RECTANGULAR BLADELETS DISCOVERED AT THE KATRA I SETTLEMENT IN THE VARĖNA DISTRICT OF LITHUANIA: A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

This paper deals with the function of rectangular bladelets produced in experimental studies. The function of the bladelets produced experimentally was compared with that of a similar flint inventory discovered at the Katra I settlement. The experimental studies were carried out in the traceological laboratory at Klaipėda University. The functional dependence of the laboratory-produced flint blades and artefacts found at the Katra I settlement (in the Varėna district) were established with an Olympus SZX16 microscope. The experimental items were used in contact with dry reeds (Phragmites). It was established that the functions of the laboratory-produced blades and the ones discovered at the Katra I settlement coincided: most of the artefacts from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods from the Katra I settlement were used for reed cutting. Key words: experimental archaeology, microlithic technology, microblades, sickle insert, functional analysis, use-wear traces. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/ 10.15181/ab.v20i0.814