Shape variation of Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools from southern Poland: a geometric morphometric approach to Keilmessergruppen handaxes and backed knives

Abstract

In the past decade, geometric morphometrics have come to be widely implemented in lithic studies. Because of the application of multivariate statistical methods, morphometric shape analysis is considered an accurate methodological tool for exploring the diversity of bifacial artefact morphology. The aim of this paper is to test the utility of morphometric outline shape analysis in assessing the variability of Late Middle Palaeolithic (LMP) bifacial artefacts. An assemblage of 42 handaxes and 51 Keilmesser was analysed and compared to 54 LMP leaf points to seek out patterns of their shape variation. The results reveal patterned changes of bifaces’ proportions that may have been caused by continuous reduction, as well as by diachronic changes in artefact design. Full reference: Serwatka, K. 2014. Shape variation of Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools from southern Poland: a geometric morphometric approach to Keilmessergruppen handaxes and backed knives. Lithics: the Journal of the Lithic Studies Society 35: 18−32. Keywords: Late Middle Palaeolithic, Keilmessergruppen , geometric morphometrics, Keilmesser , handaxes, leaf points