Macrofracture analysis as a method for identifying bone-tipped weapons

The use of formally fashioned bone points as possible components in hunting weaponry has been seen as a marker of behavioural modernity. Unfortunately, their interpretation as hunting weapons is based largely on morphological analogy with recent hunter-gatherer artefacts. Many studies conducted over the last 30 years have focused on identifying criteria that can be used to establish the function of stone points. There have been no similar studies conducted on bone points thought to have been part of complex weapon systems. This study aims to combine the morphological approach to studying bone points, with macrofracture analysis. The results of a simulated hunting experiment show that macrofractures develop similarly on bone points as on stone points. The results of the macrofracture analysis on archaeological bone points from LSA and MSA contexts in South Africa show that diagnostic impact fractures are present on some of these pieces.