Morphospace of bifacial leafpoints from the eponymous Palaeolithic sites of Sajóbábony and Szeleta Cave (Hungary)

• Palaeolithic Hungarian bifacial leafpoints are quantified by geometric morphometrics. • Their outline analysis produces a morphospace ordering their major shape changes. • Major axes of variation are lateral compression, asymmetry, and sharpness of apices. • Geometric morphometrics corroborate previously defined empirical modules. • Morphospace occupancy highlights two groups and periods in late Pleistocene hominids. Nowadays geometric morphometrics are being widely applied from biological to forensic studies and proved to be powerful methods of shape analysis eased by available computer tools. These landmark-based quantitative methods of shape description provide a new perspective in the field of archaeology and especially lithic analysis, which often has to deal with artefact morphology. This study aims at applying geometric morphometrics, and especially 2D outline analysis by means of elliptical Fourier analysis, in describing general shape variation and in identifying potential classes of Palaeolithic stone tools. Therefore, a temporal series of bifacial leaf-shaped artefacts, characteristic of the Bábonyian and the Szeletian industries and produced by late Neanderthals and/or early modern humans from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic of Hungary, is analysed. The results reveal that studied sites and levels can be segregated in two different groups: Sajóbábony and oldest Szeleta level vs . younger Szeleta levels. The former are distinguished by smaller centroid sizes, more rounded shapes, and a higher range of documented morphologies. The latter are characterized by very elongated shapes, higher centroid sizes, and a reduced range of forms. Additionally, this outline analysis corroborates the existence of specific morphotypes (called modules) empirically defined previously, while also underlying that some of these modules remain arbitrary because linked by numerous transitional forms. Interestingly, this morphometric approach enables to highlight and order the major trends in shape differences among all studied bifacial leafpoints. The two major subdivisions highlighted here in the morphologies of Hungarian bifacial leafpoints may reflect a change in occupation mode and populations that inhabited these areas. Therefore, application of geometric morphometrics appears promising in corroborating and testing qualitative aspects and hypotheses in lithic analysis, as well as highlighting more objectively the major shape differences in lithic industries.