The emergence and significance of heavy-duty scrapers in ancient stone toolkits L’émergence et la signification des heavy-duty scrapers dans les assemblages lithiques archaïques (original) (raw)

2018, Comptes Rendus Palevol

Heavy-duty scrapers are documented as a specific morphotype in ancient African andEurasian toolkits from the Oldowan into the Acheulian. They are characterized by a flatplatform perpendicularly oriented to a carinated edge. The convex surface of that edge dis-plays semi-peripheral, unidirectional removals associated with steep retouch and/or crushmarks. This morphotype has been described from numerous sites covering a long temporalscale and are diversely referred to in French as “rostro-carénés” or “nucléus-racloirs” andin English as “massive scrapers”, “core scrapers”, “large scrapers”, or “heavy end-scrapers”.Morpho-technological definitions and interpretations are reviewed to track the origin andevolution of heavy-duty scrapers over time and space. Results show that tools referred to asheavy-duty scrapers were made on thick cobbles during the Oldowan, and later, at the onsetof the Acheulian, on Large Flakes, while smaller-sized items in Late Acheulian sites assumeend-scraper morphologies. But should all of these tools really be grouped under a singledenomination? Experimental work explores whether heavy-duty scrapers are the result ofknapping processes, or if their morphology could be derived from other kinds of activities.Chronological continuity of the attributes specific to heavy-duty scrapers points to theirrole in ancient toolkits, suggesting that these scarce but ubiquitous primitive implementsare, on equal footing with chopper-cores, one of the oldest morphotypes in the world.© 2017 Acad´emie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.