Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestige
Kimberley points are pressure flaked bifaces with marginal projections, produced within the last millennium, in north Western Australia. These points were hafted for hunting and fighting in recent times, although there is some suggestion that smaller points tended to be hafted for use in favour of l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Edinburgh
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Lithic Studies |
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| Online Access: | http://journals.ed.ac.uk/lithicstudies/article/view/2968 |
| _version_ | 1818930820305387520 |
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| author | Tim Ryan Maloney |
| author_facet | Tim Ryan Maloney |
| author_sort | Tim Ryan Maloney |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Kimberley points are pressure flaked bifaces with marginal projections, produced within the last millennium, in north Western Australia. These points were hafted for hunting and fighting in recent times, although there is some suggestion that smaller points tended to be hafted for use in favour of larger points, which were reserved for trade and exchange. Kimberley Points are imbued with strong social signalling and prestige qualities, known from Historic times. This paper examines whether these qualities are reflected archaeologically in their marginal projections produced with pressure flaking; and their morphology and production. Multiple sources of Kimberley Point archaeology, ethnography, and production are critically reviewed. As prestige items, the marginal projections are found to very likely relate to their social value, rather than functional drive, which this study investigates using morphological approaches. Samples from both ethnographic collections and archaeological surface assemblages are analysed. The study finds that biface elongation, length and perimeter length each greatly influenced the number of and size of marginal projections, regardless of raw material. This aspect of production probably reflects the value and social prestige for large serrated points, likely produced by the knapper before an audience in virtuoso displays of pressure flaking. It is conceivable that these complex social practices emerged around 1,000 years ago. This study provides a rare glimpse into the social values of stone tool produces, and links archaeological data to social values in the past. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:06:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-59370f2678844cdb99bee47842600ece |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:06:46Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | University of Edinburgh |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Lithic Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-59370f2678844cdb99bee47842600ece2022-12-21T19:54:01ZengUniversity of EdinburghJournal of Lithic Studies2055-04722020-03-017112610.2218/jls.29682968Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestigeTim Ryan Maloney0Griffith UniversityKimberley points are pressure flaked bifaces with marginal projections, produced within the last millennium, in north Western Australia. These points were hafted for hunting and fighting in recent times, although there is some suggestion that smaller points tended to be hafted for use in favour of larger points, which were reserved for trade and exchange. Kimberley Points are imbued with strong social signalling and prestige qualities, known from Historic times. This paper examines whether these qualities are reflected archaeologically in their marginal projections produced with pressure flaking; and their morphology and production. Multiple sources of Kimberley Point archaeology, ethnography, and production are critically reviewed. As prestige items, the marginal projections are found to very likely relate to their social value, rather than functional drive, which this study investigates using morphological approaches. Samples from both ethnographic collections and archaeological surface assemblages are analysed. The study finds that biface elongation, length and perimeter length each greatly influenced the number of and size of marginal projections, regardless of raw material. This aspect of production probably reflects the value and social prestige for large serrated points, likely produced by the knapper before an audience in virtuoso displays of pressure flaking. It is conceivable that these complex social practices emerged around 1,000 years ago. This study provides a rare glimpse into the social values of stone tool produces, and links archaeological data to social values in the past.http://journals.ed.ac.uk/lithicstudies/article/view/2968bifacepressure-flakingkimberley pointsaustralian archaeologystone tools |
| spellingShingle | Tim Ryan Maloney Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestige Journal of Lithic Studies biface pressure-flaking kimberley points australian archaeology stone tools |
| title | Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestige |
| title_full | Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestige |
| title_fullStr | Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestige |
| title_full_unstemmed | Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestige |
| title_short | Kimberley points of Western Australia: Pressure flaking, projections and prestige |
| title_sort | kimberley points of western australia pressure flaking projections and prestige |
| topic | biface pressure-flaking kimberley points australian archaeology stone tools |
| url | http://journals.ed.ac.uk/lithicstudies/article/view/2968 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timryanmaloney kimberleypointsofwesternaustraliapressureflakingprojectionsandprestige |