The effects of blank size and knapping strategy on the estimation of core’s reduction intensity

Lombao, Diego; Cueva-Temprana, Arturo; Rabuñal, José Ramón; Morales, Juan Ignacio; Mosquera, Marina

doi:10.1007/s12520-019-00879-4

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Nevertheless, to evaluate these two last characteristics it is essential to consider the overlapping effect of removals, because it may cause under-estimation on the reconstructions under certain circumstances. This mainly occurs in cores which have been extremely reduced by means of unifacial strategies, opening the door for results of estimated reduction being lower than the real ones at these final stages of knapping (Lombao et al, 2019).…”

Section: -Discussion and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our results show that the VRM reliably estimates the sizes of initial blanks, regardless of the shape and/or size of the original cobble (characteristic 6). Unlike other methods, the VRM is not affected by the size of the original blank (Lombao et al, 2019), meaning assemblages with different initial dimensions can be compared.…”

Section: -Discussion and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…unifacial and bifacial reduction strategies, or different raw materials). In addition, some parameters are the result of the reduction strategy employed more than the by-product of the intensity of reduction (Lombao et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A new approach to measure reduction intensity on cores and tools on cobbles: the Volumetric Reconstruction Method

Lombao

Cueva-Temprana

Mosquera

et al. 2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Knowing to what extent lithic cores have been reduced through knapping is an important step toward understanding the technological variability of lithic assemblages and disentangling the formation processes of archaeological assemblages. In addition, it is a good complement to more developed studies of reduction intensity in retouched tools, and can provide information on raw material management or site occupation dynamics. This paper presents a new methodology for estimating the intensity of reduction in cores and tools on cobbles, the Volumetric Reconstruction Method (VRM). This method is based on a correction of the dimensions (length, width, and thickness) of each core from an assemblage. The mean values of thickness and platform thickness of the assemblage's flakes are used as corrections for the cores' original dimensions, after its diacritic analysis. Then, based on these new dimensions, the volume or mass of the original blank are reconstructed using the ellipsoid volume formula. The accuracy of this method was experimentally tested, reproducing a variety of possible archaeological scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate a high inferential potential of the VRM, both in estimating the original volume or mass of the original blanks, and in inferring the individual percentage of reduction for each core. The results of random resampling demonstrate the applicability of VRM to non size-biased archaeological contexts.

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Section: -Discussion and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: -Discussion and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A new approach to measure reduction intensity on cores and tools on cobbles: the Volumetric Reconstruction Method

Lombao

Cueva-Temprana

Mosquera

et al. 2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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“…The relationship between exploitation intensity and the different parameters proposed for its measure is complex. Each parameter may also be affected by technological and economic factors independent of reduction intensity, such as original nodule size and reduction modality (Lombao et al 2019). In standardized narrow-fronted reduction sequences, the removal of blanks and maintenance of the core convexities results in a progressive reduction of all core dimensions.…”

Section: Reduction Modalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying Local Learning Communities During the Terminal Palaeolithic in the Southern Levant: Multi-scale 3-D Analysis of Flint Cores

Valletta

Dag

Grosman

2021

Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology

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A methodology for identifying prehistoric local learning communities is proposed. We wish to test possible relationships among communities based on continuity and variability in lithic reduction sequence technological traits with different visibility and malleability. Quantitative features reflecting different technological traits are measured on 3-D models of flint cores in different scales: the ratio between core thickness and reduction surface width, the angle between subsequent bands of production blank scars to the relative striking platform, and the average curvature of the ridge between each blank scar striking platform pair. Continuity and variability in these features are used to establish the relations among lithic assemblages on different hierarchical levels: local learning communities and geographically widespread cultural lineages.The Late Upper Palaeolithic and the Epipalaeolithic of the Southern Levant (ca. 27,000-15,000 cal BP) provide an opportunity to test our method. A progressive increase in territoriality is hypothesized throughout this timespan, yet the precise timing and modes of this phenomenon need to be defined. The present study analyzes six core assemblages attributed to different cultural entities, representing chronologically separated occupations of the Ein Gev area and the coastal Sharon Plain. Continuity in technological traits between the Atlitian (ca. 27,000-26,000 cal BP) and Nizzanan (ca. 20,000-18,500 cal BP) occupations of the Ein Gev area suggests that the same learning community repeatedly settled there during a long time span. Two geographically separate learning communities were defined in the study areas within the Kebaran cultural entity (ca. 24,000-18,000 cal BP); the group occupying the Ein Gev area possibly continued to settle there during the Geometric Kebaran (ca. 18,000-15,000 cal BP). Continuity in more conservative traits of the reduction sequence allows to tie these two communities to the same cultural lineage. The ability to track prehistoric learning communities based on quantitative features helps increase the objectivity and the resolution in the reconstruction of past cultural dynamics.

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“…Thus, for unifacial cores, the general polarity hierarchises the division between different VSEs, while for bifacial cores, it is the relationship between the flaking surfaces that most characterises them. In addition to these parameters, we have considered other quantitative attributes such as the angle between percussion and flaking surfaces, as well as the percentage of non-cortical surface, used elsewhere as a proxy of the reduction degree (Douglass et al, 2018;Li et al, 2015;Lombao et al, 2019). 3D models of the cores have been used to quantify the Scar Pattern Index (SPI), proposed by Clarkson and colleagues (Clarkson et al, 2006), by computing the vectors established by the initial and final coordinates of each removal.…”

Section: Core Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The technological behaviours of Homo antecessor: core management and reduction intensity at Gran Dolina-TD6.2 (Atapuerca, Spain)

Lombao¹,

Morales²,

Ollé³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Approaching the life history of artefacts is fundamental for understanding both the formation processes of archaeological assemblages and their technological variability. In this paper, we explore the variability of technological behaviours exhibited by the hominins from subunit TD6.2 at the Gran Dolina site (Atapuerca, Burgos), by combining both technological and reduction intensity analyses of the cores recovered. We used the Volumetric Reconstruction Method (VRM) to estimate the original volume of the blanks and quantify the reduction intensity of each core individually, after which we characterised the reduction distribution patterns using Weibull probability distribution functions. Our results suggest differential raw material management in terms of reduction intensity, according to the characteristics of each lithology. This could reflect a solid understanding of raw material qualities and a certain degree of planning. From a technological perspective, our results suggest continuity between knapping strategies through reduction, which seems to indicate constant adaptation to raw material constraints as well as particular knapping conditions, rather than to specific compartmentalised mental schemes.

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The effects of blank size and knapping strategy on the estimation of core’s reduction intensity

Cited by 18 publications

References 59 publications

A new approach to measure reduction intensity on cores and tools on cobbles: the Volumetric Reconstruction Method

A new approach to measure reduction intensity on cores and tools on cobbles: the Volumetric Reconstruction Method

Identifying Local Learning Communities During the Terminal Palaeolithic in the Southern Levant: Multi-scale 3-D Analysis of Flint Cores

The technological behaviours of Homo antecessor: core management and reduction intensity at Gran Dolina-TD6.2 (Atapuerca, Spain)

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