Lab Quiz #2 Flashcards
Most frequently found artifacts in archaeological sites?
Stone tools, and debris from the process of their manufacture
Lithic Artifacts provide information about what?
Tool making and activities closely related to the use of the tools
What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Technology
Tools might preserve while the product they were used to make has vanished
What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Activities Practiced Within a Culture
The clustering of specific stone tools at specific locations at a site suggests that certain activities were restricted to defined areas
What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Function of a Site
Once activities performed at a site have been identified, the function of the site can potentially be determined
What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Settlement Pattern of a Human Group
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
What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Trade
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
What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Ideology/Religion
The shape, color, and material of an artifact can be suggestive of religious and ideological concepts
What we can learn from Lithic Artifacts - Development of Human Brain
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
Lithic artifacts are classified into different types based on:
- Material
- Method of manufacture
- Form
- Function
Method of manufacture is based on:
Whether the material is fine-grained texture or coarse-grained texture
How are materials with fine-grained texture manufactured?
A process of ‘chipping’ or ‘knapping’ because they easily flake and crack (like glass)
How are materials with coarse-grained texture manufactured?
A process of abrading or grinding because they won’t easily flake/crack (rough like sandpaper)
Core
A piece of hard stone
Core itself can become a tool - hand axe
How are flakes removed?
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
Methods of Flaking - Direct Percussion
Usually involves striking core directly with another object. Can be with a hard hammer(stone)/soft hammer(antler)
Methods of Flaking - Indirect Percussion
Involves use of an object between striking hammerstone and rock being shaped
Methods of Flaking - Pressure Flaking
Used for the finishing stage of tool manufacture/to reshape tool when edge gets broken or becomes dull
Methods of Flaking - Bipolar Percussion
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
Stages of Flake Removal
- Primary Decortication flakes: Flakes with cortex present on surface, but no flake scars
- Secondary Decortication flakes: Flakes with diminishing traces of cortex. Have scars of previous flake removal
- Tertiary flakes: No cortex present
Why is it important to be able to recognize different parts of flakes
They can tell you when and how stone tools were made, can also tell you about how adept the person making them was
Dorsal
Outer Surface
Cortex and Flake scars visible
Ventral
Inner Surface
Striking Platform, Bulb of Percussion, Compression Waves visible
Distal end
Opposite side of Striking Platform
Proximal End
Striking Platform and Bulb of Percussion visible
Biface
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
Uniface
A tool Has only been worked on 1 side
Points and Projectile Points
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
The 3 main types of Points and Projectile Points
- Unnotched and unstemmed
- Stemmed
- Notched and stemmed
3 main forms of Points and Projectile points
- Triangular
- Lanceolate (straight near base, side taper to pointed tip)
- Bipointed (both ends taper to a point)
3 Parts of a Point
Tip, Body, Base
Biface vs. Point
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
Scrapers
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
Drills
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
Blades
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
Bulb of Percussion
A swelling usually visible just below the point of impact on a flake
Handaxe/Chopper
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
Groundstone tools
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
Core
A block of stone that is struck to detach flakes
Cortex
Natural, weathered surface of raw material
Debris
Residue from tool production
Decortication
Act of removing the cortex in reductive chipped tool manufacture
Flake
Piece of stone with identifying features of removal by a human hand
Hafting
Process of placing the worked stone into a handle
