Tool wielding and activities at the Middle Paleolithic site of Nesher Ramla, Israel: A use-wear analysis of major tool types from unit III

Abstract

This paper communicates the results of a detailed use-wear analysis of flint tools from Unit III of Nesher Ramla, central Israel, an open-air Middle Paleolithic site, dated to Marine Isotope Stage 5. The analyzed sample consists of 966 artifacts that represent major techno-typological categories; scrapers, tools with a lateral tranchet blow, naturally backed knives and other Middle Paleolithic artifact types. Most tools were associated with bone working activities, mainly scraping and cutting, suggesting both consumption and non-consumption-related practices. Results also suggest extensive butchering activities, but other applications are less common, especially the underrepresentation of armature, and plant and hide working is noteworthy. All in all, these patterns suggest a narrow range of activities. Most tools were used by their sharp edge, while the retouched edges bore weak use-related patterns. It is assumed that in some cases, the retouch served to facilitate the grip. The most widely used tools in Nesher Ramla were the naturally backed knives that according to technological studies were one of the goals of knapping at Nesher Ramla. Tools with a lateral tranchet blow, representing a cultural marker of the Nesher Ramla inhabitants, show evidence of multiple use of both retouched and non-retouched edges shaped by the lateral blow. Hafting traces are relatively rare in the analyzed sample.

Introduction

The open-air Middle Paleolithic (MP) site of Nesher Ramla is located on the western slopes of the Judean hills, near the modern city of Ramla, central Israel (Fig. 1 a). The site consists of an 8-m-thick depositional sequence inside a funnel-shaped sinkhole (Frumkin et al., 2015; Zaidner et al., 2014, 2016) (Fig. 1 a). The MP deposits comprised 6 stratigraphic units that were divided into Upper (Units I and II) and Lower (Units III to VI) stratigraphic sequences (Fig. 1b, Friesem et al., 2014; Tsatskin and Zaidner, 2014). Dated with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) methods, it is assigned to the middle MP (late Marine Isotopic Stage 6 and early MIS 5) (Zaidner et al., 2014; Guérin et al., 2017). The site yielded substantial quantities of archaeological remains, including flint artifacts (over 80.000), manuports, animal bones and remains of combustion features.

The present paper presents the results of a detailed use-wear analysis of flint tools from Unit III. It is a stratigraphically well-defined, 30–40 cm thick stratum located in the middle of the archaeological sequence. It is one of the most artifact-rich layers of the site, characterized by concentrations (0.4–2 m in diameter) of bones, flint, manuports, and ground stone tools (Fig. 1 c). Several combustion features were also found (Friesem et al., 2014; Zaidner et al., 2018).

The results of the study conducted on a sample of faunal remains from Unit III show that spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca), aurochs (Bos primigenius), and equids (probably Equus caballus and E. asinus/hemionus) dominate the assemblage, while gazelle (Gazella gazella) and Mesopotamian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica) are rarely present (Crater Gershtein et al., 2020). The skeletal element profiles suggest that medium-sized ungulates were brought to the site in a more complete state than the large ones. A bias in favor of meat- and fat-rich body parts indicates that initial butchery took place elsewhere and animal parts with the highest utility index were imported to the sinkhole for processing and consumption.

The knapped flint assemblage of Unit III comprises ca. 11,000 artifacts ≥2 cm (Prévost and Zaidner, 2020). The major raw material type is the local Mishash flint. The lithic production is flake-oriented; blades and points are virtually absent. The assemblage contains all stages of different reduction sequences as indicated by cortical flakes, general core trimmings elements (CTEs) and various end-products (i.e. Levallois flakes, naturally backed knives (NBKs) and kombewa flakes). The reduction sequences identified are the Levallois, NBK production, core-on-flake and other opportunistic reductions strategies (Zaidner et al., 2018; Prévost and Zaidner, 2020). The intensive use of the Levallois centripetal method by both, preferential and recurrent modes characterize the assemblage. The centripetal Levallois knapping system is dominant and is clearly identified by the Levallois cores, CTEs (i.e. débordant flakes, pseudo-Levallois flakes, striking platform preparation flakes), and the end-products (i.e. Levallois flakes with centripetal scar pattern).

The retouched tool assemblage is homogeneous and is dominated by scrapers and by tools with a lateral tranchet blow (LTB). The latter constitutes a unique tool-type previously unreported in the Levantine MP context. Its production consists of the removal of a thin spall along the retouched edge of the tool. This new tool type represents a cultural trait of the Nesher Ramla hominins as well as a new technological trait in the Levantine MP (Prévost et al., 2021a).

Nesher Ramla is a unique site both in its setting and content. Its location in a sinkhole in open terrain is unparalleled for the Levantine MP. Coupled with distinct archaeological and technological features, it provides access to a yet unfamiliar mode of human lifeways and interactions with the environment. One of the most interesting issues is the understanding of the function of the site and its place in MP hominins subsistence strategies. In this paper we tackle these issues from the point of view of the use of lithic artifacts. On the basis of the use-wear analysis, we seek to reconstruct how artifacts were used: what materials were they applied to? how were they wielded? This study is aimed at providing more data on activities at the site, and thus, further enhance the understanding of hominin behavior in the MP of the Levant.