Shape matters: assessing regional variation of Bell Beaker projectile points in Central Europe using geometric morphomet
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Shape matters: assessing regional variation of Bell Beaker projectile points in Central Europe using geometric morphometrics J. Petřík 1,2 & D. Sosna 3 & L. Prokeš 4,5 & D. Štefanisko 2 & P. Galeta 3
Received: 3 July 2016 / Accepted: 13 October 2016 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016
Abstract Despite the large-scale expansion of Bell Beaker phenomenon, there is a tension between the normative Bell Beaker material culture categories and their local objectification in the form of real artefacts. Stone projectile points provide an opportunity to evaluate how much was the general category of such a point influenced by regional and local factors. The aim of this paper is to explore shape and size variation of Central European Bell Beaker projectile points from Moravia (Czech Republic) to elucidate factors responsible for this variation. The sample consists of 194 Highlights • Size and shape variation of 194 Bell Beaker projectile points from Central Europe were explored • Geometric morphometrics was applied to identify shape categories • Dominant shape category does not depend on space, raw material, or reutilization • Weak reutilization reflects non-utilitarian role of projectile points Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12520-016-0423-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * J. Petřík [email protected]
1
Department of Geological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
2
Department of Archaeology and Museology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, A. Novaka 1, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
3
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Philosophy and Arts, University of West Bohemia, Sedlackova 15, 306 14 Plzen, Czech Republic
4
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
5
Department of Physical Electronics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
projectile points from 54 Central European Bell Beaker sites (2500–2300/2200 BC) distributed in Morava River catchment. The size and shape of projectile points were studied by landmark-based geometric morphometrics and expressed as shape groups, which have been assessed in terms of their spatial distribution, raw material, and reutilization. Although several shape categories of points were identified, there is a strong degree of uniformity in the research sample. The dominant shape category (75.4 % of points) was pervasive across geographic space and was not significantly affected either by raw material or reutilization. A lower degree of reutilization of points is interpreted as a consequence of a non-utilitarian role of projectile points, which represented a critical component of Bell Beaker mortuary practices. Keywords Bell Beaker . Projectile points . Geometric morphometrics . Shape categories . Lithic raw material . Reutilization
Introduction The Bell Beaker phenomenon is characterized by a set of typical
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