IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0305136.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analyzing blank cutting edge efficiency associated with the adoption of microblade technology: A case study from Tolbor-17, Mongolia

Author

Listed:
  • Corey L Johnson
  • Tsedendorj Bolorbat
  • Mark N Grote
  • Clea H Paine
  • Guunii Lkhundev
  • Davaakhuu Odsuren
  • Masami Izuho
  • Byambaa Gunchinsuren
  • Nicolas Zwyns

Abstract

The phenomenon of lithic miniaturization during the Late Pleistocene at times coincided with increased artifact standardization and cutting edge efficiency–likely reflecting the use of small, sharp artifacts as interchangeable inserts for composite cutting tools and hunting weapons. During Marine Isotope Stage 2, Upper Paleolithic toolmakers in northern East Asia specifically used pressure techniques to make small, highly standardized lithic artifacts called microblades. However, little is currently known about how microblades affected the cutting edge efficiency of the toolkits they were a part of. We applied three methods of analyzing cutting edge efficiency to two Upper Paleolithic assemblages recently excavated from Tolbor-17, Mongolia, that document the periods before and after the introduction of microblade technology to the Tolbor Valley. A model incorporating allometric relationships between blank cutting edge length and mass suggests no difference in efficiency between the two periods, while two more conventional approaches both indicate a significant increase. The potential for improved cutting edge efficiency is only observed when the microblade sample is artificially inflated via simulation. Our results highlight challenges related to detecting and interpreting archaeological differences in cutting edge efficiency at the assemblage level.

Suggested Citation

  • Corey L Johnson & Tsedendorj Bolorbat & Mark N Grote & Clea H Paine & Guunii Lkhundev & Davaakhuu Odsuren & Masami Izuho & Byambaa Gunchinsuren & Nicolas Zwyns, 2024. "Analyzing blank cutting edge efficiency associated with the adoption of microblade technology: A case study from Tolbor-17, Mongolia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(8), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0305136
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305136
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0305136
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0305136&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0305136?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cragg, John G, 1971. "Some Statistical Models for Limited Dependent Variables with Application to the Demand for Durable Goods," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 39(5), pages 829-844, September.
    2. Shannon P McPherron & Aylar Abdolahzadeh & Will Archer & Annie Chan & Igor Djakovic & Tamara Dogandžić & George M Leader & Li Li & Sam Lin & Matthew Magnani & Jonathan Reeves & Zeljko Rezek & Marcel W, 2020. "Introducing platform surface interior angle (PSIA) and its role in flake formation, size and shape," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Seiji Kadowaki & Joe Yuichiro Wakano & Toru Tamura & Ayami Watanabe & Masato Hirose & Eiki Suga & Kazuhiro Tsukada & Oday Tarawneh & Sate Massadeh, 2024. "Delayed increase in stone tool cutting-edge productivity at the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition in southern Jordan," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Thibaut Devièse & Diyendo Massilani & Seonbok Yi & Daniel Comeskey & Sarah Nagel & Birgit Nickel & Erika Ribechini & Jungeun Lee & Damdinsuren Tseveendorj & Byambaa Gunchinsuren & Matthias Meyer & Sva, 2019. "Compound-specific radiocarbon dating and mitochondrial DNA analysis of the Pleistocene hominin from Salkhit Mongolia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-7, December.
    5. T. J. H. Morgan & N. T. Uomini & L. E. Rendell & L. Chouinard-Thuly & S. E. Street & H. M. Lewis & C. P. Cross & C. Evans & R. Kearney & I. de la Torre & A. Whiten & K. N. Laland, 2015. "Experimental evidence for the co-evolution of hominin tool-making teaching and language," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cornelia Lawson, 2013. "Academic Inventions Outside the University: Investigating Patent Ownership in the UK," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(5), pages 385-398, July.
    2. Jensen, Kimberly L., 1995. "Fluid Milk Purchase Patterns In The South: Effects Of Use Of Nutrition Information And Household Characteristics," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 27(2), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Marcén, Miriam & Molina, José Alberto & Morales, Marina, 2018. "The effect of culture on the fertility decisions of immigrant women in the United States," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 15-28.
    4. Langyintuo, Augustine S. & Mungoma, Catherine, 2008. "The effect of household wealth on the adoption of improved maize varieties in Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 550-559, December.
    5. Dorotic, Matilda & Verhoef, Peter C. & Fok, Dennis & Bijmolt, Tammo H.A., 2014. "Reward redemption effects in a loyalty program when customers choose how much and when to redeem," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 339-355.
    6. Bradfield, Tracy & Butler, Robert & Dillon, Emma J. & Hennessy, Thia & Loughrey, Jason, 2023. "The impact of long-term land leases on farm investment: Evidence from the Irish dairy sector," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    7. repec:zbw:rwirep:0200 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Ronelle Burger & Canh Thien Dang & Trudy Owens, 2017. "Better performing NGOs do report more accurately: Evidence from investigating Ugandan NGO financial accounts," Discussion Papers 2017-10, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.
    9. Niclas Hagelin, 2003. "Why firms hedge with currency derivatives: an examination of transaction and translation exposure," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 55-69.
    10. Subir K. Chakrabarti & Srikant Devaraj & Pankaj C. Patel, 2021. "Minimum wage and restaurant hygiene violations: Evidence from Seattle," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(1), pages 85-99, January.
    11. Mastulah Kawala & Theodora Shuwu Hyuha & Ekere William & Peter Walekwa & Gabriel Elepu & Sloans Chimatiro Kalumba, 2018. "Determinants for Choice of Fish Market Channels: The Case of Busia (Uganda/Kenya) Border," Journal of Agricultural Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 10(8), pages 118-118, July.
    12. Schleich, Joachim & Alsheimer, Sven, 2024. "The relationship between willingness to pay and carbon footprint knowledge: Are individuals willing to pay more to offset their carbon footprint if they learn about its size and distance to the 1.5 °C," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    13. repec:osf:socarx:jnexr_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Frank Crowley & John Eakins & Declan Jordan, 2012. "Participation,Expenditure and Regressivity in the Irish Lottery:Evidence from Irish Household Budget Survey 2004/2005," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 43(2), pages 199-225.
    15. Helen Jensen & Justo Manrique, 1998. "Demand for food commodities by income groups in Indonesia," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 491-501.
    16. Torres, Marcelo de O. & Felthoven, Ronald G., 2014. "Productivity growth and product choice in catch share fisheries: The case of Alaska pollock," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(PA), pages 280-289.
    17. Paul L. Burgess & Stuart A. Low, 1998. "How do Unemployment Insurance and Recall Expectations Affect on-the-job Search among Workers Who Receive Advance Notice of Layoff?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 51(2), pages 241-252, January.
    18. Giuseppe Bertola & Luigi Guiso & Luigi Pistaferri, 2005. "Uncertainty and Consumer Durables Adjustment," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 72(4), pages 973-1007.
    19. Catia Batista & Janis Umblijs, 2016. "Do migrants send remittances as a way of self-insurance?," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 68(1), pages 108-130.
    20. Odermatt, Reto & Stutzer, Alois, 2018. "Tobacco Control Policies and Smoking Behavior in Europe: More Than Trends?," Working papers 2018/24, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    21. Silvia Magri, 2014. "Does issuing equity help R&D activity? Evidence from unlisted Italian high-tech manufacturing firms," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(8), pages 825-854, November.
    22. H. T. Tran & E. Santarelli, 2013. "Determinants and Effects of Innovative Activities in Vietnam. A Firm-level Analysis," Working Papers wp909, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0305136. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.