Flint backed and backed truncated bladelets in an Epigravettian context of Northern Italy : projectiles components or composite tools? European Association of Archaeologists, Xth Annual Meeting, 8-11th September 2004, Lyon. Abstracts Book, p. 125.

First results of a functional analysis (based on low-power approach) carried on a sample of backed tools of the Epigravettian site of Val Lastari (Venetian Prealps, North-Eastern Italy), put under evidence the utilization in hunting activities of a considerable part of backed and backed truncated bladelets. Neverthless, some evidences on another part of concerned pieces let think about an utilization as composite tools, mostly related to cutting activities on soft animal materials (meat, tendons, fresh hide..). Other cultural Late Glacial contexts (e.g. the magdalenian sites of Pincevent, Etiolles, Saint Thibaud), offer some evidences of an utilization of these pieces, beside their main use destination for hunting activities, as cutting tools for soft materials. While there are enough experimental data for the functional interpretation of arrow heads and backed tools employed as projectile tools, there are not many experimental researchs to verify their function as elements of composite tools. So the aim of the experimental session carried on is to test the reliability and the reactions of these pieces as cutting tools, in relation to worked materials, angle of active edge and possible hafting system.