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The Measurement and Interpretation of Cortex in Lithic Assemblages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Harold L. Dibble ,
Utsav A. Schurmans ,
Radu P. Iovita  and
Michael V. McLaughlin
Harold L. Dibble
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Utsav A. Schurmans
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Radu P. Iovita
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Michael V. McLaughlin
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Abstract

Cortex is often used as an indicator of core reduction and transport, but current measures to evaluate the observed amount of cortex in a lithic assemblage with what might be expected under particular conditions are still ambiguous. The purpose of the present study is to develop and evaluate an alternative method based on solid geometry. This method is evaluated with an experimentally produced assemblage, and implications of its application to archaeological assemblages are presented and discussed.

Résumé

Résumé

La corteza se utiliza a menudo como indicador de la reducción del núcleo y el transporte de lítica. Sin embargo, las medidas actuales para evaluar la cantidad de corteza en un conjunto lítico contra lo que se pudiera esperar bajo ciertas condiciones siguen siendo ambiguas. El propósito del presente estudio es desarrollar y evaluar un método alternativo basado en geometría sólida. Este método se evalúa con un ensamble producido experimentalmente. Las implicaciones de su uso en conjuntos arqueológicos se presentan y se discuten.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 70 , Issue 3 , July 2005 , pp. 545 - 560
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2005

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