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Functional analysis of late Holocene flaked and pebble stone artefacts from Vanuatu, Southwest Pacific
Author(s) -
KONKO NINA,
BEDFORD STUART,
REEPMEYER CHRISTIAN
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
archaeology in oceania
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1834-4453
pISSN - 0728-4896
DOI - 10.1002/j.1834-4453.2010.tb00073.x
Subject(s) - pebble , archaeology , hunter gatherer , geology , stone tool , holocene , drilling , subsistence agriculture , geography , paleontology , materials science , metallurgy , agriculture
Abstract Functional studies were undertaken on simple, un‐retouched flaked and pebble artefacts made from a variety of lithic raw materials, recovered from late Holocene (Lapita) sites in Vanuatu. Use‐wear and residue analysis of macroscopic and microscopic evidence identified a wide range of craft, subsistence and social activities. These include cutting, pounding and grinding of non‐woody plants; graving, drilling, scraping and sawing of soft wood; drilling shell and cutting and piercing soft elastic material such as skin. This is the first detailed functional analysis on a collection of stone artefacts from Lapita period sites.