Abstract
Many Paleolithic lithic collections are found in contexts where post-depositional alterations, such as those made by water streams or sedimentary displacement, have affected the surface of most of the lithic artifacts. A major alteration often observed is the rounding of lithic artifacts. Although there have been some proposals on how to classify degrees of roundingâusually by employing naked eye classifications to determine degrees of roundingâthere is a lack of consensus among lithic analysts. The aim of this study is to define and characterize degrees of rounding among lithic artifacts. This characterization also takes into consideration the differential development of alterations and rounding stages, depending on the raw materials. Here, an experimental program has been developed along with supplementary archaeological analysis to define and characterize degrees of rounding. Degrees of rounding are characterized according to three criteria: surface alteration, edge alteration, and width of the ridges. A preliminary characterization and proposal of degrees of rounding is presented. This characterization also takes into consideration the raw materials and the sensibility and resolution of the criteria to establish degrees of rounding. Results show how, after microscopic analysis, lithic artifacts that appear fresh to the naked present different degrees of rounding. The conclusions explain that, although rounding is continuous process, it is possible to establish degrees of rounding, a main initial goal for any lithic analyst.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akoshima, K. (1988). Microflaking quantification. In G. Sieveking & M. Newcomer (Eds.), The human uses of flint and chert: proceedings of the fourth international flint symposium, held at Brighton Polytechnic (pp. 71â79). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Benito-Calvo, A., MartĂnez-Moreno, J., JordĂĄ Pardo, J. F., de la Torre, I., & Mora, R. (2009). Sedimentological and archaeological fabrics in Palaeolithic levels of the south-eastern Pyrenees: Cova Gran and Roca dels Bous sites (Lleida, Spain). Journal of Archaeological Science, 36(11), 2566â2577.
Borrazzo, K. B. (2006). TafonomĂa lĂtica en dunas: una propuesta para el anĂĄlisis de los artefactos lĂticos. Intersecciones en AntropologĂa, 7, 247â261.
Burroni, D., Donahue, R. E., & Pollard, A. M. (2002). The surface alteration features of flint artefacts as a record of environmental processes. Journal of Archaeological Science, 29(11), 1277â1287. https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.2001.0771.
Bustillo, M. Ă., PĂ©rez-JimĂ©nez, J. L., & Bustillo, M. (2012). CaracterizaciĂłn geoquĂmica de rocas sedimentarias formadas por silicificaciĂłn como fuentes de suministro de utensilios lĂticos (Mioceno, cuenca de Madrid). Revista Mexicana de Ciencias GeolĂłgicas, 29(1), 233â247.
Bustos-PĂ©rez, G., & Baena Preysler, J. (2016). Preliminary experimental insights into differential heat impact among lithic artifacts. Journal of Lithic Studies, 3(2), 18. https://doi.org/10.2218/jls.v3i2.1396.
Caro GĂłmez, J. A. (2000). EvoluciĂłn de las industrias Achelenses en las terrazas fluviales del Bajo Guadalquivir (780.000 - 40.000 BP): episodios geomorfolĂłgicos y secuencia PelolĂtica. Spal, 9, 189â207.
Chambers, J. C. (2003). Like a rolling stone? The identification of fluvial transportation damage signatures on secondary context bifaces. Lithics, 24, 66â77.
Chu, W., Thompson, C., & Hosfield, R. (2015). Micro-abrasion of flint artifacts by mobile sediments: a taphonomic approach. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 7(1), 3â11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-013-0157-0.
Cziesla, E., Eickhoff, S., Arts, N., Winter, D., & Fabian, P. (Eds.). (1990). The big puzzle: international symposium on refitting stone artefacts, Monrepos, 1987 (Vol. 1, Studies in Modern Archaeology). Bonn: Holos.
Eren, M. I., Boehm, A. R., Morgan, B. M., Anderson, R., & Andrews, B. (2011). Flaked stone taphonomy: a controlled experimental study of the effects of sediment consolidation on flake edge morphology. Journal of Taphonomy, 9(3), 201â217.
Glauberman, P. J., & Thorson, R. M. (2012). Flint Patina as an aspect of âflaked stone taphonomyâ: a case study from the loess terrain of the Netherlands and Belgium. Journal of Taphonomy, 10(1), 21â43.
GonzĂĄlez-Urquijo, J. E., & Ibåñez-EstĂ©vez, J. J. (2003). The quantification of use-wear polish using image analysis. First results. Journal of Archaeological Science, 30(4), 481â489. https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.2002.0855.
Goren-Inbar, N., Alperson-Afil, N., Sharon, G., & Herzlinger, G. (2018). The Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya âaqov. Volume IV: the lithic assemblages (Vol. IV, Vertebrate paleobiology and paleoanthropology series). Springer.
Grace, R., Graham, I. D., & Newcomer, M. H. (1988). Preliminary investigation into the quantification of wear traces on flint tools. In G. Sieveking & M. Newcomer (Eds.), The human uses of flint and chert: proceedings of the fourth international flint symposium, held at Brighton Polytechnic (pp. 63â69). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Grosman, L., Sharon, G., Goldman-Newman, T., Smikt, O., & Smilansky, U. (2011). Studying post depositional damage on Acheulian bifaces using 3-D scanning. Journal of Human Evolution, 60(4), 398â406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.02.004.
Harding, P., Gibbard, P. L., Lewin, J., Macklin, M. G., & Moss, E. H. (1987). The transport and abrasion of flint handaxes in a gravel-bed river. In G. Sieveking & M. Newcomer (Eds.), The human uses of flint and chert: proceedings of the fourth international flint symposium held at Brighton Polytechnic (pp. 115â126). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hiscock, P. (1985). The need for a taphonomic perspective in stone artefact analysis. Queensland Archaeological Research, 2, 82â95.
Hiscock, P. (2002). Quantifying the size of artefact assemblages. Journal of Archaeological Science, 29(3), 251â258. https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.2001.0705.
Hosfield, R. T. (2011). Rolling stones: understanding river-rolled Paleolithic artifact assemblages. In A. Brown, L. Basell, & K. Butzer (Eds.), Geoarchaeology, climate change, and sustainability (Vol. 476, pp. 37â52, The Geological Society of America Special Paper, Vol. 476).
Hosfield, R. T., & Chambers, J. C. (2003). Flake modifications during fluvial transportation: three cautionary tales. Lithics, 24, 57â65.
Hosfield, R. T., Chambers, J. C., Macklin, M. G., Brewer, P., & Sear, D. (2000). Interpreting secondary context âsitesâ: a role for experimental archaeology. Lithics, 21, 29â35.
Lenoble, A., & Bertran, P. (2004). Fabric of Palaeolithic levels: methods and implications for site formation processes. Journal of Archaeological Science, 31(4), 457â469.
McBrearty, S., Bishop, L., Plummer, T., Dewar, R., & Conard, N. (1998). Human trampling as an agent of lithic artifact edge modification. American Antiquity, 63(1), 108â129.
Mercierca, A. (2000). Burnt and broken: an experimental study of heat fracturing in silcrete. Australian Archaeology, 51(1), 40â47.
Panera Gallego, J., & Rubio Jara, S. (1996). Propuesta de anĂĄlisis tecnomorfolĂłgico para la industria lĂtica del Pleistoceno Medio. Espacio, tiempo y forma. Serie I, Prehistoria y ArqueologĂa, 9, 33â76.
Petraglia, M. D., & Potts, R. (1994). Water flow and the formation of Early Pleistocene artifact sites in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 13(3), 228â254. https://doi.org/10.1006/jaar.1994.1014.
Prost, D.-C. (1993). Nouveaux termes pour une description microscopique des retouches et autres enlĂšvements. Bulletin de la SociĂ©tĂ© PrĂ©historique Française, 90(3), 190â195. https://doi.org/10.3406/bspf.1993.9618.
RottlĂ€nder, R. (1975). The formation of patina on flint. Archaeometry, 17(1), 106â110. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4754.1975.tb00120.x.
Santonja, M., & PĂ©rez-GonzĂĄlez, A. (2001). Lithic artifacts from the lower levels of Ambrona (Spain)âtaphonomic features. In G. Cavaretta, P. Gioia, M. Mussi, & M. R. Palomo (Eds.), The world of elephantsâinternational congress, Rome, 2001 (pp. 592â596). Rome: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.
Shackley, M. S. (1974). Stream abrasion of flint implements. Nature, 248(5448), 501â502.
Vaughan, P. C. (1985). Use-wear analysis of flaked stone tools. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press.
Vermeersch, P. (2001). Middle Paleolithic settlement patterns in West European open-air sites: possibillities and problems. In N. Conard (Ed.), Settlement dynamics of the Middle Paleolithic and the Middle Stone Age (pp. 395â417). TĂŒbingen: Kerns.
Villa, P., & Courtin, J. (1983). The interpretation of stratified sites: a view from underground. Journal of Archaeological Science, 10(3), 267â281.
Wymer, J. (1968). Lower Palaeolithic archaeology in Britain as represented by the Thames Valley. London: John Baker.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the co-editor and the three anonymous reviewers for their invaluable comments and suggestions. This article is the result of the research project HAR2016-76760-C3-2-P âÂżCOMO, QUIEN Y DONDE?: VARIABILIDAD DE COMPORTAMIENTOS EN LA CAPTACION Y TRANSFORMACION DE LOS RECURSOS LITICOS DENTRO DE GRUPOS NEANDERTALES 2â financed by Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciĂłn (AEI) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). The development of the experiment and analysis and of the materials were undertaken at the Laboratory of Experimental Archaeology (UAM). We are thankful to ConcepciĂłn Torres for her advice and suggestions. The authors would also like to thank Scribendi Company for the grammatical revision of the English manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisherâs Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bustos-PĂ©rez, G., DĂaz, S. & Baena, J. An Experimental Approach to Degrees of Rounding Among Lithic Artifacts. J Archaeol Method Theory 26, 1243â1275 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-018-9409-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-018-9409-8