The point discovered in the Early Modern Human (Howiesons Poort) levels of Sibudu cave has direct analogs in point tips used by Bushman (or Khoisan). Bushman projectile points were collected between 1916 and 1928 by Dr Louis Fourie, a Medical Officer for the former Protectorate of South West Africa (Namibia). Most of the composite tools collected by Fourie were collected as complete tools, so researchers could readily distinguish between arrow heads, linkshafts, needles and awls. The bone arrow heads studied by Backwell and colleagues were collected by Fourie from 13 different Bushman groups from 27 localities in the eastern part of the South Africa.
Type 3 fore-shafts shown in the image are slender poison-encrusted bone points (i) bound with reed collars (ii) to torpedo- or lens-shaped bone link-shafts (iii) that insert into reed shafts. The sinew collar on the reed shaft is to prevent the reed fibers from splitting upon impact. Component parts of a Type 3 fore-shaft are shown ready for use (a) and with bone points in the reversed position when not in use (b). Type 4 fixed bone arrow heads (c) comprise robust bone points that insert directly into reed shafts, and are secured with a single sinew collar. Note the similarity between Type 3 link-shafts (b) and robust Type 4 bone points (c).
Source
Backwell, Lucinda, Francesco d'Errico, and Lyn Wadley 2008 Middle Stone Age bone tools from the Howiesons Poort layers, Sibudu Cave, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science 35(6):1566-1580.
