The haft and its tool: Investigating hafting wear traces on flint scrapers from the Vlaardingen group (3400-2500BC) in the Netherlands.

In this research, I wanted to personally test whether Rots (2010) extensive experimental research could aid my interpretation of hafting traces on a sample of artefacts from several Vlaardingen Group sites (Leidschendam, Voorschoten and Vlaardingen) (3400-2900 BC). This sample is particularly interesting to study, because it allows me to test the assumption that these small, flint scrapers must have been used hafted, because of their small size. Whilst testing a methodology against a seemingly common-sense assumption, the wider implications of hafting evidence for the interpretation of settlement function have not been forgotten. Unfortunately, certain processes, common in the life of an archaeological scraper, such as post depositional surface modification (PDSM) and resharpening episodes, have obscured the patterns of microwear traces which were more obvious on Rots’ experimental tools. My own experiments with replica hafted tools did, to some extent, elucidate the kinds of...Show moreIn this research, I wanted to personally test whether Rots (2010) extensive experimental research could aid my interpretation of hafting traces on a sample of artefacts from several Vlaardingen Group sites (Leidschendam, Voorschoten and Vlaardingen) (3400-2900 BC). This sample is particularly interesting to study, because it allows me to test the assumption that these small, flint scrapers must have been used hafted, because of their small size. Whilst testing a methodology against a seemingly common-sense assumption, the wider implications of hafting evidence for the interpretation of settlement function have not been forgotten. Unfortunately, certain processes, common in the life of an archaeological scraper, such as post depositional surface modification (PDSM) and resharpening episodes, have obscured the patterns of microwear traces which were more obvious on Rots’ experimental tools. My own experiments with replica hafted tools did, to some extent, elucidate the kinds of hafting traces that might occur on such tools, but for the scrapers from Leidschendam, PDSM often rendered the scrapers uninterpretable. Nevertheless, traces which could be interpreted as hafting traces were observed on some of these small scrapers! Microwear polishes suggesting at least two different haft materials, as well as some hafting-related edge damage and even spots of potential adhesive residues were recorded. This suggested at least 14 out 46 may have been hafted. For a few scrapers, the pattern of microwear traces was even sufficient to suggest a more detailed interpretation of the hafting arrangement. Furthermore, a couple of potential, hafting-related patterns emerged with differences in the incidence of hafting on different sites, and hafted scrapers having a subtly different morphology to non-hafted scrapers. The implications of these insights are then explored in the relation to the debate about the permanency of settlement at certain Vlaardingen sites. Although further hafting wear analysis of material from other Vlaardingen sites would also be useful in this discussion. Ultimately, the methodology proposed by Rots is found to be less applicable to the material studied than I had hoped and extra challenges for interpreting heavily retouched, archaeological tools are outlined.Show less

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The haft and its tool: Investigating hafting wear traces on flint scrapers from the Vlaardingen group (3400-2500BC) in the Netherlands.