Abstract
This paper describes Late Stone Age assemblages of quartz tools and debitage from sites near Luano Hot Spring, Chingola, Zambia. Formal tools at the Luano rock shelter site suggest a ‘Nachikufan II’ to ‘Nachikufan III’ sequence according to the traditional terminology. However, analysis of the debitage demonstrates that all levels of the site represent a single Late Stone Age technological tradition. Differences in formal tool frequencies at this site are better explained as activity facies. The implications of these results for our understanding of local Late Stone Age-Iron Age contacts are discussed.
Résumé
Cet article décrit des ensemblages d'outils et d'éclats de débitage sur quartz de l'Age de la Pierre Récent provenant de sites proches des sources thermales de Luano, près de Chingola, en Zambie. Les outils de l'abri sous roche de Luano suggèrent une séquence allant du ‘Nachikufien II’ au ‘Nachikufien III’ selon la terminologie traditionnelle, cependant l'analyse du débitage montre que toutes les couches du gisement correspondent à une seule tradition technologique de l'Age de la Pierre Récent. Dans ce gisement, les différences de fréquences des types d'outils s'expliqueraient par des facies résultant d'activités différentes. Les implications de ces résultats pour l'etude locale des contacts entre l'Age de la Pierre Récent et l'Age du fer sont discutées ici.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bisson, M. S. 1987. The radiocarbon chronology of Luano, Zambia.N.A. 28:49–51.
Bisson, M. S. 1989. Continuity and discontinuity in Copperbelt and Northwesten Province ceramic sequences.N.A. 31:43–6.
Bisson, M. S. n. d.The Prehistory of the Luano Stream Drainage, Chingola, Zambia. unpublished manuscript.
Bradley, B. A. 1975. Lithic reduction sequences: a glossary and discussion. InLithic Technology: makind and using stone tools (ed. E. Swanson): pp. 5–14. The Hague: Mouton.
Clark, J. D. 1950. The newly discovered Nachikufu Culture of Northern Rhodesia and the possible origin of certain elements of the South African Smithfield Culture.S.A.A.B. 5:86–98.
Clark, J. D. 1974.Kalambo Falls Prehistoric Site, Vol. II Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Collins, M. B. 1975. Lithic technology as a means of processual inference. InLithic Technology: making and using stone tools (ed. E. Swanson): pp. 15–34. The Hague: Mouton.
Deacon, J. 1984. Later Stone Age people and their descendants in southern Africa. InSouthern African Prehistory and Paleoenvironments (ed. R. G. Klein): pp. 221–328. Rotterdam: A. A. Balkema.
Fagan, B. M. and Van Noten, F. 1971.The Hunter-Gatherers of Gwisho. Tervuren: Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.
Keeley, L. H. 1980.Experimental Determination of Stone Tool Uses. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Keeley, L. H. and Toth, N. 1981. Microwear polishes on early stone tools from Koobi Fora, Kenya.Nature. 293:464–5.
Levi Sala, I. 1986. Use wear and postdepositional surface modification: a word of caution.Journal of Archaeological Science. 13:229–44.
Miller, S. F. 1969. The Nachikufu indisteries of the Later Stone Age in Zambia. Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Berkeley.
Musonda, F. B. 1985.Aspects of the Prehistory of the Lunsemfwa Drainage Basin, Zambia, during the last 20,000 years. Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Berkeley.
Musonda, F. B. 1987. The significance of pottery in Zambian Later Stone Age contexts.A.A.R. 5:147–58
Phillipson, D. W. 1969. The prehistoric sequence at Nakapapula rockshelter, Zambia.P.P.S. 35:172–202.
Phillipson, D. W. 1972. Early Iron Age sites on the Zambian Copperbelt.Azania 7:93–128.
Phillipson, D. W. 1976.The Prehistory of Eastern Zambia, Nairobi: British Institute in Eastern Africa.
Phillipson, D. W. 1977.The Later Prehistory of Eastern and Southern Africa. New York: Africana.
Phillipson, L. and Phillipson, D. W. 1970. Patterns of edge damage on the late Stone-Age industry from Chiwemupula, Zambia.Zambia Museums Journal 1:40–75.
Sampson, C. G. 1965. A preliminary report on the Luano spring deposits, Northern Rhodesia.S.A.A.B. 20:29–33.
Sampson, C. G. 1974.The Stone Age ARchaeology of Southern Africa. New York: Academic Press.
Sampson, C. G. and Southard, M. D. 1973. Variability and change in the Nachikufan Industry of Zambia.S.A.A.B. 28:78–89.
Siiriainen, A. 1975. Quartz, chert and osbidian - a comparison of raw materials in a Late Stone Age aggregate in Kenya. Manuscript cited in N. Broadbent 1979Coastal Resources and Settlement Stability. p. 50. Uppsala: Uppsala University Institute of North European Archaeology.
Van Noten, F. 1982.The Archaeology of Central Africa. Graz: Akademische Druch - und Verlagsantalt.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bisson, M.S. Lithic reduction sequences as an aid to the analysis of Late Stone Age quartz assemblages from the Luano Spring, Chingola, Zambia. Afr Archaeol Rev 8, 103–138 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01116873
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01116873