Convergence in the Design of Final Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Ethnographic Projectile Points
Kamil Serwatka*
* Independent researcher, Email: kamserw@gmail.com
Cite as Serwatka, K. (2022). Convergence in the Design of Final Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Ethnographic Projectile Points. Litikum – Journal of the Lithic Research Roundtable, 10, pp. 31–44. https://doi.org/10.23898/litikuma0033
Abstract. In traditional hunting and gathering societies, it is a common practice to fashion projectiles for different purposes. The spectrum of the available morphologies for projectiles and their tips is dictated by several kinds of constraints such as aerodynamic and mechanical properties, different hunting strategies, the available game or the range of the shot. This article focuses on a particular aspect of duality in primitive projectile technology interpreted with a fitness landscape model. Using geometric morphometric analysis, the author argues that the duality in projectile morphology and performance characteristics observed in the studied projectile weapon systems is the result of technological and physical constraints placed upon primitive projectile technology. For a more comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, an optimality model explaining the development of flexible projectile weapon systems is proposed.
Keywords: Projectile Technology, Convergence, Geometric-Morphometrics, Fitness landscape, Projectile Points, Ethnographic Analogies, Final Palaeolithic, Mesolithic
Data availability statement: The author[s] confirm[s] that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary materials.
Disclosure statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Funding statement: The author received no financial support for the research and/or the publication of this article.
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