A Lithic Attribute Analysis on Blades from the Middle Stone Age Site, Hollow Rock Shelter, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

This article presents a lithic attribute analysis of blades from the late Middle Stone Age site, Hollow Rock Shelter (HRS), in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Blades from the Still Bay (SB) Industry have not been described previously, but this artifact category makes up a considerable part of the site's lithic assemblage. Blades were systematically detached from prepared cores with a well-shaped exterior core surface. Despite this, variation in attributes best defines blades from HRS. The lithic assemblage also holds a large amount of SB points. Points and blades are present in the same excavation units and layers, indicating they are contemporary. Results of this study show the difficulties of using attribute analysis for interpreting technological aspects of blade production. It is concluded that integrated experiments, together with comparative studies between sites, are needed to further understanding of SB blades.

Keywords:

• Middle stone age
• Still bay industry
• Blades
• Lithic attribute analysis

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to my colleagues in the Department of Archaeology at UCT, Cape Town, who encouraged and supported this study. I also especially thank Lars Larsson for our collaboration and for his kindness in letting me continue the work which he started at HRS. Karina Hammarstrand-Dehman performed the excellent refitting work for this study. Finally, I thank two anonymous reviewers and the editor for very helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This research was financed by the Swedish Research Council (Dnr 721-2014-2100) and the Crafoord Foundation. I also received funding and support from the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in the form of a fellowship that allowed me to conduct this study.

Note on Contributors

Anders Högberg is associated professor in archaeology at Linnaeus University in Sweden.