Fig 1.
a) Location map of Ohalo II. b) An aerial view of the site; the three loci where the glossed blades were found are marked.
Fig 2.
Micrographs showing nearly ripe semi-green cereal (wild oat) wear polishes observed on experimental tools: a: developed polish produced by sickle harvesting for 2 hours; b: polish developed to a lower degree produced by cutting with a blade held by hand for 1 hour; c: cereal prehension wear observed on the blade held by hand for cutting the cereals. Original magnification at all micrographs is x200.
Fig 3.
The five glossed blades from Ohalo II.
Table 1.
Morphometric characteristics of the glossed blades from Ohalo II (dimensions in mm).
Table 2.
Average dimensions (mm) of complete blades from six loci, organized in descending order of length.
Fig 4.
Artifact AJ39a with micrographs of the semi-ripe cereal use and prehension polish: a: general view showing the reticular distribution of the polish along the edge with arrows pointing at striations extending parallel to the axis of the blade indicating the longitudinal motion (x100); b: smooth and linked polish observed right on the edge fading into a reticular pattern towards the inner part of the blade with arrows pointing to comet shaped pits that indicate the uni-directional motion (x200); c: unmodified edge characterized by slight edge rounding and cereal prehension polish (x200); d: cereal use-wear polish observed on the broken edge indicating that the blade was used broken (x100); e: domed polish observed on the dorsal ridge indicating that it was exposed to the contact with the cereals (x200).
Fig 5.
Artifact AL73c with micrographs of the semi-ripe cereal polish and hafting wear: a: polish developed to a low degree, brighter and reticular right on the edge (x100); b: smooth domed polish developed right on the edge (x200); c: a patch of flat bright spot observed on the dorsal ridge that might be an evidence to the contact with a haft (x200); d–e: polish on the opposite edge with identical characteristics indicating retooling (x200).
Fig 6.
Artifact AJ39c with micrograph of the semi-ripe cereal polish and hafting wear: a: a reticular pattern with a relatively high degree of linkage between the polished surfaces (x100); b: streaks of dull rough polish associated with slight edge rounding interpreted to be produced by the contact with a haft (x100); c: reticular polish cut by the break indicating that the blade was broken after use (x100); d: linked and smooth polish developed on elevated points (x100); e: rough thin polish observed away from the developed linked polish fading gradually at the inner surface of the blade (x100).
Fig 7.
Artifacts B86d with micrographs of the semi-ripe cereal use and prehension wear: a–b: cereal prehension wear observed on the distal area of the blade indicating the location of the grip (x100); c: cereal use-wear polish developed to a low degree observed on the dorsal face (x200); d: polish observed on the proximal extremity indicating that this part was exposed to the contact with the cereals (x100); e:same wear pattern on the opposite ventral face (x100).
Fig 8.
Artifact C86c with micrographs of the semi-ripe cereal use-wear polish and prehension wear: a: cereal prehension wear similar in its characteristics to the cereal use-wear polish, observed all along the right lateral edge, surpassing the distal part to the opposite left lateral indicating the area in contact with the palm (x100); b-c: semi-ripe cereal use-wear polish developed to a low degree, characterized by a reticular distribution and domed polish that developed on protruding surfaces of the flint, with linked polished surface observed right on the edge (x200, x100).