A technological analysis of cryptocrystalline silicate bladelets from Holkrans Rock Shelter in the Vredefort Dome, North West Province, South Africa.

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorWitelson, David
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-24T09:10:07Z
dc.date.available2015-03-24T09:10:07Z
dc.date.issued2015-03-24
dc.descriptionBSc Honours Research Report in Archaeologyen_ZA
dc.description.abstractBreaking from traditional typological classification, this project utilizes the principle of chaîne opératoire to conduct a technological analysis of a sample of cryptocrystalline silicate (CCS) cores, bipolar debitage and, blade and bladelets from Holkrans rock shelter in the Vredefort Dome, North West Province. Approaches to lithic material of the Later Stone Age in southern Africa have been predominantly typological, with a few recent studies focused on technological analysis. Holkrans rock shelter presents an opportunity to conduct a technological analysis in an area abundant with rock types that complicate standard typology. Chaîne opératoire is employed to understand how cores were reduced and the processes and techniques that were used to produce blades and bladelets within the chert-dominated CCS sample. Previous research at Holkrans noticed differences in the occurrence of various raw materials across the two occupational horizons (ceramic and pre-ceramic), and suggested possible differences in technology between the two phases (Bradfield & Sadr 2011; Banhegyi 2011). Analysis of chert and opaline raw material types in the present study revealed substantial differences in lithic technology moving from the pre-ceramic across to the ceramic phase. A major shift in the overall knapping technique occurred as the result of a change in the objectives of the reduction strategy.en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipNational Research Foundationen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/17315
dc.subjectLater Stone Age, Stone tools, lithic technology, Vredefort Domeen_ZA
dc.titleA technological analysis of cryptocrystalline silicate bladelets from Holkrans Rock Shelter in the Vredefort Dome, North West Province, South Africa.en_ZA
dc.typeTechnical Reporten_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
A technological analysis of chert bladelets from Holkrans Rock Shelter in the Vredefort Dome, North West Province, South Africa.pdf
Size:
3.45 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Research Outputs (Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies)