Tanged arrowheads from later Stone age sties in the Seacow River Valley (South Africa)

Bifacial arrowheads are very rare elements in Later Stone Age sites from the South African interior and Lesotho highlands. While differences in arrowhead design across this vast region may serve as group markers, their potential remains uncertain because local variability has not been studied. Here, the design variables of a large sample of arrowheads from one small area of the Upper Karoo are described. Arrowhead production is so diverse that prospects for their use as ethnic/social markers look dim. The most variable arrowheads are those with double-backed tangs. They are more numerous than the bifacial arrowheads and may also be more widely distributed.