Calico Early Man Site, Mannix Basin, Yermo, California / n)mammothmobv50
"Multi-purpose Flake Tool. Jasper flake with bifacial face flaking including long ribbon flake scars on both sides. A multi-purpose tool with retouched and denticulate margins that show use-wear. From a depth of 3.38 m in Master Pit I" [Fred E. Budinger Jr., Calico Project Director, Calico Early Man Site, www.calicodig.org]. For a second similar flake tool see next image (o).
Palaeoart Interpretation (James Harrod, 1.3.2008): Tentatively, based on the photo, I suggest this scraper has a 'blade-like' removal intended to create a resemblance of the entire piece to a 'mammoth', the 'blade' removal representing the 'trunk'. Toward the top of the removal there appear to be two retouch flake removals on the 'blade' edge, which might be intentional to indicate the mammoth's two 'eyes'. (These are more visible in the next image of this scraper.) For image of second similar flake tool with possible representation of a 'mammoth' see next image (o).
Jan van Es, 1.5.2008: "The mammoth's coming from a certain angle which causes a thick-set figure, which is a typological ever recurring image of mammoth- and elephant sculptures in general. The long blade flake gives indeed the impression of a trunk and I think it was cut after the primitive, or basic, form was made." Jan van Es enclosed an image indicating how the sculpture may be a polymorph, actually representing four (4) mammoths! The blade removal is one 'trunk' (white dot annotation); to the right are two 'mammoth heads and trunks' formed by apparently natural cracks, possibly artificially incised (red line annotation); to the left of the blade removal the edge of the scraper represents a fourth mammoth facing left, with apparently an 'eye chip' (red line annotation) -- (image, row below).
James Harrod, 1.6.2008): I find this polymorphic interpretation plausible. I can even see a fifth possible zoomorph, comprising the two sinuous lines, naturally and/or artificially incised, which might intentionally represent a 'horse or elk, neck and chest, in 3/4 profile facing to left'.
Photo © D. Griffin [Calico Early Man Site, www.calicodig.org]. |
mammothmobv50.jpg)
