External ballistics of Pleistocene hand-thrown spears: experimental performance data and implications for human evolution

The appearance of weaponry - technology designed to kill - is a critical but poorly established threshold in human evolution. It is an important behavioural marker representing evolutionary changes in ecology, cognition, language and social behaviours. While the earliest weapons are often considered to be hand-held and consequently short-ranged, the subsequent appearance of distance weapons is a crucial development. Projectiles are seen as an improvement over contact weapons, and are considered by some to have originated only with our own species in the Middle Stone Age and Upper Palaeolithic. Despite the importance of distance weapons in the emergence of full behavioral modernity, systematic experimentation using trained throwers to evaluate the ballistics of thrown spears during fight and at impact is lacking. This paper addresses this by presenting results from a trial of trained javelin athletes, providing new estimates for key performance parameters. Overlaps in distances and impact energies between hand-thrown spears and spearthrowers are evidenced, and skill emerges as a signifcant factor in successful use. The results show that distance hunting was likely within the repertoire of hunting strategies of Neanderthals, and the resulting behavioural flexibility closely mirrors that of our own specie

Desert pastoralists: the Kel Tadrart Tuareg from south west Libya

The Kel Tadrart Tuareg, desert pastoralists from the Tadrart Acacus massif in Libya, were the subject of an ethnoarchaeological research carried out between 2003 and 2011. By means of a multi-pronged approach, a variety of topics were explored, ranging from the Kel Tadrart interactions with natural resources and the settlement pattern, to the layout of campsites and the processes of sites’ abandonment. The study of the Kel Tadrart adaptation to an arid environment and patchy resources, along with the recording of material evidence, holds direct relevance to archaeologists, anthropologists, and stakeholders interested in sustainable dryland pastoralism.The author acknowledges the support of ‘The Italian Archaeological Mission in the Sahara’ from Sapienza, University of Rome, which funded this research

Guanaco hunting strategies in the southeastern Pampas during the late holocene

In this chapter we discuss the strategies used by hunter-gatherers to capture guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in the southeastern Pampas during the Late Holocene (ca. 3500 to 500 14C years BP). We summarize the analysis of different evidence (e.g., mortality and skeletal part profiles, sex structure, weapons systems) obtained from four archaeological sites; three associated with the initial Late Holocene (ca. 3400? 1700 14C years BP; Calera, Nutria Mansa 1, and Empalme Querandíes 1) and one with the final Late Holocene (ca. 1300?800 14C years BP; Hangar). Results indicate that during the initial Late Holocene, the guanaco hunting tactics were focused on family groups and troops of males. At this time, bola stones were more frequently used as thrown weapons. On the other hand, during the final Late Holocene, there is a significant quantity of small triangular projectile points linked with the use of bow and arrow, indicating a change in the Pampas weapon systems. The landscape geomorphology in which some of the archaeological sites are located allows us to suggest the use of active traps during the Late Holocene. River junctions and dune ridges were places where it would have been possible to enclose the principal prey of pre-Hispanic indigenous populations that inhabited the Pampas for millennia.Fil: Kaufmann, Cristian Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, María Clara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano; ArgentinaFil: Messineo, Pablo Geronimo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano; ArgentinaFil: Barros, Maria Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano; ArgentinaFil: Bonomo, Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Heider, Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Departamento de Geología; Argentin

Hunting techniques along the rain shadow gradient in North-Central Patagonia, Argentina

The forest and the steppe of North-Central Patagonia (Argentina) are contiguous yet contrasting environments that have been connected throughout their peopling history. Human occupation began in the early Holocene, became more regular ca. 3500 years BP, and has increased since 2200–1700 years BP. Beyond this general picture, the nature of the relationship between forest and steppe over time is a matter of debate. To better our understanding of the human use of both environments, where assessed and investigated various hunting techniques employed over the last 3500 years, a central activity for hunter-gatherer societies. First, we modeled hunting techniques combining ecology, size, and behavior of prey, ethnographic, historical, and archaeological data, and the environmental settings (topography and vegetation). Then, we evaluated the models using weapon lithic technology and the zooarchaeological records recovered from archaeological sites located in both the forest (Cholila, Epuyén, and Manso) and the steppe (Piedra Parada area) and dated to the last 3500 years. The analysis showed that in both environments the ungulates of medium to large sizes were the main prey (huemul, Hippocamelus bisulcus, and guanaco, Lama guanicoe). They were captured near the sites, in hunting events involving few animals. In the forest, small huemul social groups were hunted by ‘encounter’ technique mainly with bows and arrows. This weapon system would have enabled more recurrent and/or longer stays in the forest. In the steppe, the ‘approach’ method was the most used technique to hunt guanacos and lesser rheas (choique, Pterocnemia pennata). These animals could be captured in high productive wetlands (mallines) using mainly throwing weapons, and handheld weapons to a lesser extent. Our results reinforce the idea that by the end of the peopling process of both environments, distinctive traits had developed beyond the existing networks of interaction.Fil: Carballido Calatayud, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Sección de Cultura de la Nación. Dirección Nacional de Cultura y Museos. Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Pensamiento Latinoamericano. Departamento de Arqueología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Pablo Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Sección de Cultura de la Nación. Dirección Nacional de Cultura y Museos. Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Pensamiento Latinoamericano. Departamento de Arqueología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin

EVS Trend File 1981-2017 – Sensitive Dataset

The European Values Study is a large-scale, cross-national and longitudinal survey research program on how Europeans think about family, work, religion, politics, and society. Repeated every nine years in an increasing number of countries, the survey provides insights into the ideas, beliefs, preferences, attitudes, values, and opinions of citizens all over Europe. The EVS Trend File 1981-2017 is constructed from the five EVS waves and covers almost 40 years. In altogether 160 surveys, more than 224.000 respondents from 48 countries/regions were interviewed. It is based on the updated data of the EVS Longitudinal Data File 1981-2008 (v.3.1.0) and the current EVS 2017 Integrated Dataset (v.5.0.0). For the EVS Trend File, a Restricted-Use File (ZA7504) is available in addition to the (factually anonymised) Scientific-Use File (ZA7503). The EVS Trend File – Sensitive Dataset (ZA7504) is provided as an add-on file. In addition to a small set of admin and protocol variables needed to merge with the SUF data, the Sensitive Dataset contains the following variables that could not be included in the scientific-use file due to their sensitive nature: W005_3 Job profession/industry (3-digit ISCO88) - spouse/partner EVS 2008W005_3_01 Job profession/industry (3-digit ISCO08) - spouse/partner EVS 2017W005_4 Job profession/industry (4-digit ISCO88) - spouse/partner EVS 2008X035_3 Job profession/industry (3-digit ISCO88) – respondent EVS 1999, EVS 2008 X035_3_01 Job profession/industry (3-digit ISCO08) - respondent EVS 2017X035_4 Job profession/industry (4-digit ISCO88) – respondent EVS 1999, EVS 2008 x048c_n3 Region where the interview was conducted (NUTS-3): NUTS version 2006 EVS 2008X048J_N3 Region where the interview was conducted (NUTS-3): NUTS version 2016 EVS 2017X049 Size of town (8 categories) EVS 2008, EVS 2017 Detailed information on the anonymization process in the EVS Trend File is provided in the EVS Trend File Variable Report