Late pleistocene osseous projectile technology and cultural variability

Abstract

Modern human evolution and the development of cultural complexity and variability during the Pleistocene have long been central issues in archaeology. This chapter situates the study of osseous projectile weaponry in this wider context of archaeological research, before outlining the challenges that this field currently faces. A brief overview of the evidence for Pleistocene osseous projectile weaponry is then presented in order to demonstrate the temporal and spatial breadth of these material culture items, as well as their ability to contribute to wider anthropological debates about human uniqueness and cultural variability.