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A techno-typological analysis of Tor al-Tareeq (WHS 1065): An Epipaleolithic site in west-central Jordan Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Stevens, Michelle Nanette, 1965- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 04/10/2021 03:05:54 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/291374 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly fi'om the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761^700 800/521-0600 A TECHNO-TYPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TOR AL-TAREEQ (WHS 1065) AN EPIPALEOLITHIC SITE IN WEST-CENTRAL JORDAN by Michelle Nanette Stevens Copyright ® Michelle Nanette Stevens 1996 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 9 5 UMl Number: 1381776 Copyright 1996 by- Stevens / Mxchelle Nanette All rights reserved. UMI Microform 1381776 Copyright 1996, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under the rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: m \. IM John W. Olsen Date Pjrofessor of Anthropology 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank several people who provided assistance and guidence during my preparation of this thesis. Geoff Clark graciously allowed me to use the Step C, WHS 1065 lithic collection and to participate in the 1993 field season of the Wadi Hasa Paleolithic Project (WHPP). Deborah Olszewski introduced me to the WHPP and was also very helpful during the early stages of my analyses. I would also like to thank Mike Neeley for providing me with an advanced copy of the site report and letting me into the ASU lithics laboratory. Steve Kuhn was especially helpful providing many insightful and critical comments on several earlier drafts of this thesis, especially on lithic and statistical analyses. John Olsen and Carol Kramer were helpful not only for their careful readings of this thesis but also for academic guidance during my graduate career. Barbara Mills graciously allowed me to use space in the archaeology lab and use some of her laboratory equipment, e.g., calipers and computers. She also provided statistical assistance. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES 5 LIST OF TABLES 6 ABSTRACT 7 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 10 History of Research 15 Cultural Sequence and Description 23 Conclusions 39 CHAPTER 2: TOR AL-TAREEQ AND PLEISTOCENE LAKE HASA 41 Paleoenvironment and Paleolandscape 41 Previous Research 4 9 Tor al-Tareeq (WHS 1065) - Excavation and Stratigraphy 52 Interpretations 60 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 63 Acquistion of Raw Material 64 Core Reduction 65 Manufacture, Use and Discard 67 Sampling Rationale 71 Analysis of Cores and Debitage 74 Analysis of Retouched Tools 77 CHAPTER 4: LITHIC ANALYSES 79 Debitage 79 Debitage Morphometries 94 Debitage Summary 98 Retouched Tools - Typology and Technology 101 Major Tool Classes - Typology 103 Major Tool Classes - Technology 105 Microliths 128 Microburin Indices 134 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS - ContAnxied CHAPTER 5: DISSCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 139 Site Formation Processes 13 9 Intra-site Functional Variability 141 Intra-site Variability in Operational Sequences 143 Regional Comparisions of Operational Sequences 148 Conclusions 154 APPENDIX A: WHS 1065 DEBITAGE ANALYSIS CODING LIST 157 APPENDIX B: WHS 1065 TOOL AND CORE ANALYSIS CODING LIST 158 REFERENCES 163 6 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1.1, Major Eipaleolithic sites in the Levant 11-12 FIGURE 1.2, Schematic illustrations of common Epipaleolithic microliths 27 FIGURE 2.1, Distribution of excavated sites in the Wadi Hasa drainage basin 42 FIGURE 2.2, Site map Tor al-Tareeq (WHS 1065) 53 FIGURE 2.3, The east profile of Steps B and C 56 FIGURE 4.1, Box plot of core weights in grams by groups 91 FIGURE 4.2, Box plot of the widths of unmodified blade and bladelet blanks by level 95 FIGURE 4.3, Box plot of the thicknesses of unmodified blade and bladelet blanks by level 99 FIGURE 4.4, Box plot of the lengths of unmodified blade and bladelet blanks by level 100 FIGURE 4.5, Box plot of flake tool widths by level 110 FIGURE 4.6, Box plot of flake tool thicknesses by level Ill FIGURE 4.7, Box plot of flake tool lengths by level 112 FIGURE 4.8, Box plot of blade and bladelet cool widths by level .... 114 FIGURE 4.9, Box plot of blade and bladelet tool thicknesses by level 115 FIGURE 4.10, Histograms of blade and bladelet tool widths for levels C08N-C11N 118 FIGURE 4.11, Histograms of blade and bladelet tool widths for levels C12N-C15 119 FIGURE 4.12, Histograms of unmodified blade and bladelet blank widths for levels C08N-C11N 121 FIGURE 4.13, Histograms of unmodified blade and bladelet blank widths for levels C12N-C15 122 7 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1.1, Cultural sequences in the Levant ca. 20,000-10,000 BP .... 24 TABLE 2.1, Correlations of natural and arbitrary levels from Steps B and C, and Units B and C 55 TABLE 2.2, Radiometric dates from Tor al-Tareeq (WHS 1065) 58 TABLE 4.1, Percentages of completeness categories for flakes, blades and bladelets by level 80 TABLE 4.2, Percentages of medial and distal fragments classified as blades and bladelets, and debris by level 80 TABLE 4.3, Debitage and tool percentages by level 81 TABLE 4.4, Ratios and indices of various artifact classes by level .. 81 TABLE 4.5, Percentages of size categories for complete and proximal flakes, blades, and bladelets by level 84 TABLE 4.S, Percentages of debris size categories by level 84 TABLE 4.7, Percentages of cortex for flakes, blades, bladelets and debris by level 8 9 TABLE 4.8, Percentages of cortex for flakes, blades, bladelets by level 8 9 TABLE 4.9, Percentages of cortex on cores by level 89 TABLE 4.10, Summary statistics for core weights by groups 89 TABLE 4.11, Percentages of core types by groups 93 TABLE 4.12, Kolmogrorov-Smirnov two-sided probability test results for blade and bladelet blank widths 97 TABLE 4.13, Percentages of major cool classes by level 104 TABLE 4.14, Row percentages of blank type for major tool classes by level 107 TABLE 4.15, Pearson chi-square test for independence of blank type by level and blank type by group for four major tool classes and all retouched tools 107 TABLE 4.16, Summary statistics for flake tool widths and thicknesses by level 116 TABLE 4.17, Summary statistics for blade and bladelet tool widths by level 116 TABLE 4.18, Summary statistics for bladelet tool widths by level ... 116 TABLE 4.19, Kolmogrorov-Smirnov two-sample probability test for bladelet tool widths by level 116 8 LIST OF TABLES - Continued TABLE 4.20, Summary statistics for blade and bladelet blank widths by level 124 TABLE 4.21, Distribution of dorsal flake scars on blade and bladelet tools by level 124 TABLE 4.22, Distribution of dorsal flake scars on flake tools by level 124 TABLE 4.23, Percentages of tool platform types by level 127 TABLE 4.24, Percentages of tool retouch types by level 127 TABLE 4.25, Percentages of microliths by level 130 TABLE 4.26, Frequencies of specific microlithic types by level 132 TABLE 4.27, Formulas for microburin indices 136 TABLE 4.28, Percentages of microburins by level 136 TABLE 4.29, Microburin indices by level 136 9 ABSTRACT A techno-cypological analysis of the chipped stone assemblage from Tor al-Tareeq (WHS 1065), an Epipaleolithic site in Wadi Hasa, west-central Jordan, suggests that significant typological and technological changes occurred during the occupation of this site.