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An Experimental Study of Bipolar and Freehand Knapping of Naibor Soit Quartz from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Fernando Diez-Martín ,
Policarpo Sánchez Yustos ,
Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo  and
Mary E. Prendergast
Fernando Diez-Martín
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Valladolid, Pza. del Campus s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain ([email protected]).
Policarpo Sánchez Yustos
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Valladolid, Pza. del Campus s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain ([email protected]).
Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory, Complutense University, Prof. Aranguren s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Mary E. Prendergast
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, St. Louis University in Madrid, Avda. del Valle 34, 28003 Madrid, Spain
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Abstract

Recent excavations carried out in several Bed I and Bed II sites have shown that hominins at Olduvai Gorge used both bipolar and freehand knapping methods for quartz reduction. Due to the petrographic nature of quartz and to its heterogeneous response to fracture, the identification of bipolar knapping at any given site can be ambiguous and controversial. This work aims to overcome this problem by developing an experimental referential framework for the recognition of characteristic features of flakes produced through both bipolar and freehand reduction of Naibor Soit quartz cores. The final goal of this work is to use a set of variables related to the response of local Olduvai quartz to freehand and bipolar fracture, obtained through two independent controlled experiments, in order to statistically differentiate the diagnostic technological traits that best indicate bipolar reduction on this raw material type.

Resumen

Resumen

Las recientes excavaciones que hemos llevado a cabo en varios yacimientos localizados en los Lechos I y II han puesto de manifiesto que los homíninos de la Garganta de Olduvai se sirvieron de sendos métodos de talla bipolar y a mano alzada para llevar a cabo sus procesos de reducción del cuarzo. Dada la naturaleza petrográfica del cuarzo y su heterogénea respuesta a Ia fracturación, la identificación de la talla bipolar en un yacimiento dado puede ser ambigua y controvertida. El presente estudio pretende afrontar este problema con el desarrollo de un marco experimental de referencia para el reconocimiento de los rasgos diagnósticos de las lascas producidas a través de la talla, bipolar y a mano alzada de núcleos de cuarzo procedentes de Naibor Soit. El objetivo final de este trabajo es el de servirse de un conjunto de variables relacionadas con la respuesta del cuarzo local de Olduvai a la fractura producida por los modelos de reducción bipolar y a mano alzada, obtenidos a través de dos experimentos controlados independientemente, con el objeto de diferenciar estadísticamente los rasgos tecnológicos diagnósticos que pueden indicar de forma más acertada la presencia de la talla bipolar en este tipo de materia prima.

Type
Articles
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 76 , Issue 4 , October 2011 , pp. 690 - 708
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2011

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