(ORDO NEWS) — Archaeologists presented the results of a study of a Mesolithic compound tool found in Poland. It is a pine shaft covered with birch tar, to which a bone point is tied.
Perhaps, about ten thousand years ago, the artifact was a part of a weapon with which ancient people hunted birds or finished off fur-bearing animals that fell into traps.
The beginning of the Holocene was accompanied by global warming and environmental change, which forced the ancient hunter-gatherers to adapt to new conditions.
In Europe, this time is usually called the Mesolithic era.
Hunting continued to be of great importance during this period, but its nature changed, as many large mammals began to disappear or their range was sharply reduced.
Therefore, fishing and more intensive gathering, for example, of edible shellfish, also spread widely.
In 2003, a rich archaeological site of the early Mesolithic was discovered in Poland, called Krzyż Wielkopolski-7 in honor of the city of the same name.
Due to the conservation properties of the peat bog, a large number of products made from organic materials have been found at this site.
Judging by the finds, the sites are associated with the bearers of the Komornice / Duwensee culture, as well as representatives of the Maglemose culture.
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of various animals here, including aurochs, horses, deer, birds, turtles, fish and many others.
The collection of flint artifacts from this site includes more than ten thousand items.
In addition, numerous evidence of the manufacture of adzes from deer antlers and bones was found here, as well as ancient art indicating the importance of the elk for local inhabitants.
Radiocarbon dating has shown that humans were present at these sites around 11,050–9,700 and 10,150–9,000 years ago.
A group of scientists from Germany, Poland and France, led by Jacek Kabacinski from the Institute of Archeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, examined a well-preserved composite tool discovered in 2013 during excavations at the Krzyż Wielkopolski-7 site.
It is a shaft covered with a black substance, to which a long bone tip is attached. The length of the preserved gun is 131 mm, and the maximum width is 14.5 mm.
The point, asymmetrically mounted on the shaft, is about 30-35 millimeters long, its maximum width reaches ten millimeters, and its maximum thickness is seven millimeters.
X-ray analysis of the tool showed that the bone detail was tied to the shaft in two places with the help of fibers made from bast.
In addition, examination of the surface of the point showed that the object was used several times, after which the shaft broke.
Microscopic analysis indicates that pine was used to make the shaft – most likely it is Scots pine (Pinus silvestris).
With the help of gas chromatography – mass spectrometry, scientists decided to find out what substance covered about two-thirds of the guns. It turned out that it is a birch tar.
Accelerator mass spectrometry of this substance showed that its radiocarbon age is 8930 ± 50 years. According to the IntCal20 calibration curve, this corresponds to a calendar age of 9898–10220 years.
According to archaeologists, the artifact was used as a non-removable tip of some kind of weapon. However, they failed to determine its exact functional purpose.
Scientists noted that it was unlikely that it was intended for deep penetration into the body of an animal, as well as for fishing.
At the same time, the tool could be suitable for hunting birds or for killing small mammals caught in a trap.
As an example, archaeologists cited martens, evidence of hunting for which is present at the Krzyż-Wielkopolski-7 site.
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