surf in the wave of Modernity, Neanderthals, Weapons etcJosebahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02744317799598832299noreply@blogger.com