Perforation with Stone Tools and Retouch Intensity: A Neolithic Case Study

Abstract

A measure of retouch intensity, the EKCI, was devised based upon function and archaeological context. To arrive at the function of Pre-Pottery Neolithic A el-Khiam points from the Near East, controlled experiments were performed to determine the relative density of the contact material, which could affect use and retouch patterns. It was shown that el-Khiam points were likely used to pierce and scrape soft materials such as leather. The EKCI was then devised, measured, and tested. Experimental replication showed that the EKCI was an accurate measure of retouch intensity, and application of the EKCI to the lithic assemblage at Dhra' reaffirmed the EKCI's utility for analyzing PPNA archaeological assemblages. Although this curation index is effective for el-Khiam points, it may not be applicable to other hafted point types, which highlights the need for independently developed measures of retouch that account for the form, function, and context of the artifacts rather than attempting to generate universal measures of curation. INTRODUCTION Archaeological assemblages from the first farming villages in the Southern Levant have produced high-quality and large-quantity lithic data sets that Near Eastern archaeologists rely upon for interpreting the past. This vast resource of prehistoric knowledge has remained relatively untapped as a source of understanding individual decision-making in prehistoric lithic technology, especially from the perspective of artifact life histories and retouch intensity.

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