Can Experimental Archaeology Confirm Ethnographic Evidence? The Case of Aboriginal Boomerangs Used as Retouchers

In this article, an experimental programme is used to examine how boomerangs may be used to retouch stone tools. The programme's findings confirm ethnographic data pertaining to the employment of hardwood boomerangs in retouching activities and investigate their technological similarities to Pa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Eva Francesca Martellotta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EXARC 2023-12-01
Series:EXARC Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10721
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Summary:In this article, an experimental programme is used to examine how boomerangs may be used to retouch stone tools. The programme's findings confirm ethnographic data pertaining to the employment of hardwood boomerangs in retouching activities and investigate their technological similarities to Palaeolithic bone retouchers. For the first time, the use-wear produced on boomerangs during retouching is defined and added to a reference collection. This information may be used in future studies to identify one of the many functions of boomerangs stored in museum collections in Australia and other parts of the world.
ISSN:2212-8956