Some Reflections on the so Called Foreshafts of the European Magdalenian

Abstract

Since the first publication of an antler foreshaft as possible part of an assembled projectile from the Grotte d’Isturitz (France) by E. Passemard in 1917, there has been a lively discussion on the function of this strange, mainly Late Magdalenian tool type for almost one hundred years. Currently, 60 objects interpreted as foreshafts from 15 different sites are known. The distribution area matches that of the Magdalenian culture, reaching from Northern Spain to Moravia. Only Isturitz yielded substantial numbers of these tools. Apart from that, single pieces in big inventories are typical. A critical look at the corpus shows that many supposed foreshafts are most likely damaged or re-modified simple projectile points. Others have been modified secondarily from those. However, some pieces are without doubt real foreshafts. They may have been used for repairing damaged projectiles, making them heavier and therefore better penetrating, equalizing both length and mass of the projectiles of a set. Maybe they were also used for fastening lithic projectile points.