Signs of power: giant ficron handaxes may have played a non-utilitarian role in structuring social groups in MIS 9 Britain

Abstract

Giant ficrons are a rare but recurrent sub-type of Acheulean handaxe, that in Britain are predominantly found in assemblages dating to the MIS 9 interglacial. A variety of theories have aimed to explain the striking size and appearance of giant ficrons as reflecting their use in specialised subsistence tasks or non-utilitarian display functions. Despite this, they are typically underrepresented or absent from many studies concerning giant handaxes or Acheulean morphological diversity more broadly. Here we combine a functional experiment and morphometric analysis to test some of the previous claims made about giant ficrons. Replica giant ficrons did not perform as well as normal sized ficrons in a controlled cutting task. Archaeological giant ficrons were found to possess heightened symmetry, edge straightness, and extreme morphologies when compared with their wider assemblages. This combination of challenging to produce features without clear functional advantages suggests that giant ficrons may have played a role in the social lives of Late Acheulean hominins.