The Effect of Fire in the Distribution of Lithic Assemblages: An Experimental Approach

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.