ANTH 210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Knapping, Chalcedony, Fracture Toughness
3 May 2018
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Department
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Professor
Lecture'6'–Analyzing'Inorganics:'Stone'Artifacts'
• Why$study$stone$tools?$$
o Often'the'only'remains'of'past'cultures$
o Help'us'understand'how'people'evolved$
o What'can'they'tell'us'of'past'cultures?$
o What'was'their'role'in'human'evolution?$
o How'can'we'compare'them'across'the'world'to'find'the'similarities'&'differences'
in'manufacturing?'$
o There'are'limited'numbers'of'ways'to'make'tools,'so'there'are'many'similarities'
worldwide$
• Obsidian'scalpel'is'much'thinner'than'steel'scalpel$
o Can'even'be'used'for'surgery'&'leaves'less'scarred'tissue'than'incisions'made'
with'steel'scalpels$
• How$do$we$know$if$a$site$just$has$a$few$broken$rocks$or$broken$stone$tools?$$
o Lithic&scatter'='a'surface'scatter'of'cultural'artifacts'&'debris'that'consists'
entirely'of'lithic'tools'&'chipped'stone'debris.$
§ Usually'found'underground,'except'for'in'the'arctic'&'desert'because'
there'is'no'deposition'in'those'places'$
• Different'types'of'stone'artifacts:$
o Flaked$or$chipped$
§ Includes'anything'like'flintknapping'$
o Groundstone$
• FLINTKNAPPING&
o Raw&materials:&&
§ Rocks'with'high&silica&content'because'the'silica'lattice'structure'allows'
force'to'travel'through'artifact,'so'when'it’s'struck,'there'are'ripples'
throughout&
• E.g.'Cherts,'flints,'chalcedonies,'obsidian'(almost'pure'volcanic'
material)'&
§ Coarse'materials&
• E.g.'Basalt'(esp.'during'early'occupation'of'Africa)'&
o Quarries&='outcrops'of'naturally'occurring'raw'chert,'chalcedony,'obsidian,'etc.'
that'were'exploited'by'past'peoples&
§ Had'a'lot'of'significance'attached'to'it'because'minerals'were'so'
important'to'past'societies'&
o Cross-continental&trading'of'these'materials'&
§ Origin'of'materials'discovered'through'sourcing'studies'&
2'
§ Can'get'the'chemical'composition'of'stone'tools'&'compare'it'to'the'
chemical'composition'of'different'sites&
o Techniques:&&
§ Materials'used'to'knap'='stone,'antler,'bone,'wood,'copper&
§ Direct&percussion&=&Hard$hammer$(uses'another'stone)'vs.'soft$hammer$
(use'an'antler'or'copper'to'strike'material)'&
§ Indirect&percussion'='has'a'material'like'antler'between'stone'&'material'
that'is'striking&
§ Heat&treating&=&the'controlled'heating'of'quartz-rich,'brittle,'elastic'lithic'
material'in'order'to'reduce'fracture'toughness'&'improve'knapping'
qualities'&
• Can'make'stones'more'pink/blue/green&
• Process'allows'water'to'escape'(water'usually'absorbs'shock'
force)'&'allows'silica'to'pack'more'tightly&
o Objects&created:&
§ Choppers'='bash'bone'open'for'bone'marrow&
§ Projectile'points'='arrow'&'spear'heads,'endblades&
§ Knives&
§ Scrapers&
§ Blades&
§ Eccentrics&
§ Danish'daggers'='only'present'during'Bronze'Age,'only'found'in'burials,'a'
metal'point'that'copied'flintknapping'techniques&
• GROUNDSTONE&
o Raw&materials:&&
§ Soapstone,'granite,'porphyry,'banded'slate,'chert'&
o Quarries'='raw'material'is'pecked'all'around'until'a'nodule'can'be'broken'off'–'
this'is'manufactured'into'bowls,'carvings,'etc.&
o Techniques:&&
§ Artifacts'typically'pecked'or'hammered'into'a'preform'or'rough-out&
§ Artifacts'then'sanded'&'ground'to'finalize'their'features.&
o Objects&created:'&
§ Sculptures'='Venus&
§ Bowls&
§ Granite'&'flint'axes'='knapped'then'ground&
§ Flakestone'tools'='get'added'chips,'good'to'cut'down'trees&
§ Slate'blades/lances'&
• Do'stylistic'differences'in'projectile'points'equate'to'ethnicity?'&
o Over'time'styles'mix&
• If'we'have'nearly'identical'flutes'points'across'NA,'does'this'mean'they'were'all'the'
same'culture?&
Document Summary
Usually found underground, except for in the arctic & desert because there is no deposition in those places: different types of stone artifacts, flaked or chipped. Includes anything like flintknapping: groundstone, flintknapping, raw materials: Rocks with high silica content because the silica lattice structure allows force to travel through artifact, so when it"s struck, there are ripples throughout: e. g. Cherts, flints, chalcedonies, obsidian (almost pure volcanic material) Basalt (esp. during early occupation of africa: quarries = outcrops of naturally occurring raw chert, chalcedony, obsidian, etc. that were exploited by past peoples. Had a lot of significance attached to it because minerals were so important to past societies: cross-continental trading of these materials. Origin of materials discovered through sourcing studies. Can get the chemical composition of stone tools & compare it to the chemical composition of different sites: techniques: Materials used to knap = stone, antler, bone, wood, copper.
