Lustred flint blades in the epipalaeolithic and neolithic of the near east

Abstract

Tills thesis Is primarily concerned with identifying the change in form and methods of hafting and the evidence for the use of lustred flint blades (sickles) in the Eplpalaeolithic and Heolithic of the near East (Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Anatolia, Iraq and W.Iran) between c 10,000 and 5000 bc, though subsequent developments are also summarized. Chapter I summarizes the history of research and outlines the issues involved. Chapter II is concerned with the environmental and cultural background against which lustred blades are evaluated. Evidence for function is dealt with in Chapter III. Various sources provide information, including contemporary (though rather late) written and iconographic sources, ethnographic parallels, experimental replication and functional analysis of the blades. Chapter IV summarizes the quite considerable body of evidence for hafting and over 70 hafts are described in detail in Appendix II, Chapters V and VI concentrate on the change of form of lustred blades. The methodology of the analysis of the blades is outlined at the beginning of Chapter V and a sample of lustred blades from Jericho is used as a case study. In Chapter VI lustred blades from a number of sites in different environments are considered in detail and discussed against the cultural background outlined in Chapter II. together with contemporary evidence for hafting and function. Chapter VII is a summary of the results and concludes that illustred blades, when considered in a wider context, have a potential importance for the reconstruction of past economies. The Appendices contain a list of the relevant C14 dates, a catalogue of hafts, details of the attributes examined and the type list, as well as a description of lustred blades from selected sites.