The conventional wisdom has been challenged recently that microblades with handles are only tools for hunting and gathering in the Neolithic Age. Some scholars argued that microblades actually played an important part...The conventional wisdom has been challenged recently that microblades with handles are only tools for hunting and gathering in the Neolithic Age. Some scholars argued that microblades actually played an important part in the early agricultural development in the Neolithic. However, both of these opinions lacked direct evidence. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) is used to analyze the residues of the bone-handled microblade excavated at the Shangzhai site in Pinggu, Beijing. The ESEM observation and EDX analysis show that at the edge of this bone-handled microblade are Ca, P, C, O or C, N, O, etc, which provide direct evidence for determining its function, namely that this microblade may have been dealt with animals. In addition, there was a layer of glue at the back of the microblade with barium and zinc salt distributed evenly in it, this new discovery sheds new light on adhesive technology in ancient China.展开更多
基金supported by National Social Science Foundation of China (Nos.08BKJ002 and 07KG001)Major Projects of the Humanities and Social Bases of Ministry of Education (Grant No.05JJD78002)+1 种基金"Eleventh Five-Year Plan" Project of the Philosophy and Social Sciences of Beijing Grant Grant (Grant No.06AALS002)Horizontal Project "East Lake stone disease investigation and countermeasures"
文摘The conventional wisdom has been challenged recently that microblades with handles are only tools for hunting and gathering in the Neolithic Age. Some scholars argued that microblades actually played an important part in the early agricultural development in the Neolithic. However, both of these opinions lacked direct evidence. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) is used to analyze the residues of the bone-handled microblade excavated at the Shangzhai site in Pinggu, Beijing. The ESEM observation and EDX analysis show that at the edge of this bone-handled microblade are Ca, P, C, O or C, N, O, etc, which provide direct evidence for determining its function, namely that this microblade may have been dealt with animals. In addition, there was a layer of glue at the back of the microblade with barium and zinc salt distributed evenly in it, this new discovery sheds new light on adhesive technology in ancient China.
