Arslantepe in the foreground: The economic and social role of the large blades at the end of the 4th millennium BC

Large chert blades from Arslantepe Mound (3500–3200 BCE) reveal significant insights into the economic and social dynamics of late prehistoric societies. These tools, analyzed through raw material characterization, technological studies, use-wear analysis, and experimental archaeology, demonstrate their potential as proxies for reconstructing technical systems and routine activities. The study highlights how large blades played a pivotal role in reinforcing social inequality during this period, coinciding with the emergence of centralized administration and symbols of power at the site.

Moscone, D., D’Errico, D., Pellegrini, D., Pellegrini, A., Nobile, E., & Lemorini, C. (2024). Arslantepe in the foreground: The economic and social role of the large blades at the end of the 4th millennium BC. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 56, 104544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104544