Microwear analysis on bone pointed artefacts: An experimental approach

Abstract

Native people in the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego extensively used bone for technological purposes for at least 7000 years cal. BP. Pointed artefacts were abundant in the regional archaeological record, produced on guanaco (Camelidae) and bird bones, being the last, the most abundant in the whole sequence. In the literature, they have been mainly referred as “awls” or as “points” by some authors (1) (2). Archaeological studies indicate that selection of taxa and anatomical portions of birds for making these instruments was stable during the entiresequence of this region (3). In the case of guanaco points, they are mainly manufactured on the metapodials and are found in assemblages along the Holocene, but more frequent in the late Holocene (4) (5). Ethnographic information indicates different possible tasks for this technology, used for the production of basketry, and the work of leather and bark (6). There are also previous microwear analysis regarding the use of pointed artefacts on bird bones for the Magellanic-Fuegian area, recording their use on material of both vegetal and animal origin (7) (8).Hide piercing was also identified on guanaco points through this method (5).In this communication, we present the results of an experimental study from which we explore potential differences in the formation process of manufacture and use traces of pointed artefacts made on guanaco and bird bones.Replicas of these two taxa has been done: bird bones (n=20) and guanaco bones (n=15). Considering background information from archaeological and ethnographical records, we use different anatomical parts in the case of birds (e.g., humerus, tibiotarsus, ulna and radius), while metapodials were selected in the case of guanaco. The authors worked different materials with the replicas: bark (fresh and dry), skin (fresh and dry) and fresh rush (Marsippospermum grandiflorum). In the case of rush work, we take advantage of the ancestral knowledge of one of the authors, a Yagan artisan.