As plants do not preserve well in the archaeological record, I gathered data by indirect means: by studying use-wear and residues present on stone tools used by prehistoric groups who lived at Tabon Cave Southern Palawan, Philippines, 39-33 000 years ago to conduct their everyday activities.
The results showed that not only bamboo was used but also other plants such as palm trees whose phytoliths (micro-plant remains) were observed on stone tools. The presence of specific distribution of use-wear attests of thinning fibres and splitting rigid plants, constituting indirect testimonies of the existence of organic technology during Prehistory.
To increase the possibility of diagnosis of the traces present on the artefacts, I analysed quantitatively the micro-polishes, areas that are very bright due to the friction between the processed materials and the tools, using confocal microscopy. The results of the analysis of experimental tools shows that it is possible to distinguish the processing of wood from the processing of Monocotyledon plants using this technique, but that it is difficult to go further and differentiate between bamboo, palm, rattan, and cannalike dona. A possible solution could be to analyse wider areas or to study other kinds of traces, such as striations.
BeBamb also explored the relationship between the forest and lithic technologies in other tropical regions of the world. Does living in the forest imply abandoning stone technology to focus on plant resources? Not necessarily. There is a tendency to a close relationship to plants and the modification of the vegetal cover that goes hand in hand with a simplification of the lithic industry in forested areas: Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, the Amazon, and even in Europe during the Mesolithic, a period characterised by the expansion of the forest. Nevertheless, Africa offers a counterexample as lithic tools were standardised and varied in time and space. This shows the importance not only of the environment but also of choices in the development of human cultures. In Southeast Asia, Maros Points from Sulawesi are very finely made and equally show that in this region has well, different groups have chosen to behave in varied ways.
BeBamb results are currently presented to the public in frame of the exhibition “Trajectories and Movements of the Philippine Identity” that was built up in collaboration with the Philippine community in Barcelona and with the participation of numerous actors such as the National Museum and the National Commission for Indigenous People of the Philippines.
Raw data generated by this project will be made available after publication on plantuseinseasia.net.
