Articles Australian toolmakersAboriginal core employed of a variety This paperreviewsburinbladecorereductionmethodsin Abstract Australia, demonstratingthattheywereusedtoproduce The new evidence reveals in new evidence The unrecognised previously variability 20 3 2 1 Grant W.G.Cochrane from south central Queensland CORES BLAdE BuRIN LARgE difference hadlittlebearingonthetechniquesemployedto 2002). We usetheterm blade core‘burin reduction methods’ to reduce thecores,butlargerspecimenstendtobemore methods toproducesmalltoolstypicalofthemid-late many specimens that are much larger than the norm. Size Queensland thatextendthisview. Atoneofthesesitesthe present newevidence from twosurfacesitesinsouth central observations of this variation have thisvariation theme in animportant been of observations theflakeridge for initial one astheguiding or more of margins aflake blank asa theuseof coredescribe to produce blades, using converging edges, andoneto or more its long parallel axis, ridges developmental history, andtemporal andeven thegeographical Introduction sequence intheregionwherebyuseofburinbladecore small blades during the mid- to late Holocene, but tended region to region, but rarely exceeds 50 mm(Kuhn andElston giving it a triangular or trapezoidal it across-section triangular giving (Bar-Yosef reduction (Holdaway methods 2012), andDouglass but the usually inferred to have tool, functioned as an engraving and more than twice as long as it is wide, with parallel or slightly ormore slightly aslong asitiswide, parallel thantwice with weathered. We suggestthatthismayreflectatechnological assemblages. Between the1940sand1970s, some Australian sometimes take the appearance of a burin, a type of artefact artefact of aburin, takesometimes atype theappearance of in thesemethods accountsAustralia. of scope for considerable in the reduction sequence, variation and and Kuhn 1999:323). term The ‘microblade’ by isused some archaeological evidence of burin blade core burin reduction of archaeological methods. evidence provide into thistechnology. thedevelopment new insights of parameters, isoften thesemethods understood. poorly of In Holocene period waspreceded by anearlier application of to describe small bladesto small in contexts describe where consistently they fall the size range of burin blade cores burin andflaking the sizeproducts of range thatmay this paper, we examine documented previously andnew burin bladecoreshaveaverybroadsizerange,andinclude to belimitedafewdiscretegeographicalregions.We this technologytoproducelargerblades. best known for its occurrence in European Upper Palaeolithic size threshold;below aparticular thisthresholdfrom varies blade detachment (Figure 1). Within thisdefinition there is blade core reduction methods. Here we define a‘blade’ asaflake Archaeology andPalaeoanthropology, UniversityofNewEngland, Department ofArchaeology, UniversityofSydneyNSW2006, Cutting EdgeArchaeology, 15/52–58MetaSt,MooloolabaQld4557, Armidale NSW2351,Australia
Articles Articles • (Moore 2010:42). Moore suggested that the SEQCP cores (Moore SEQCP the 2010:42). Moore that suggested (SEQCP) Development, nearGatton, Qld. blade cores burin The These included:These Large burinbladecoresfromsouthcentralQueensland 22 2500 years ago, at least 3000 years after the first appearance of Desert (CundyDesert 1977:56–58). Ontheother hand, itappearsthat may have been larger because reduction was occurring at at may have occurring was reduction because larger been elsewhere in southeast Qld. blade Burin cores usually have a others recorded previously in Australia, including thosefound of improvised responses to of immediate example needs—an of distribution acrossdistribution Australia. However, in most casesthe evidence core (Moore methods 2011:43–47). any foundcan be without blade accompanying burin of evidence concentration high intheir regionaldistributions, butof these rockshelter andBushrangers Cave Platypus deposits of about cores occurred inmid-to late Holocene contexts and, insome, while, attheother extreme, anumber were andnarrower. smaller were larger thanthebacked found intheassemblage artefacts In contrast, the SEQCP burin blade cores ranged from cores mm blade 20–136 ranged In contrast, burin SEQCP the blade core burin when reduction were methods aprominent and Both the very large and the very small blades produced small large andthevery thevery Both by the NSW between Sydney andNew England, central north Australia, Both backed artefacts and burin blade backed coresBoth andburin artefacts tend to have areas unmodified haftedunmodified (Mooretools 2010:40, 58). in theSEQCPassemblage have asize thatdiffers range from all anassemblage recovered sointhecaseof is particularly during in some discrete regions, SA, such asthesoutheast of eastern unlikely burin reflect thesystematic thatthey application of is limited to occasional specimens, inwhich circumstances itis mapped out some of the newly emerging research emerging thenewly out somemapped questions. of from the scars, the manyblades produced of from these cores maximum dimension nogreater thanabout80 mm, andthey from MtCrosby andFlagstone (Qld), from ranged 18–58 mm. blade core burin production. of no evidence Even just south of weremethods to notused provide flake and blade blanks for are often much smaller. For blade example,cores theburin of all bladescars cores backed on burin artefacts. andthoseof This correlationa poor negative between thesize dimensions of lithictechnology.sustained feature of southeast Qldandnorthwest NSW(Figure 2), there wasaperiod artefacts are common,artefacts very NSW, including the southern coast of areas are notalways correlated. Numerous areas where backed produced into tobacked transformed be artefacts, or thatother the stone source, were stone cobbles available.the larger Judging where the construction of theSouth EastQldCorrectional Precinct of the construction this was observed ethnographically by Hayden ethnographically this wasobserved inthe Western the southeast Qld border, backed significant numbers artefacts of of Victoria andparts the SAdesert (Vic.), have produced littleor this does not necessarilyblades imply were that burin solely werethey backed stronglyassociated with artefacts. However, burin blade coreburin atSEQCPmay method have as used been blade core reduction and instead methods may the product be backed intheregion(Hiscock artefacts andHall 1988a, 1988b). backing. For example, blade cores burin first appeared inthe Furthermore, Moore thatthere (2010:58)hasshown is In light of the evidence from theevidence southeast Qld, of In light Moore (2010:80) Identifying geographical variations in the specifics of of inthespecifics variations Identifying geographical In all of theexamples above, discussed In of all blade theburin the technology; Number 77,December 2013 • • Bapton Paddock1 (Cochrane and Webb 2012). Archaeological indicates evidence (7) Capertee. rockshelters; (4)Bendemeer;(5)MooreCreek;(6)SandyHollow1;and text: (1)Platypusrockshelter;(2)BushrangersCave;(3)Graman reduction methods,indicatedinpink.Keytositesmentioned Figure 2 Regions with recorded descriptions of burin blade core 200–350 m asl. There are several extensive silcrete deposits of One of the most extensive these deposits is known as theOne of of Study Area observed. sandstone, Small amounts of chert, and petrified quartz diameter, but boulders up to at least 60 cm diameter were of 8 x 8 m grid squares, 8xmgrid coveringof 56x32m atotal area of Baptondesignated Paddock 1(Figure 3), inaseries wasmapped down by ancestral channels of Meteor,down by channels ancestral of Sandy andBootes Creeks Springwood,cobbles of laid andboulders intheeastern part the topography Springwood includesof steeply ranges incised wood were alsopresent. was made between cobblesA distinction was observed, and so the entire could palaeochannel regarded be were found inandadjacent to wherever thepalaeochannel it with altitudes up to 700 with m asl, to while the east, where this Rollestonwest insouth of centralQld(Figure 2). In thewest Bapton Paddock palaeochannel. deposit hasnotbeen This Both of thearchaeological sites discussed inthis paperare of Both meandering course.meandering Flaked cobbles andother stone artefacts manifestation extends for atleast1km, on aroughly linearbut indetail,mapped but itisestimated thatitscurrent surface analysed on site. squares were these surface28 grid stone from artefacts 13 of as anarchaeological site. For our study, thesite, of part asmall study isfocused, isgently theterrain sloping, between ranging predominantly silcrete, anaverage cm about20 with size of people as sources of silcrete assourcespeople for toolmaking. of that thesedeposits were inthepastby utilised all Aboriginal located onStation, Springwood approximately aproperty 30 km The cobblesThe andboulders atBapton Paddock 1are Determining if there assemblages are otherDetermining if examples of Identifying temporal variations in the specifics of the Identifying of in the specifics temporal variations where blade large coresburin were produced, and conducting used for.used further researchfurther into theblades from what thesecores were technology; and, technology; 2 . The A total of 135 burin blade cores assemblage) 135burin wereA total (26.8%of of Boundary Site The Boundary Site isastoneconcentration artefact Boundary onThe aneroding The diversity of thesecores diversityThe of isunprecedented, provide andthey Figure 3BaptonPaddock1(photographbyGrantCochrane). Gibbs Paddock palaeochannel, is located about 700 m northwest 503 artefacts. Analysis involved dataacross avariety collection of Burin BladeCoresatBaptonPaddock1 floodplain of Gibbs adjacent, and Gully of floodplain gentlygrasslands, sloping consists of a mosaic of thick grasses and erosional thick grasses scalds, a mosaic of consists on of a owing to the shrink-swell properties of the local cracking clay cracking thelocal propertiesowing to of theshrink-swell of technological and typological categories, which demonstrated technological andtypological of Site. theBoundary of which may thistechnology, on theemergence light shed of both range atBaptonrange Paddock greater 1issignificantly thanthat of 8350 m Bapton Paddock 1, thissite andartefacts wasmapped asampleof unlikely proposition, since many cores thissize were of excluded identifiedBapton at Paddock 1 (Figures 5 and 6). Figure 7 plots in south centralQldandmore broadly. blade core newaboutburin information important technology, mixture of sandy andclaymixture of soils. Most were artefacts located on from were analysis they because inthesoil), embedded thesize small number of burin blade cores burin number mmto >200 small of outliers be (an analysed on site. area mapped The covered approximately artefacts.are concentrations frequently of As of thelocus with to thesurface.artefacts have Rills ineroded formed areas and and because these areas are where erosion has brought buried Bootes Creekabout 1.5kmsoutheast(Figure of 4). area The soil andfluvial processes. <20 mm maximumartefacts dimension were also excluded from sat upontheground surface. Many thecobbles in embedded of and boulders that were embedded in the soil, and those which the scalds, both because of the greater ground surface visibility thegreaterthe scalds, ground surface visibility of because both the former range fromthe former range 27–315 mm. Even we consider if the theseartefacts, showing of the maximum dimensions andwidths rarely occurred on theseartefacts theground surfacethe study; that saton theground surface were for sampled thisstudy. Stone the soil were clearly stone artefacts, but only thosestone artefacts that burin bladethat burin cores were a prominent feature at both sites. Each of these twoEach sites of provided sampled lithic assemblages of 2 . silcreteA surface cobbles, deposit of asthe known Number 77,December 2013 Figure 4TheBoundarySite(photographbyGrantCochrane). 57 (42%) of the Bapton Paddock57 (42%)of blade cores 1 burin have a cases some variability has been observed, hasbeen cases some variability but insome regions of new platforms was notuncommon. new platforms thecoresof Oneof had the flake blank,of of it,asor the a modified version serving distal margin. In southeast Qld, blades were more frequently employed thelarger cores, on some of involving an theuseof directly above theguidingridge. An alternative technique was without modification modification by faceting.without Alternatively, retouch be could were employed. was perpendicular to the hinge andobliquewas perpendicular to the guiding range fromrange minimal to extensive. very Guiding were ridges also greatly. flake theinitial blank or aplain surface of platform The guiding ridge; the when blow was delivered, axis the striking maximum dimension <80mm, asize thatwould considered be from would afracture asaplatform, serve sometimes or with four platforms, but mostoften cores two, had or occasionally SEQCP, isgreater which inturn other assemblages. thanall Only sometimes modified with retouch. modified sometimes applied to to anew form platform. amargin retouch The could axis. Hiscock’s (1993)analysis suggested that, atleastinsome sequence were fixed or mutable. theme Onehasbeen important shape and other characteristics of theflake blank. of andother characteristics shape of Eighty-two thelateral margin, theplatform downwith theaxisof struck angled platform where platform thehinge wasoriented obliqueangled to the platforms andflaking platforms surfaces were probably guided by the theflakingaxis.preferred of orientation Choices about suitable theHunter of parts Valley, were platforms most frequently have the reduction to sought determineof aspects whether percussion by blows thatwere on theplatform usually struck there appeared to astrong be preference flaking for aparticular onflake platforms theinitial blank. of the location In almostall three, platforms. preparation alsovaried Platform methods the cores platform, asingle (61%)had andsotheestablishment intheextentto thatmultiple regionalvariability platforms be located on lateralfrom margins, blades initial struck the with other contexts.large known inall Even atSEQCP, the65 57of be applied tobe either thedorsal or theventral surface, andcould blade core (Moore platform 2010:37–60). There alsoappeared blade coresburin amaximum (88%)had dimension <80mm. Grant W.G. Cochrane,Trudy DoelmanandMarkW. Moore Table 1shows thatatBapton Paddock 1there wasnoclear Previous studies of burin blade core burin Previous reduction studies of methods Blades were detached through hard hammer direct 23
Articles Articles Large burinbladecoresfromsouthcentralQueensland 24 Figure 6BurinbladecoresfromBaptonPaddock1. Grant Cochrane). Figure 5BurinbladecoresfromBaptonPaddock1(photographby This technique enabled a platform of greater width andmass greater techniqueThis width enabledof aplatform detachment of larger blades (Akermandetachment 2007:30–31). of Blades employed; such robust may platforms have for the crucial been of the ridge due to theridge itsgreater mass,of much like apseudo- was still successfullywas still detached. thisnature were of Platforms Levallois point (Debénath andDibble point(Debénath 1994:52), Levallois ridge. However, the would crack propagate in the direction appearance, to isatanoblique their platform because angle their long axis. that were detached in this manner should have a distinctive alessinvasiveto thanif used be retouched been had platform relativelythe application of invasive retouch (Figures 8and9). located negative on previous blade scars, orthrough formed Number 77,December 2013 and soablade blade coresfromBaptonPaddock1. Figure 7Maximumdimensionandwidthmeasurementsofburin of apreparedplatformwasatanobliqueangletotheguidingridge. Paddock 1 usingtheobliqueplatform technique, whereby the hinge Figure 8 Detachmentof blades from burin blade cores from Bapton description of a tranchet core atranchet (i.e. of description blade detached only asingle was that usually only 1–3blades were from struck each platform, was problematic successive because blades may have removed the recorded; flake prior determining indeed thenumberremovals of negative scars of previous detachments. previous negative scars of generalimpression The from one or more steep facetted edged platforms). In general, measured. theblade scars correlated speaking, Generally thesize of across the ventral surface of theflakeacross theventral surfaceblank of wererare. Many of and cores blade scars extending columnar with groupslaterally of platform angles tended to angles platform quite be steep, approaching 90 the cores conformed reasonably well with Witter’s (1992:52–53) The number of blades detached from numberThe each of was not platform Blade scarsizes blade cores on theburin were alsonot o . Akerman for (2007:23)distinguished macroblades they because Table 1Platformlocationsonburinbladecores fromBaptonPaddock1andtheBoundarySite. variation in the extent of surface weathering. One of the effects theeffects surface weathering. intheextentvariation Oneof of complete flakes (including retouched flakes) at identified the of their pastuse.of It islikely were thatatleastinsome casesthey could emanatingfrom observed be thesame opposite ends of of theblades would haveof exceeded 120mminlength, asize that thelargerdetached cores. from some of However, relatively few one with inverseone with retouch, were alsoprobably burin products of of silcrete isthatittends weathering of to homogenise therock were into transformed backed or other artefacts retouched with the size of thecores, thesize of uptowith 160mmwere andsoblades of 86 mminlength (Figure 10). other The wasnotretouched, and removed from thesite because, thetaphonomic while processes require ‘a technological considerations’. different distinctly of set used insitu,used then we would to expect findatleastmoderate measured 35mminlength. two large flakesA further classified blades among thesurface assemblage.numbers the51 of Of made itdifficult to whetherthe bladesdetermine produced from margin, nooverlap. with form a partly bifacial point (see Cochrane and Doelman 2013) Cochrane bifacial point(see andDoelman apartly form follows that there is also little evidence of whether theblades whether follows thatthere of isalsolittleevidence Some of the larger burin blade thelargercores burin Some of produced relatively small as contact removal flakes (sensu site, only two were classed asblades. retouched been Onehad to susceptible to theseeffects. theflaking beenproducts all had If at the site were severe, larger blades would have lessbeen tools, hafted form, inunmodified anyor indeed evidence other the cores were to onused site other locations. or transported It blades; two insome casesthenegativecomplete scars of blades blade core assemblage thatmay wasapparent significant be blade core reduction. Another characteristic of theBapton PaddockAnother of characteristic 1burin The taphonomic bias against smaller artefacts atthesite taphonomicThe artefacts smaller bias against Number of Unrecorded Platforms 4 2 1 3 2 xLateral,1Proximal,Distal 2 xLateral 2 xDistal 2 xProximal Lateral Distal Proximal Proximal, DistalandLateral 2 xLateral,1Distal 2 xLateral,1Proximal 2 xDistal,1Proximal 2 xProximal,1Lateral Distal andLateral Proximal andLateral Proximal andDistal Moore 2003:30), including Platform Location Number 77,December 2013 Sub-Total Sub-Total Sub-Total Sub-Total Total by GrantCochrane). axis (arrowed)obliquetotheofbladepropagation(photograph (top ofpicture)formedbyinvasiveinverseretouch,andthestriking Figure 9LargeburinbladecorefromBaptonPaddock1,withplatform eye, and high if they were they eye, not. if andhigh thisclassification A weakness of artefacts exhibited some degree of weathering; exhibited itwasclassed as artefacts some of degree surface colour andtexture, would what otherwise obscuring low if thesetexturalwere to distinctions the naked visible low still if be clear distinctions between skeletal grains and matrix. between clear skeletalbe distinctions Most grains Grant W.G. Cochrane,Trudy DoelmanandMarkW. Moore atnPdok1 BoundarySite Bapton Paddock1 135 30 22 30 82 10 16 40 5 1 1 6 4 7 3 1 1 2 4 Number ofCores 50 10 16 32 6 9 2 1 3 2 1 2 7 25
Articles Articles A total of 50 burin blade cores 50burin A total were of Boundary identified atthe (e.g. Crassard 2009:152), hypothesised andsoitcanatleastbe (e.g. Hiscock and Attenbrow 2004:95–96)andsurface deposits Table 2Degreeofweatheringonburinblade coresofdifferentsizeclassesfromBaptonPaddock1. Large burinbladecoresfromsouthcentralQueensland 26 Holocene technologicalchange, inthecentralQldregion both Burin BladeCoresattheBoundarySite detached by hard hammer direct percussion from steep angled wereorientation the probably of guided by the morphology causes of surface weathering and so the degree of weathering is weathering surface of andsothedegree weathering causes of elsewhere in Australia.elsewhere cores have a maximum dimension mm, >80 and so most fall demonstrated to correlate age excavated inboth strongly with different size classes inTable shown 2shouldtherefore only be without anywithout clear modification. Blades appear to havebeen within the size range typically associated with burin blade cores burin associated with thesize typically range within retouched to prepare or aplatform ridge;theretouch could removed before thecore wasdiscarded or anew platform reflecting different degrees of weathering have reflectingweathering differentbeen of degrees sometimes regarded asanapproximation; captures thetable only the partly recently to switched anemphasis on cores. smaller may This intensive, successive thecores of few butaseries of bear very utilised. In afew cases,wasmore aplatform theutilisationof margin of the flake of blank,margin but sometimes on the distal or not always age. areliable indicator of However, classes artefact flake blank. thecores Most only of had one or two blades Site, cores, all accounting for 25.5%of thetotal and9.9%of a lateral margin, number asmall two had while or three platform,a single located most frequently on the proximal and elsewhere. strong a impressioncorrelationbetween in the gained field of (Summerfield 1983); the latter have types supported a relatively system silcretes isthatthelocal grain- includedand floating both assemblage. cores These are, on average, much than smaller at Bapton Paddock large cores, with 1 began andonly more platform sometimes served as the burin blade core astheburin served sometimes platform platform platforms. BaptonAs Paddock with 1, choices aboutplatform homogeneous grain size and so the effects of weathering are weathering size of andsotheeffects homogeneous grain have implicationsfor aboutmid-to hypotheses late important this manner wasnotobligatory. For example, theflake blank large cores and high degrees of weathering.large cores There of degrees are andhigh various those found atBapton Paddock 1(Figure 11). the Only four of blade core burin that theemployment reduction of strategies weatheredless distinct. blade cores burin proportions The of in be dorsal,be ventral or bifacial; however, core preparation in blade scars or evidence of careful coreblade scarsof or evidence maintenance. Total >119 60–119 <60 Example maximum diameter(mm) It appearsthat, usually, theflake blank of were margins Platform orientation is summarised inTable issummarised orientation Platform 1. Most had None/Low 42 20 13 9 Number 77,December 2013 High 91 36 40 15 blade coresfromBaptonPaddock1(blue)andtheBoundarySite(red). Figure 11Maximumdimensionandwidthmeasurementsofburin point fromBaptonPaddock1(photographbyGrantCochrane). Figure 10Dorsal(left)andventral(right)surfacesofpartlybifacial classed ascontact removal flakes or core may tablets have also core methods. A few flakeswith blade dimensions that were these could considered be of a definite bladeburin product of was no evidence of theoblique technique platform thatwas of was noevidence Paddock 1. applied to some of the larger burin blade thelargercores burin applied to some of atBapton platforms oriented perpendicular to theguidingridge. oriented perpendicular platforms There the site may have buried, been away washed or excluded from the cores theblades produced suggest thatmostof from burin blade cores were <30mmlong, andsosome blades discarded at from struck bladebeen cores. burin blade The scars on many of The assemblageThe contained only seven blades, andonly one Recycled 2 1 0 1 135 Total 46 60 29 1981), proliferation itsgeographical while rapid suggested new (2006) has argued that the outright rejection of diffusionist of rejection thattheoutright (2006) hasargued The burin blade cores burin The atBapton observed Paddock 1provide Tradition, such asbacked andpoints, artefacts first appeared 2004; McNiven 2000; al. Slack et Johnson 1979), and this influenced the developed to hypotheses various sizes.various Technical blade core burin production of aspects flake blanks, followed by a more recent the method adaptation of Over thelasttwo decades more hasemerged evidence about of platforms, the types of core of preparation andcore platforms, maintenance,of thetypes thatthisreduction wasnotonly todemonstrating method used core seem to methods have predominantly used been on small contrast to Bapton Paddock 1,Site blade burin attheBoundary explanations during this period may thisperiod explanations have during premature, been and al. et encouraged the development more complex of explanatory explain it. reflectedA common the wasthatthetransition view small, standardised,of hafted tools in the mid- to late Holocene cores haveAustralia, of in other observed been parts have they Discussion which have displayed atother sites, variability such asthelocation Paddock 1. Very isrelated to thisvariability thesize of littleof is to determineitmerely whether involved theintroduction introduction of new technology from new technology outside introduction of Australia (Bowdler to used themethods produceinterpreted asone of microblades locatedusually been inmid-to late Holocene contexts andbeen in small numbers thousands of years before numbersin small thousandsof their widespread new information about this form of lithic technology in lithictechnology Australia, of new aboutthisform information models that tend to view the transition as a series of regional of asaseries thattendmodels thetransition to view factor among the forces that generated mid- to late Holocene analysis their onsize. account of Some blades may alsohave been and the intensity of coreand the intensity of reduction, are also apparent at Bapton applications of burin blade core burin on applicationslarge reduction of occurring appears to have the been restrictedlarger to cores. some of In applied to both large and smallcores. The only distinction is adaptations toadaptations newenvironments or changing (e.g. Attenbrow and unresolved debate. Initially, this of thecharacteristics one of across alongstanding muchAustralia of of thesubject has been thatperiod. of toolsand other small characteristic produce microblades, but could applied to be produce blades of proliferation (Hiscock 1994, 2003; Hiscock and Attenbrow 1998, (Beaton interaction social 1982; Morwoodpatterns of 1987). transported to otherashafted locations or tools. hand-held transported the possibility of atechnological sequence, of thefirstthe possibility with Australia.of locations where themethod been ithas documented inother that typifies to medium-sized flakes to produce blades, small an observation theoblique axisflaking technique,the application of which the cores; asimilar, flexible approach to blade production was technological changes. that external influences may havebeen a atleast contributing transition was thought to nature its abrupt was be thought (Beatontransition 1982; to flake smaller blanks. blade burin small Wheretypical the that, in some parts of that,Australia, of insome parts theSmallTool elements of Holocenethe tempo of technological change, suggesting The greater degree of weathering on weathering thelarger cores greaterThe of degree suggests The nature of the technological shift toward natureThe of the production One of the keys to a better understanding of the transition thekeys thetransition to abetterOne of understanding of 2009; Hiscock 1994, 2002). more Still recently, McNiven 2004). have observations These Number 77,December 2013 1993; Kohen al. et 1998:209; 1980; Flood Frankel and Stern 2011; Hiscock 1986, 1976, 2005, 2007; Akerman al. et 1990:70; Lamb2005:101–117), andsothenotionthatlarge The central Qld highlands cultural sequence, cultural centralQldhighlands The by assummarised retouchedThe edgeswere acommon early both feature of Tool Tradition and Scraper were a prerequisite for the first blade Thus, innovation while iscommonly regarded asanimportant 2004:133). 2010; Morwood 1984:357; Rosenfeld al. et Hiscock 1988, 1993; Moore 2000, 2003, 2004; Witter 1992), but Holocene andmid-Holocene scrapers blade cores, burin and central Qld(Akerman 2007; Allen 1997; Davidson 2003; Graham thesamereduction methods, theuseof andsimilar of evidence microblade production thathave of throughevidence methods Australia,of including centralQld(e.g. David andLourandos mid-to late Holoceneof technological changes inmany parts innovation theprocess rarely feature of of indescriptions of scrapers that were scrapers a commonof the featureAustralian of Core of new retouchedof tool or it also whether involved types, the of their more weatheredof appearance. It alsomust considered be backed smaller declined. had artefacts of It istherefore possible McNiven (1993:27)hasnoted technological thattheprocess of Morwood (1984:355–360), suggests thatJuan knives to be began were produced inthelate Holocene in Australia andwere to used with detachment of the edge being thekey theedgebeing innovation. detachment of with Paddock inthiscontext. 1must viewed be site The preserves relatively rare in Australia (Bar-Yosef andKuhn 1999:328). In recent innovation. However, thisexplanation failsto take account introduction of microblade aspect productionintroduction of wasanintegral innovation isquite difficult trace inthearchaeological to record. in order to produce them (McBryde 1985:232). There hasbeen unprecedentedintroduction of and flakingmethods techniques manufacture a number of distinctivemanufacture composite anumber of tools including fact, there isoverwhelming thattherelatively evidence sudden microblades inthemid-to late Holocene occurred without and Thorley 1996; Knightand Thorley 1990; Mulvaney andJoyce 1965:190). and by thatblade production incorrect assertions ingeneralwas adaptive (Cochrane models 2004). Luebbers’ (1978)thesis thekeys diversitysource to and oneadaptation, of of explicit a fairly stronga fairly research of focuson aspects thetechnological somewhat by observations thatmid-to bysomewhat late observations Holocene retouched any clear antecedent technology. Thisissue has been muddied provides an exception. He proposed that the retouched edges produced hence provided adevelopmental linkbetween thetwo industries, the Juan to knife,known occur insouth abacked type artefact techniques, to produce larger dimensions. blades of Large blades technologies thatemerged insoutheast SAinthemid-Holocene. less attention on focused their hasbeen historical development. tool production inthemid-to late Holocene (e.g. Akerman that Juan knives were often not manufactured on blades (Knight that thelarge blades manufactured atBapton Paddock 1are a tools were manufactured sometimes on blanks thatwere not that the adoption of flaking methods for flakingmethods the production of that theadoption of been documentedbeen inother regionalcontexts, but italsocontains blades (Attenbrow al. et Grant W.G. Cochrane,Trudy DoelmanandMarkW. Moore Aside from Luebbers’ thesis, current suggests evidence The significance of the evidence of blade productionBapton at evidence of the significance The of
in the region within thelast2000years,in theregionwithin after production 1981; Luebbers 1978:221–225; Moore 2000, 2008; Hiscock and Attenbrow 1996), 2002; Attenbrow al. et 1983; Witter1992, 2008; 27
Articles Articles Australian Small Tool Tradition, ormanifestation, atleastitslocal Australia attributes. across and display of a range variability Acknowledgments Val Attenbrow, andone anonymous Clair Harris reviewer for Akerman, K.tula 2005Theadze-flake efficiency of production—a view, contrary Akerman, K. 1976 Notes on the experimental manufacture long of blades and Akerman, K. 2007To make apoint: Ethnographic reality and the ethnographic We would like to thank Lindsay and Avriel Tyson, andthe Large burinbladecoresfromsouthcentralQueensland 28 Tyson fieldwork family for during their ongoing at hospitality Conclusion Giles Hamm, Peter Hiscock, Roger Luebbers, Jamie Reeves and Heritage Services for theroleHeritage played thatthey Services the inorganising However, recently until were they to conform thought to cores inthisregionare limited. very wasfound at One burin discussions andcorrespondence anumberAustralian of with was engendered. Nicola Stern. We thankthem for their generosity. We alsothank which suggests amore diverse role. We have that hypothesised References Kenniff Cave, which Mulvaney andJoyce (1965:192) noted reduction atBapton Paddock detailed 1demand further research. alsoto Thanks Ann Wallin and Archaeo Cultural People, Charles Stapleton, thatthe particularly help for of all blade coresBurin have apatchy in distribution geographical relatively narrow size parameters, their role as areflection of unduly battered, andtwo were burins alsoreportedly identified investigation. to made in It note ispertinent thattheobservations in order to test thishypothesis. in havesouth central Qld they a much more size range,variable may have been simply a microlithic blade core that had been from thesite, andsoitremains to the establishedwhether be method through time. Further investigation archaeological of Springwood. We owners, thank the traditional the Karingbal assemblage (Cochrane 2011:98, inpress). Caveat Cathedral (Mulvaney andJoyce 1965:192). Five burin significant that previous recorded observations of burin blade burin that previous recordedsignificant of observations site, or other sites palaeochannel on Springwood. It alsomay be archaeologists on the subject of burin blade cores, burin archaeologists of on thesubject including sites on Springwood, sites, includingbe necessary stratified will have how implications for our the understanding important of producer cores for microblades. In we thispaper have that shown helpful comments on a previous draft of thispaper.helpful comments of draft on aprevious technology that has been described typifies that of the entire that of typifies thatdescribed has been technology artefacts arethis paper small, on based avery sampleof localised large blades were produced blades, thanthesmall earlier would lithic research project. We have benefitted considerably from havethey archaeological given andfor of their steadfast support this diversitythe different may adaptations of areflection be of knives is merely speculative. An alternative explanation, that the but comprised only a small proportion of thecoresbut comprised only proportion asmall of inthat blade cores were recorded from open sites inthe Arcadia Valley, blades from Bapton Paddock 1 functioned as blanks for Juan In any event, blade thediverse core burin applications of and experimental replication of Australian macroblades known as leilira. with commentswith on the suggested tula adzes. use of Antiquity points by percussion flaking. Occasional Papers in Anthropology 6:117–128. Number 77,December 2013 79, Project Gallery. Attenbrow, V., T. and Doelman T. Corkill 2008Organising the manufacture of Akerman, K., R. Fullagar and A. van Gijn 2002 Weapons and wunan Attenbrow, V., G. Robertson and P. Hiscock 2009The changing abundance of Allen, H. 1997. 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