TY - JOUR
T1 - Defining and measuring reduction in unifacial stone tools
AU - Eren, Metin I.
AU - Dominguez-Rodrigo, Manuel
AU - Kuhn, Steven L.
AU - Adler, Daniel S.
AU - Le, Ian
AU - Bar-Yosef, Ofer
PY - 2005/8
Y1 - 2005/8
N2 - Observations pertaining to particular stages of the lithic chaîne opératoire, or reconstructions of the entire operational sequence at a particular site, can be used to develop a detailed understanding of past human cognitive capabilities, technological sophistication, mobility, and land use. The "reduction sequence" is a specific stage of the chaîne opératoire that many archaeologists have attempted to measure. Many of these attempts fail to recognize that "reduction" is a three-dimensional process, and thus should be measured with an appropriate three-dimensional unit: Volume. This paper presents a new methodology for measuring and defining reduction in unifacial stone tools that reconstructs the original volume of a modified blank, allowing a realistic percentage of volume loss to be calculated. This new method is fast, precise, and very accurate.
AB - Observations pertaining to particular stages of the lithic chaîne opératoire, or reconstructions of the entire operational sequence at a particular site, can be used to develop a detailed understanding of past human cognitive capabilities, technological sophistication, mobility, and land use. The "reduction sequence" is a specific stage of the chaîne opératoire that many archaeologists have attempted to measure. Many of these attempts fail to recognize that "reduction" is a three-dimensional process, and thus should be measured with an appropriate three-dimensional unit: Volume. This paper presents a new methodology for measuring and defining reduction in unifacial stone tools that reconstructs the original volume of a modified blank, allowing a realistic percentage of volume loss to be calculated. This new method is fast, precise, and very accurate.
KW - Chaîne opératoire
KW - Experimental archaeology
KW - Lithic technology
KW - Reduction sequence
KW - Unifacial stone tools
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=20544446348&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2005.03.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2005.03.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:20544446348
SN - 0305-4403
VL - 32
SP - 1190
EP - 1201
JO - Journal of Archaeological Science
JF - Journal of Archaeological Science
IS - 8
ER -