Frequency and distribution of edge damage on Middle Stone Age lithic points, Pinnacle Point 13B, South Africa

Abstract

Unretouched convergent flakes are frequently a well represented tool type in many Middle Stone Age (MSA) assemblages. Damage to the lateral margins of these points is frequent; however, analytical methods for dealing with the frequency and distribution of edge damage on points have not been developed and applied to a complete MSA lithic assemblage. A method for using GIS to quantify edge damage and statistically analyze the relative location and frequency of edge damage is presented here and applied to the complete assemblage of MSA points from Pinnacle Point Cave 13B (PP13B), South Africa. The results indicate a frequency of edge damage consistent with heavier utilization of the dorsal surface over the ventral surface, and the left side over the right, with the dorsal left lateral margin being most heavily damaged. Additionally, the distribution of edge damage and low frequency of impact damage to the points suggest that PP13B represents a location where points were used for cutting activities and discarded. Applying the recording procedures advocated here to controlled edge damage replication experiments will help provide the interpretive linkages to site assemblage edge damage distributions.