Obsidian exploitation and utilization during the Oldowan at Melka Kunture (Ethiopia)

Marcello Piperno (1) , Carmine Collina (1) , Rosalia Gallotti (1) , Jean-Paul Raynal (2) , Guy Kieffer (3) , François-Xavier Le Bourdonnec (4) , Gérard Poupeau (4, 5) , Denis Geraads (6)

1 Dipartimento di Scienze Storiche, Archeologiche e Antropologiche dell'Antichità
2 PACEA - De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie
3 GEOLAB - Laboratoire de Géographie Physique et Environnementale
4 IRAMAT-CRP2A - IRAMAT-Centre de recherche en physique appliquée à l’archéologie
5 MNHN - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
6 DEHIPE - Dynamique de l'évolution humaine : individus, populations, espèces [Paris]

The Oldowan assemblages of Melka Kunture represent so far the earliest known example of utilization of this raw material. The proximity of primary and secondary sources of Balchit obsidian, a high quality raw material easily available in large quantities, is a unique situation in East African Oldowan sites. Obsidian represents indeed a large component of lithic assemblages at Melka Kunture, not only during the Oldowan but during the Acheulian times as well, along with other volcanic rocks like different types of basalts, ignimbrites, trachytes and trachybasalts, which present a completely different aptitude for knapping.

Mots clés: Oldowan; Melka Kunture; obsidian; exploitation strategies

Domaines: Archéologie et Préhistoire; Sciences de la Terre

Marcello Piperno, Carmine Collina, Rosalia Gallotti, Jean-Paul Raynal, Guy Kieffer, et al.. Obsidian exploitation and utilization during the Oldowan at Melka Kunture (Ethiopia). E. Hovers E. & D.R. Braun. Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Oldowan, Springer, pp.111-128, 2009, Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology Book Series, ⟨10.1007/978-1-4020-9060-8_10⟩. ⟨halshs-00442650⟩