This study explores long-term technological changes during the North African Middle Stone Age, particularly examining whether lithic tool morphology was shaped by cultural, environmental, or functional factors. Focusing on the lithic assemblages from Ifri n'Ammar, a rock shelter in Northeast Morocco, the research adopts a holistic, functional approach, combining use-wear and residue analysis with experimental programs to investigate tool use and hafting practices.

Ifri n'Ammar, with its well-preserved stratigraphy and diverse lithic assemblages, including tanged tools, provides a unique opportunity to analyse assemblage variability through time. The study reveals that hafting systems, particularly the use of animal materials, played a key role in shaping tool morphology. The integration of bone and other animal materials in hafting not only explains observed changes in tool design but also highlights the adaptive responses of hunter-gatherers to environmental shifts, particularly arid and semi-arid conditions during the MIS 6 to MIS 3 periods.

The results suggest that ecological factors, such as a change in plant and animal resource availability, likely influenced technological strategies, leading to flexible hafting systems. This research demonstrates the importance of functional studies in understanding prehistoric technologies and technological adaptability.