Lab Quiz #2 Flashcards

1
Q

Most frequently found artifacts in archaeological sites?

A

Stone tools, and debris from the process of their manufacture

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2
Q

Lithic Artifacts provide information about what?

A

Tool making and activities closely related to the use of the tools

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3
Q

What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Technology

A

Tools might preserve while the product they were used to make has vanished

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4
Q

What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Activities Practiced Within a Culture

A

The clustering of specific stone tools at specific locations at a site suggests that certain activities were restricted to defined areas

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5
Q

What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Function of a Site

A

Once activities performed at a site have been identified, the function of the site can potentially be determined

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6
Q

What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Settlement Pattern of a Human Group

A

Once its determined that a certain cultural tradition existed in a region at 1 time and that the people produced specific tool types, its possible to study the movement of this group in a territory; and the extent of the territory they normally used

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7
Q

What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Trade

A

Popular types of material were often traded over short/long distances. Knowing the source of these material, it becomes possible to investigate trade patterns and relationships between/among various groups

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8
Q

What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Ideology/Religion

A

The shape, color, and material of an artifact can be suggestive of religious and ideological concepts

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9
Q

What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Development of Human Brain

A

Great differences in complexity and efficiency of stone tools from period starting with Homo habilis, the 1st toolmakers over 2.5 million years ago, to modern humans

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10
Q

Lithic artifacts are classified into different types based on:

A
  1. Material
  2. Method of manufacture
  3. Form
  4. Function
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11
Q

Method of manufacture is based on:

A

Whether the material is fine-grained texture or coarse-grained texture

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12
Q

How are materials with fine-grained texture manufactured?

A

A process of ‘chipping’ or ‘knapping’ because they easily flake and crack (like glass)

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13
Q

How are materials with coarse-grained texture manufactured?

A

A process of abrading or grinding because they won’t easily flake/crack (rough like sandpaper)

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14
Q

Core

A

A piece of hard stone
Core itself can become a tool - hand axe

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15
Q

How are flakes removed?

A

By striking the edge of the core with a sharp, forceful, blow. - Chipping/Flaking
Requires ability to control the way rock breaks when its stuck

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16
Q

Methods of Flaking - Direct Percussion

A

Usually involves striking core directly with another object. Can be with a hard hammer(stone)/soft hammer(antler)

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17
Q

Methods of Flaking - Indirect Percussion

A

Involves use of an object between striking hammerstone and rock being shaped

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18
Q

Methods of Flaking - Pressure Flaking

A

Used for the finishing stage of tool manufacture/to reshape tool when edge gets broken or becomes dull

19
Q

Methods of Flaking - Bipolar Percussion

A

Usually involves placing the core on an anvil and hitting it directly with a hammer. This usually splits the core into 2 pieces. The flakes produced usually have 2 bulbs of percussion

20
Q

Stages of Flake Removal

A
  1. Primary Decortication flakes: Flakes with cortex present on surface, but no flake scars
  2. Secondary Decortication flakes: Flakes with diminishing traces of cortex. Have scars of previous flake removal
  3. Tertiary flakes: No cortex present
21
Q

Why is it important to be able to recognize different parts of flakes

A

They can tell you when and how stone tools were made, can also tell you about how adept the person making them was

22
Q

Dorsal

A

Outer Surface
Cortex and Flake scars visible

23
Q

Ventral

A

Inner Surface
Striking Platform, Bulb of Percussion, Compression Waves visible

24
Q

Distal end

A

Opposite side of Striking Platform

25
Q

Proximal End

A

Striking Platform and Bulb of Percussion visible

26
Q

Biface

A

If a tool has been worked on both sides
Takes a considerable amount of time to ‘knap’ and therefore tells us about the proficiency of the flintknapper and the function of the tool

27
Q

Uniface

A

A tool Has only been worked on 1 side

28
Q

Points and Projectile Points

A

This tool type can be identified by their clear, defined, shape consisting of a pointed tip
Usually thin, symmetrical, and biface
Generally though as weapons, however it is not clear they functioned this way, referred to as points since they may have also been used as knives

29
Q

The 3 main types of Points and Projectile Points

A
  1. Unnotched and unstemmed
  2. Stemmed
  3. Notched and stemmed
30
Q

3 main forms of Points and Projectile points

A
  1. Triangular
  2. Lanceolate (straight near base, side taper to pointed tip)
  3. Bipointed (both ends taper to a point)
31
Q

3 Parts of a Point

A

Tip, Body, Base

32
Q

Biface vs. Point

A

Point: Generally defined by specific, symmetrical shapes
Bifaces: Only need to be worked on both sides and don’t need to have a particular shape
Cultures who made points were proficient at making them and had high standards. If a lithic lacks a clear form, safe to assume its a biface and not a point

33
Q

Scrapers

A

This tool can be identified by the steep angle that has been worked along 1 edge
Characterized as endscrapers or sidescrapers, whether the working edge is on the end of the flake of on the long side
Usually unifacial
Can be used for various scraping tasks

34
Q

Drills

A

Tool type can be recognized by long narrow ‘bit’ at 1 end
Usually bifacial
Can be used in a rotary motion to function as a perforator to create holes/grooves

35
Q

Blades

A

Longer than they are wide
Usually unifacial and thin
Blades cores show amount of blades that were produced from 1 core
Functioned as cutting implements

36
Q

Bulb of Percussion

A

A swelling usually visible just below the point of impact on a flake

36
Q

Handaxe/Chopper

A

Large, thick, pear-shaped axe-like tools
Moderately steep edge angles
Usually bifacial
Assumed to be chopping/multipurpose tools
May have been hafted and not held in the hand

37
Q

Groundstone tools

A

Manufactured using a variety of techniques to wear away or abrade surface, such as grinding and pecking
Appear very different to chipped stone tools and don’t have flake scars or a bulb of percussion
Much larger, heavier and longer-lasting compared to chipped stone tools
Americas common groundstone tools include a mano and metate for the processing of corn and other foods

38
Q

Core

A

A block of stone that is struck to detach flakes

39
Q

Cortex

A

Natural, weathered surface of raw material

40
Q

Debris

A

Residue from tool production

40
Q

Decortication

A

Act of removing the cortex in reductive chipped tool manufacture

41
Q

Flake

A

Piece of stone with identifying features of removal by a human hand

42
Q

Hafting

A

Process of placing the worked stone into a handle