What’s the point? Variation and innovation of Neolithic arrowhead technology in northwest Arabia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19488608 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Finn Stileman (0009-0007-4061-9704, University of Cambridge, corresponding author), Janne Mcmahon (0000-0002-5402-234X, The University of Sydney), Jane McMahon, Ceri Shipton (0000-0002-4224-9467, Australian National University), Roman H Bamping (0009-0004-4719-3871, University College London), Yahya AlBalawai (Taibah University), Hugh Thomas (0000-0002-3643-7189), Heidi Thomas (The University of Sydney), Melissa A Kennedy (0000-0001-8620-938X, The University of Sydney) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 73 |
| Pages | 105882 |
| Publication date | 2026-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Archaeological Science Reports (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2352-409X • E-ISSN: 2352-4103 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105882 |
| OpenAlex | W7164544569 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 51 |
Once a lacuna in prehistoric archaeology, a rich Neolithic record is now apparent in northern Arabia; concentrated during the 5th and 6th millennia BCE, which is represented by habitational and hunting sites, as well as monumental structures such as mustatils. Affinities between Levantine and Northern Arabian industries have been presented as evidence for connectivity, or even migration. This is particularly the case regarding arrowhead technologies, which have functioned as ‘type fossils’ in culture-historical schemes. In this study we conduct an attribute analysis of Neolithic arrowheads recovered through the AAKSAU-EX and PAKEP projects in AlUla (العلا al‐ʿUlā) County, Saudi Arabia. Our results reaffirm certain affinities to Levantine toolkits, supporting a long history of interaction. However, the appearance of distinct arrowhead forms also signals local expressions of material culture, adding to a list of idiosyncrasies in the subsistence, architectural, and ritual customs of the region. With this evidence, the appropriacy of Levantine-lithic cultural designations is questioned for northwest Arabia
Affinities · Archaeological evidence · Archaeological record · Prehistory · Variation (astronomy) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |