Foliate lithic points from the Bronze Age of NE Iran, A techno-typological analysis

Abstract
This paper is focused on the typo-chronological determination of the bifacial projectile points from TappeHissar (Damghan, Semnan Province) and Maylan (Anshan, Fars Province). The inventories of projectiles are firstly described and published, and set into a comprehensive picture of occurrences and distribution of projectile points in Iran from the late 4th millennium to early 2nd millennium BCE. The determination of distinctive technological attributes that distinguish different methods of manufacture – respectively the general chaîneopératoire) indicate at least two major waves of technological innovation in lithic projectile points. , the current evidence of foliate bifacials in Iran demonstrates a limited technological adoption of projectiles and javelins (or daggers) that was highly possible transferred from the Upper Euphrates region and SE-Anatolia. At least two temporal sequences of technological transfer can be reconstructed: firstly the occurrence of the foliate bifacials including their complete new chaîne opératoire (thus to translate as an superior innovation in projectile points); and secondly, the distribution of the short-tanged and winged points type “Lidar/Tepecik”, apparently at the transition from the 3rd to the 2nd millennium, where we can found them already associated with comparable types in copper.