Useless Stones? The Potential of Lithics in Palaeodemographic Research

Michał Adamczyk; Marta Chmiel-Chrzanowska

doi:10.23858/SA70.2018.002

Published: 2018-12-16

Vol. 70 (2018)

Useless Stones? The Potential of Lithics in Palaeodemographic Research

Michał Adamczyk , Marta Chmiel-Chrzanowska

Sprawozdania Archeologiczne

Section: Articles

https://doi.org/10.23858/SA70.2018.002

Abstract

The following paper will ask questions concerning the usefulness and potential of lithics in palaeodemographic research. Lithic material is the most common find among Stone Age sites in Central and Northern Europe. Osteological material is extremely rare, and can therefore not form the basis for demographic analysis. However, previous studies have shown that in some cases a detailed analysis of lithics can provide information concerning group size and structure, as well as territory size and mobility in prehistory. We will use case studies from Central and Northern Europe from the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods to describe this issue.

Keywords:

Lithics, Palaeolithic and Mesolithic of Central and Northern Europe, Basic group size, Identification of individuals and group structure, Estimated size of territory, Mobility in prehistory

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Adamczyk , M., & Chmiel-Chrzanowska , M. (2018). Useless Stones? The Potential of Lithics in Palaeodemographic Research . Sprawozdania Archeologiczne, 70, 31–45. https://doi.org/10.23858/SA70.2018.002

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Michał Adamczyk

Affiliation:

Department of Archaeology, National Museum in Szczecin, Poland

Marta Chmiel-Chrzanowska

Affiliation:

Chair of Archaeology, University of Szczecin, Poland