Pub Date : 2022-02-17DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2022.2040139
Ludmila Kaňáková, Jana Mazáčková, V. Nosek, Petr Huta
ABSTRACT Lithic archery projectiles during the short timespan at the end of the Eneolithic period and the beginning of the Bronze Age in Europe have alternately been deemed hunting implements, weapons, or symbolic artefacts. More than 400 projectiles of this period have been analysed in 3D metrics. All but a few are triangular barbed projectiles. Despite differences in size and weight, four types of arrowheads have been identified using 3D shape alone. Experiments to clarify their ballistic behaviour, based on weight, Tip Cross-Sectional Area (TCSA), differences in the shaping of their tips, the height of the cross-section, and cross-sectional asymmetry in distribution of mass were carried out. The 3D data on the projectiles, their wound cavities, and their measured initial and impact velocities were used to verify functional differences and the potential wounding impact.
{"title":"External and Terminal Ballistics of Early Bronze Age Lithic Arrowheads: Experimental Verification","authors":"Ludmila Kaňáková, Jana Mazáčková, V. Nosek, Petr Huta","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2022.2040139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2022.2040139","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Lithic archery projectiles during the short timespan at the end of the Eneolithic period and the beginning of the Bronze Age in Europe have alternately been deemed hunting implements, weapons, or symbolic artefacts. More than 400 projectiles of this period have been analysed in 3D metrics. All but a few are triangular barbed projectiles. Despite differences in size and weight, four types of arrowheads have been identified using 3D shape alone. Experiments to clarify their ballistic behaviour, based on weight, Tip Cross-Sectional Area (TCSA), differences in the shaping of their tips, the height of the cross-section, and cross-sectional asymmetry in distribution of mass were carried out. The 3D data on the projectiles, their wound cavities, and their measured initial and impact velocities were used to verify functional differences and the potential wounding impact.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44783174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-02-07DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2022.2029286
Claude Chauchat
ABSTRACT On the coast of Peru, early human occupation is represented by the Paiján tradition. As well as the stemmed bifacial projectile points, “limaces” are characteristic of this paleo American lithic complex, in comparison with similar forms of the European Mousterian, a term that has been changed to "uniface" because of the variety of shapes in Paiján assemblages. In contrast with the Mousterian expedient technology, unifaces are highly curated tools that are discarded following repeated sequences of use and resharpening that finally render them non-functional. The discovery of a cache of two little-used unifaces in a bifacial knapping workshop shows the process of reduction to which the unifaces encountered so far have been subjected. Unifaces are generally found in the context of occupations dating from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition (Paleo-American stage) throughout America. Unifaces should be considered as one of the characteristic tool types of this stage, besides the lithic projectile points.
{"title":"Limaces and Unifaces in the Paiján Industry, Peru, and the Early Prehistory of America","authors":"Claude Chauchat","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2022.2029286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2022.2029286","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT On the coast of Peru, early human occupation is represented by the Paiján tradition. As well as the stemmed bifacial projectile points, “limaces” are characteristic of this paleo American lithic complex, in comparison with similar forms of the European Mousterian, a term that has been changed to \"uniface\" because of the variety of shapes in Paiján assemblages. In contrast with the Mousterian expedient technology, unifaces are highly curated tools that are discarded following repeated sequences of use and resharpening that finally render them non-functional. The discovery of a cache of two little-used unifaces in a bifacial knapping workshop shows the process of reduction to which the unifaces encountered so far have been subjected. Unifaces are generally found in the context of occupations dating from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition (Paleo-American stage) throughout America. Unifaces should be considered as one of the characteristic tool types of this stage, besides the lithic projectile points.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43089961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-02-04DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2022.2029287
F. Venditti, R. Barkai, S. Cesaro, Aviad Agam
ABSTRACT Recent techno-functional studies of the lithic assemblage of Layer C3 in Late Acheulian Revadim (Israel) have demonstrated the variability in tool production and use in this layer. Here we present the results of a techno-functional and residue analysis of two central categories of artifacts found in Layer C3: side-scrapers and cortical flakes. We investigate the assumed functional link between side-scrapers and scraping activities and examine the question of whether cortical flakes were considered by the Revadim hominins as simple waste products or as useful tools. Our study applies an integrative and multidisciplinary methodology combining experimental archaeology, use-wear and residue analysis, and spectroscopic measurements. Our results show that side-scrapers were used for scraping and mixed activities, mostly on soft-medium and medium materials, while cortical flakes were occasionally used, mostly for cutting. Tool function reconstruction was supported by the morphological, elemental, and chemical characterization of extraordinarily well-preserved residues of animal origin, suggesting their use in butchery. .
{"title":"The Role of Side-Scrapers and Cortical Flakes in Late Acheulian Toolkits: Results of a Techno-functional Analysis from Revadim (Israel)","authors":"F. Venditti, R. Barkai, S. Cesaro, Aviad Agam","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2022.2029287","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2022.2029287","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Recent techno-functional studies of the lithic assemblage of Layer C3 in Late Acheulian Revadim (Israel) have demonstrated the variability in tool production and use in this layer. Here we present the results of a techno-functional and residue analysis of two central categories of artifacts found in Layer C3: side-scrapers and cortical flakes. We investigate the assumed functional link between side-scrapers and scraping activities and examine the question of whether cortical flakes were considered by the Revadim hominins as simple waste products or as useful tools. Our study applies an integrative and multidisciplinary methodology combining experimental archaeology, use-wear and residue analysis, and spectroscopic measurements. Our results show that side-scrapers were used for scraping and mixed activities, mostly on soft-medium and medium materials, while cortical flakes were occasionally used, mostly for cutting. Tool function reconstruction was supported by the morphological, elemental, and chemical characterization of extraordinarily well-preserved residues of animal origin, suggesting their use in butchery. .","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45134409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-02-01DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2022.2029284
D. S. DeForest, R. Lyman
ABSTRACT It has been suggested that a lithic resource’s candidacy for predictability of fracture when knapped, and whether or not a stone has been heat treated, can be assessed by the duration, pitch, and loudness of sound made when a stone is struck. A hammer stone machine held and struck specimens of 16 lithic types. Acoustic information was processed with a Kay Computer Speech Laboratory. Differences exist in sound duration, pitch and loudness between lithic types, un-heat-treated and heat-treated stone, and stone of the same type but of high and of low quality. Heat treated samples conduct sound waves of longer duration than unheated samples, and heat-treated samples’ sounds were louder than un-heat-treated samples. An ancient knapper could use perceptible differences in sound produced by a nodule when tapped with a hammerstone to select or discard nodules or flakes of one lithic type over another based on anticipated predictability of flaking.
{"title":"Characteristics of Lithic Sound to Assess a Rock’s Predictability of Flaking","authors":"D. S. DeForest, R. Lyman","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2022.2029284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2022.2029284","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT It has been suggested that a lithic resource’s candidacy for predictability of fracture when knapped, and whether or not a stone has been heat treated, can be assessed by the duration, pitch, and loudness of sound made when a stone is struck. A hammer stone machine held and struck specimens of 16 lithic types. Acoustic information was processed with a Kay Computer Speech Laboratory. Differences exist in sound duration, pitch and loudness between lithic types, un-heat-treated and heat-treated stone, and stone of the same type but of high and of low quality. Heat treated samples conduct sound waves of longer duration than unheated samples, and heat-treated samples’ sounds were louder than un-heat-treated samples. An ancient knapper could use perceptible differences in sound produced by a nodule when tapped with a hammerstone to select or discard nodules or flakes of one lithic type over another based on anticipated predictability of flaking.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45031858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-29DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.2016257
Anna M. Mika, Briggs Buchanan, R. Walker, Alastair J. M. Key, B. Story, Michelle R. Bebber, M. Eren
ABSTRACT This study is an experimental assessment of Clovis knife use. This work is the third contribution in a series of experiments aimed at shedding light on the functional performance of distinct Clovis “point” forms. Here, we used seven replica Clovis point forms, representing the average and extremes of observed Clovis form, in two cutting tasks: rope cutting and clay cutting. Statistical comparison of cutting time, our measure of cutting efficiency, indicated differences among the knife forms in both tasks. These results, especially when considered with previous penetration and durability studies, are largely consistent with the hypothesis that selection of functional attributes contributed to Clovis point variability and evolution across North America. We also show that better knives serve as poorer points, and vice versa, but better knives are more durable than poorer knives. We conclude with discussion of knife use, allometry, and knife use in other time periods.
{"title":"North American Clovis Point Form and Performance III: An Experimental Assessment of Knife Cutting Efficiency","authors":"Anna M. Mika, Briggs Buchanan, R. Walker, Alastair J. M. Key, B. Story, Michelle R. Bebber, M. Eren","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.2016257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.2016257","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study is an experimental assessment of Clovis knife use. This work is the third contribution in a series of experiments aimed at shedding light on the functional performance of distinct Clovis “point” forms. Here, we used seven replica Clovis point forms, representing the average and extremes of observed Clovis form, in two cutting tasks: rope cutting and clay cutting. Statistical comparison of cutting time, our measure of cutting efficiency, indicated differences among the knife forms in both tasks. These results, especially when considered with previous penetration and durability studies, are largely consistent with the hypothesis that selection of functional attributes contributed to Clovis point variability and evolution across North America. We also show that better knives serve as poorer points, and vice versa, but better knives are more durable than poorer knives. We conclude with discussion of knife use, allometry, and knife use in other time periods.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48426008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-18DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.2002548
J. McNabb
ABSTRACT The methodology developed by Derek Roe in the 1960s to describe the outline shape of handaxes has become an industry standard amongst scholars of the Acheulean. It was applied to the UK and in a modified form in East and Southern Africa. It is being used by a new generation of archaeologists to understand successive Acheulean occupations of the UK in the Middle Pleistocene. There has been a relatively little critique of the method. This paper explores some of the issues that the method raises and suggests and that while it may not fairly represent specific outlines shapes, in every case, it does fairly represent a basic bauplan. A new Roe-style index is suggested, the tip elongation index which helps structure the methodology when used with modern statistical and graphic software packages.
{"title":"Looking Backwards, Looking Forwards: Evaluating the Roe Handaxe Methodology in the Twenty-first Century and the Introduction of a New ‘Roe-type’ Index","authors":"J. McNabb","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.2002548","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.2002548","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT\u0000 The methodology developed by Derek Roe in the 1960s to describe the outline shape of handaxes has become an industry standard amongst scholars of the Acheulean. It was applied to the UK and in a modified form in East and Southern Africa. It is being used by a new generation of archaeologists to understand successive Acheulean occupations of the UK in the Middle Pleistocene. There has been a relatively little critique of the method. This paper explores some of the issues that the method raises and suggests and that while it may not fairly represent specific outlines shapes, in every case, it does fairly represent a basic bauplan. A new Roe-style index is suggested, the tip elongation index which helps structure the methodology when used with modern statistical and graphic software packages.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43078665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-02DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.2011175
G. McCall
Sometimes academic publishing can be a tough business. Under the best of circumstances, authors, editors, and publishers face great challenges in terms of the many tasks that need to be done, and shortages of time and energy with which to do them. To make matters worse, for many of us, our professional lives depend on timely publications; which is especially true for our junior colleagues. When the COVID pandemic is added to the mix – and its many knock-on effects in terms of new professional roles, childcare issues, and all the rest – the result is often a big mess! This special issue of Lithic Technology arises from this general context. Most of the following papers were presented to the 11th International Symposium on Knappable Materials in Buenos Aires in November 2017. Subsequently, these papers were slated to be included in various publications resulting from the conference, which failed for reasons stemming from the COVID pandemic and other related issues. It was my pleasure to give them a home here. These papers share a concern for experimental methods in lithic analysis, which is a subject personally dear to my heart. Especially as it pertains to lithics, the field of experimental archaeology is a fundamental and irreplaceable approach to moving beyond the realm of bald speculation and onto the firmer ground of empirical evidence. There are many analytical themes that I thought about highlighting here: knapping and tool reduction; the correspondence between tool form and function; experimental replicability; etc. In the end, however, the theme that stands out to me the most is hard work! When all is said and done, what stands out in my mind is the thousands of hours spent doing these experiments and conducting analysis – not to mention preparing, editing, reviewing, and revising manuscripts. After all of that, and in spite of many obstacles, the papers appearing in this publication are extremely compelling and I hope readers will enjoy them as I have.
{"title":"Editor’s Lair: Introduction to Experiments in Stone Tool Analysis","authors":"G. McCall","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.2011175","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.2011175","url":null,"abstract":"Sometimes academic publishing can be a tough business. Under the best of circumstances, authors, editors, and publishers face great challenges in terms of the many tasks that need to be done, and shortages of time and energy with which to do them. To make matters worse, for many of us, our professional lives depend on timely publications; which is especially true for our junior colleagues. When the COVID pandemic is added to the mix – and its many knock-on effects in terms of new professional roles, childcare issues, and all the rest – the result is often a big mess! This special issue of Lithic Technology arises from this general context. Most of the following papers were presented to the 11th International Symposium on Knappable Materials in Buenos Aires in November 2017. Subsequently, these papers were slated to be included in various publications resulting from the conference, which failed for reasons stemming from the COVID pandemic and other related issues. It was my pleasure to give them a home here. These papers share a concern for experimental methods in lithic analysis, which is a subject personally dear to my heart. Especially as it pertains to lithics, the field of experimental archaeology is a fundamental and irreplaceable approach to moving beyond the realm of bald speculation and onto the firmer ground of empirical evidence. There are many analytical themes that I thought about highlighting here: knapping and tool reduction; the correspondence between tool form and function; experimental replicability; etc. In the end, however, the theme that stands out to me the most is hard work! When all is said and done, what stands out in my mind is the thousands of hours spent doing these experiments and conducting analysis – not to mention preparing, editing, reviewing, and revising manuscripts. After all of that, and in spite of many obstacles, the papers appearing in this publication are extremely compelling and I hope readers will enjoy them as I have.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46081961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-27DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1981654
H. Forestier, Yuduan Zhou, Cyril Viallet, P. Auetrakulvit, Yinghua Li, Heng Sophady
ABSTRACT The Hoabinhian is a cultural marker of the late Paleolithic in Mainland Southeast Asia. And it is one of the most debated topics in prehistoric research in Southeast Asia. However, today there is a lack of reliable information on the diversity of production strategies and tool structures in the Hoabinhian, due to poor scientific methods and few well-excavated sites in the twentieth century. Over the last two decades, a technological approach that aims to identify reduction sequences (chaîne opératoires) has been applied to Hoabinhian lithic assemblages. Results have been generated that broaden our understanding of the technological characteristics and nature of the Hoabinhian industry. In this study, we present two Hoabinhian case studies from Cambodia (Laang Spean Cave) and Thailand (Moh Khiew Cave) to reveal the reduction sequences and end products of the Hoabinhian industry. We also compare and discuss the unity and variability between the two sites.
Hoabinhian是东南亚大陆旧石器时代晚期的文化标志。这是东南亚史前研究中最具争议的话题之一。然而，由于缺乏科学方法和20世纪很少有充分挖掘的遗址，今天缺乏关于霍布汉生产策略和工具结构多样性的可靠信息。在过去的二十年中，一种旨在识别还原序列(cha ne opsamatoires)的技术方法已被应用于Hoabinhian岩石组合。所产生的结果扩大了我们对Hoabinhian工业的技术特征和性质的理解。本研究以柬埔寨(Laang Spean Cave)和泰国(Moh Khiew Cave)的两个和布抑制剂为例，揭示了和布抑制剂工业的还原序列和最终产物。我们还比较和讨论了两个地点之间的统一性和可变性。
{"title":"Reduction Sequences During the Hoabinhian Technocomplex in Cambodia and Thailand: A New Knapping Strategy in Southeast Asia from the Terminal Upper Pleistocene to mid Holocene","authors":"H. Forestier, Yuduan Zhou, Cyril Viallet, P. Auetrakulvit, Yinghua Li, Heng Sophady","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1981654","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1981654","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The Hoabinhian is a cultural marker of the late Paleolithic in Mainland Southeast Asia. And it is one of the most debated topics in prehistoric research in Southeast Asia. However, today there is a lack of reliable information on the diversity of production strategies and tool structures in the Hoabinhian, due to poor scientific methods and few well-excavated sites in the twentieth century. Over the last two decades, a technological approach that aims to identify reduction sequences (chaîne opératoires) has been applied to Hoabinhian lithic assemblages. Results have been generated that broaden our understanding of the technological characteristics and nature of the Hoabinhian industry. In this study, we present two Hoabinhian case studies from Cambodia (Laang Spean Cave) and Thailand (Moh Khiew Cave) to reveal the reduction sequences and end products of the Hoabinhian industry. We also compare and discuss the unity and variability between the two sites.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45409298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-27DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1981655
C. Spry, R. Kurpiel, E. Foley, Paul Penzo‐Kajewski
ABSTRACT Quartz artefacts are common components of flaked stone assemblages worldwide. However, flaked quartz can appear similar to quartz fractured by natural and other (non-flaking) cultural processes. Despite attempts to address this “quartz problem”, the analysis and interpretation of flaked quartz assemblages remain problematic. Here we present a review of literature investigating the quartz problem, and a case study that examines an experimentally flaked assemblage – including the presence of “markers” widely reported to be diagnostic of knapped quartz. The results suggest that freehand knapping of a vein quartz block will produce mostly shatter and small, undiagnostic pieces with few artifacts exhibiting previously suggested markers. An integrated approach, considering physical features of individual quartz pieces, along with assemblage composition, characteristics and context more broadly, is therefore crucial. The dataset created for this study is freely available, providing the first example of an open-access dataset to aid study of flaked quartz assemblages worldwide.
{"title":"Revisiting the “Quartz Problem” in Lithic Studies: A Review and New, Open-access, Experimental Dataset","authors":"C. Spry, R. Kurpiel, E. Foley, Paul Penzo‐Kajewski","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1981655","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1981655","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Quartz artefacts are common components of flaked stone assemblages worldwide. However, flaked quartz can appear similar to quartz fractured by natural and other (non-flaking) cultural processes. Despite attempts to address this “quartz problem”, the analysis and interpretation of flaked quartz assemblages remain problematic. Here we present a review of literature investigating the quartz problem, and a case study that examines an experimentally flaked assemblage – including the presence of “markers” widely reported to be diagnostic of knapped quartz. The results suggest that freehand knapping of a vein quartz block will produce mostly shatter and small, undiagnostic pieces with few artifacts exhibiting previously suggested markers. An integrated approach, considering physical features of individual quartz pieces, along with assemblage composition, characteristics and context more broadly, is therefore crucial. The dataset created for this study is freely available, providing the first example of an open-access dataset to aid study of flaked quartz assemblages worldwide.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45816656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-27DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2021.1981653
Ariel D. Frank, J. Baridón
ABSTRACT Lithics are thrown or fall into the fire in different situations. When exposed to sudden high temperatures, they tend to fracture in an explosive manner, and fragments can be expelled outside the hearth. In this paper, we present our experimentations aimed at understanding the distribution of lithics thrown into a fire. We analyze if the size of the flakes affects the distributional pattern generated after the thermal alteration. Furthermore, we examine if debris recovered inside and outside hearths have similar or contrasting thermal traits. Results show that small flakes have a low fragmentation rate and that shatters always stay in the hearth. In contrast, big flakes fracture extensively, and some of the shatters are expelled outside the hearth. There are no significant differences in the thermal traits recorded in fragments found inside and outside the hearths. Based on the results, we present expectations for different burning situations.
{"title":"The Effect of Fire in the Distribution of Lithic Assemblages: An Experimental Approach","authors":"Ariel D. Frank, J. Baridón","doi":"10.1080/01977261.2021.1981653","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2021.1981653","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Lithics are thrown or fall into the fire in different situations. When exposed to sudden high temperatures, they tend to fracture in an explosive manner, and fragments can be expelled outside the hearth. In this paper, we present our experimentations aimed at understanding the distribution of lithics thrown into a fire. We analyze if the size of the flakes affects the distributional pattern generated after the thermal alteration. Furthermore, we examine if debris recovered inside and outside hearths have similar or contrasting thermal traits. Results show that small flakes have a low fragmentation rate and that shatters always stay in the hearth. In contrast, big flakes fracture extensively, and some of the shatters are expelled outside the hearth. There are no significant differences in the thermal traits recorded in fragments found inside and outside the hearths. Based on the results, we present expectations for different burning situations.","PeriodicalId":45597,"journal":{"name":"Lithic Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44024676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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