Groß Pampau, GR, c. 500,000 BP, Site, Characteristic Tools, Bifaces / l)pamppointedbifs

Comment: These curious objects seem to be small pointed tools, perhaps burins or awls. They appear comparable to the 'nosed' and 'awl/scrapers' from Olorgesailie, Kenya, which have a plan view shape like that of a small biface. At Olorgesailie 'nosed' scrapers and 'awl/scrapers' occur throughout all levels, dating from 1 million to 500,000 years ago. Compare nosed/awl/scrapers from Olorgesailie sites I3, DE/89, and Tr. Tr.[Isaac, G. (1977). Olorgesailie: Archaeological studies of a Middle Pleistocene lake basin in Kenya. Chicago: University of Chicago: fig. 53, 54]. At Olduvai Gorge, awl and burin tool types first appear in the Developed Oldowan B and Early Acheulian and continue through the Middle Acheulian and Later Acheulian sites. Thus, they cannot be used to pinpoint a date for Pampau artifacts, but do not conflict with a dating of around 500,000 BP.

Photo © Ursel Benekendorff. Collection Ursel Benekendorff. The site is documented in Benekendorff, U. (1990). From the information recorder stone to a picture book of the stone age. Archaeologische Berichten 20:14-28 and 43-65 (Elst, NL).