An examination of bone artefacts from the later epipalaeolithic (Natufian) Levant
This dissertation is a primarily an analysis of prehistoric bone artefact technology, concentrating on an assemblage excavated from the Natufian site of Hayonim Terrace, western Galilee. Following a general introduction of the main themes, methods and problems, the second chapter offers a critique of what are routinely seen as the ~traditional~ areas of enquiry (climate and environment, settlement pattern, subsistence, population, tool industries), in an effort to understand the historical and material conditions which framed, structured, the social practices I wish to investigate in later chapters. Integrated into this critique is a discussion of the use of analytical descriptive categories as currently employed in archaeological studies of material culture; issues which are drawn out in full in Chapter 4. The main features of, what I term, a ~biographical~ approach to the study of artefacts are introduced. The third chapter presents a history of bone artefact studies in the context of a critical discussion of historically-situated research traditions. Recent work in the history and philosophy of science has been much concerned with the social production, construction, of knowledge through the routine working
Boyd, B.
An examination of bone artefacts from the later epipalaeolithic (Natufian) Levant. This dissertation is a primarily an analysis of prehistoric bone artefact technology, concentrating on an assemblage excavated from the Natufian site of Hayonim Terrace, western Galilee. Following a general introduction of the main themes, methods and problems, the second chapter offers a critique of what are routinely seen as the ~traditional~ areas of enquiry (climate and environment, settlement pattern, subsistence, population, tool industries), in an effort to understand the historical and material conditions which framed, structured, the social practices I wish to investigate in later chapters. Integrated into this critique is a discussion of the use of analytical descriptive categories as currently employed in archaeological studies of material culture; issues which are drawn out in full in Chapter 4. The main features of, what I term, a ~biographical~ approach to the study of artefacts are introduced. The third chapter presents a history of bone artefact studies in the context of a critical discussion of historically-situated research traditions. Recent work in the history and philosophy of science has been much concerned with the social production, construction, of knowledge through the routine working
examination bone artefacts later epipalaeolithic levant primarily analysis prehistoric bone artefact technology concentrate assemblage excavate site terrace western following_general introduction main_theme method problem second offer_critique routinely see traditional area_enquiry climate_environment settlement_pattern subsistence population tool industry effort historical_material condition frame structure social_practice wish investigate later chapter integrated critique discussion use analytical descriptive category currently employ archaeological_study material_culture issue draw full main_feature term biographical_study artefact introduce third present history bone artefact study context critical discussion historically situated tradition recent_work history_philosophy science much concern social production construction knowledge routine work