Leister and spear points of the late mesolithic-neolithic: interpretation issues (based on the artifacts from the Zamostje 2 site)

Projectile points reflect the result of prehistoric population adaptation topaleoecological conditions of the social and cultural environment. In case of ancient societies with a stable economy, a standard set of game animals and birds and a high percentage shareof fishing, a diversity of bone points of hunting weapons poses an issue of their functionsin the subsistence system. Artifacts from Zamostje 2, a Mesolithic site in the Volga-Okainterfluve, are used to review morphological patterns and discuss interpretations of one ofthe least studied groups of ranged weapons, i.e. large points of spears or leisters. Despitestrong similarity of proportions and techniques used in shaping some components, thepoints show substantial differences, which influence key performance characteristics ofthis type of weaponry, such as presence or absence of side prongs and presence or absenceof a hole for attaching a line. Interpretation of these typological features is directly linkedwith a need to reconstruct methods of hunting (on land and on water) and determinehuntable species. In the absence of direct archaeological evidence, it is not easy to find ananswer to this question.