An important aspect of prismatic blade production is the choice of a knapping technique. This study tests the utility of elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA) for discriminating between different knapping techniques and offers a new perspective on blade variability. Our results indicate that there is an overlap in the outline shape and symmetry of individual blades produced by direct percussion, indirect percussion, and pressure debitage. Nevertheless, the EFA points out certain group-level differences regarding the shape and regularity of blade outlines and yields classification accuracy which is comparable to the previously proposed quantitative approaches for distinguishing blades produced by different knapping techniques. However, a more detailed analysis of technique-related factors shows that the emerging variability of blade outlines is more complex and that tripartite division might not always be suitable for reconstructing the past knapping behavior. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this method, and how it could complement the standard technological analysis in exploring and explaining blade variability.

No abstract

An important aspect of prismatic blade production is the choice of a knapping technique. This study tests the utility of elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA) for discriminating between different knapping techniques and offers a new perspective on blade variability. Our results indicate that there is an overlap in the outline shape and symmetry of individual blades produced by direct percussion, indirect percussion, and pressure debitage. Nevertheless, the EFA points out certain group-level differences regarding the shape and regularity of blade outlines and yields classification accuracy which is comparable to the previously proposed quantitative approaches for distinguishing blades produced by different knapping techniques. However, a more detailed analysis of technique-related factors shows that the emerging variability of blade outlines is more complex and that tripartite division might not always be suitable for reconstructing the past knapping behavior. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this method, and how it could complement the standard technological analysis in exploring and explaining blade variability.

Vasić excavated the site of Vinča-Belo Brdo in roughly 10 cm thick mechanical layers. For every find, the relative depth was recorded in relation to the "absolute zero" (Васић 1932; 1936a; 1936b; 1936c).

A large collection of obsidian finds from the Late Neolithic layers of the Vinča-Belo Brdo site, recoveredduring the excavations led by M. Vasić from 1929 to 1934, is curated in the Archaeological Collection ofthe University of Belgrade. Despite the long history of research of this collection, a detailed technologicalanalysis of this material has not been conducted thus far. In this study, the results of technological analysisof 1,261 obsidian finds from the Late Neolithic levels of Belo Brdo are presented and discussed in the light ofnew data about the site. The results show that, although caution is needed when generating insights aboutthe past based on this old collection, it can be a valuable source for making new inferences about the past.