Variability of the rebound hardness as a proxy for detecting the levels of continuity and isotropy in archaeological quartz (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Archaeological …, 2010
Despite its worldwide use as a stone tool raw material, quartz is known to be a difficult material for archaeologists. The main reason for this is the tendency of quartz flakes to fragment during detachment, which complicates the use of traditional lithic analyses. In this article we present an experimental study of quartz flake fragmentation. We evaluate the method called fracture analysis that has been developed and used explicitly for the study of quartz assemblages. The method assumes high predictability of quartz flake fragmentation, but our experiments show that there is significant variation in fragmentation that fracture analysis does not take into account. Our results indicate that this variation is partly explained by indenter hardness, the relative thickness of the detached flake, as well as individual knapper-related factors. These results undermine the applicability of quartz fracture analysis in its current form. In addition, we discuss the effects of flake fragmentation on the technological organisation of prehistoric quartz users and suggest that it has affected reduction strategies as well as blank and tool dimensions. We also suggest that there should be mobility-related differences in archaeological assemblages in terms of the quality of the quartz raw material and that the curation of quartz should be low in relation to better quality raw materials used parallel with it.
The characterization of sedimentary quartzite artefacts from
2012
This work presents an extensive characterization study of quartzitic tools from different Mesolithic sites in Belgium (with several sites in the vicinity of Tienen). Their properties are compared with those of natural outcrops, i.e. the Wommersom and Tienen quartzite and a third unknown variety. Therefore, a detailed petrographical and geochemical study is performed by means of optical microscopy, point counting, image analysis, scanning electron microscopy, hot-cathodoluminescence microscopy, inductively coupled plasma -optical emission spectrometry and portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. It is shown that the geological samples of the sedimentary quartzite varieties can be distinguished based on their texture and composition. The results of the grain size distribution indicate that there is a clear contrast between the fine-grained Wommersom quartzite versus the much coarser-grained Tienen quartzite. On the other hand, the concentrations of the chemical elements zirconium, titanium and iron show a difference between the three quartzite varieties, with the aid of discriminant function analysis. These criteria are applied to a number of archaeological artefacts showing that most of the investigated samples are composed of the fine-grained Wommersom quartzite. The provenance of the more coarser-grained artefacts is still unknown.
The Scar Identification of Lithic Quartz Industries
Quartz is one of the main raw materials used by prehistoric communities from the Lower Palaeolithic to the Holocene. There have been difficulties in developing a proper technological analysis on this material proved difficult due to low morphological standardisation of the products, predominantly caused by the application of analytical criteria commonly used for flint (i.e. ringcracks, ripple marks and bulbs). Furthermore in classical typological studies, quartz is usually considered as a secondary lithic source and linked to opportunistic and simplistic knapping strategies. An experimental approach and archaeological comparison facilitates the identification of several types of knapping scars on quartz blanks. These can identify the impact points of the hammerstones and removal direction, allowing a correct technical analysis. In addition, the scars (radial fissures and fractures) are closely related to the petrological characteristics of quartz, its formation processes, morphostructural varieties and flaking mechanics. The technological analysis of quartz along these criteria has permitted the identification of different reduction strategies, showing a greater variability and complexity in the management of this type of lithic raw material.
Quaternary International, 2016
The evaluation of the state of preservation of archaeological lithic artefacts is the first step before starting a functional analysis. If lithic artefacts show a variety of damage from many contact materials, they are also subject to modifications from “natural” causes, such as water transport, soil abrasion, trampling etc. Studying alteration features gives us information to reconstruct the life story of lithic tools after their abandonment and helps us to better understand formation processes of archaeological sites. Prolonged movements under soil could be responsible for post depositional surface modifications that sometimes look like wear traces due to use. These alterations could have chemical and/or mechanical origin. Recognizing them is of paramount importance especially on quartz assemblages where usewear analysis requires a long and complex methodology that differs to a certain extent from the protocol applied to other artefacts produced with different raw materials such as flint, obsidian etc … For this reason, the use wear and post-depositional surface modification analysis on quartz and quartzite tools have been undertaken by very few researchers until now. The aim of this paper is to increase the experimental quartz field through the attempt to recreate mechanical contact between quartz flakes and sediments such as in archaeological contexts. Through the use of a Polishing Machine MECAPOL P320 equipped with two counter-rotating platens, it was possible to wear out two experimental flakes in a sandy quartzite sediment coming from Sai Island (Sudan) for 240 h. After the experimentation, the two flakes showed no edge damage or other visible modifications, but some micro traces on the crystal surface were present. Although long and demanding, this step sharply reduces possible errors in the recognition of use-wear during the experimental stage. The micro traces definable as abrasions on some parts of the crystal surface, have been analysed by a metallographic microscope and compared with the same crystal portion taken before the experiment. Even if it is difficult to reconstruct post depositional processes in a laboratory, this attempt shows that the contact between sediment and stone tools in a continuous movement can randomly abrade the crystal surface.
2022
This book is a translation of the original German edition "Methoden zur Analyse von Steinartefakten" by Tafelmaier, Yvonne, published by Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH in 2020. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation. Springer Nature works continuously to further the development of tools for the production of books and on the related technologies to support the authors. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Vein Quartz In Lithic Traditions: An Analysis Based on Experimental Archaeology
2010
Worldwide, vein quartz was a commonly used raw material for stone tools but this material has proved difficult for archaeologists to analyse because many quartz assemblages appear to be comprised of amorphous pieces, not easily recognised as humanly modified or forming ‘tools’. This paper discusses the analysis of the debitage – focusing on the debitage fragmentation rate, the debitage, break, and fragment types, and the quantitative analysis of the complete flakes – resulting from experimental knapping of quartz, which formed part of a project which investigated the use of quartz in Irish prehistoric lithic traditions. The results have highlighted the complexity involved in analysing quartz assemblages, and the significant differences between the debitage products of quartz and chert knapping assemblages. While bipolar knapping is generally easy to differentiate from direct percussion, it is harder to differentiate between soft and hard hammer percussion.
The aim of this work is to contribute to the development of a use-wear analysis methodological framework on quartz and quartzite industries. After illustrating the main steps of the analysis, a small part is dedicated to archaeological application on a specimen from the site of Coudulous I (France). The difference lies in the different structure of quartz and quartzite, and in their response to mechanical stress. To understand the behaviour of quartz subjected to mechanical forces originated by its use on various materials (wood, horn, bone and meat), it is essential to create a comparative collection established by the experimental protocol and obtained from a series of tests by controlled parameters. This preliminary step is essential in order to comprehend and identify use-wear traces on archaeological material, which will be compared by analogy with the experimental ones. In the study of use-wear traces, tribochemistry provides us with the guidelines to understand their formatio...
Lithic Technology, 2021
Quartz artefacts are common components of flaked stone assemblages worldwide. However, flaked quartz can appear similar to quartz fractured by natural and other (non-flaking) cultural processes. Despite attempts to address this “quartz problem”, the analysis and interpretation of flaked quartz assemblages remain problematic. Here we present a review of literature investigating the quartz problem, and a case study that examines an experimentally flaked assemblage – including the presence of “markers” widely reported to be diagnostic of knapped quartz. The results suggest that freehand knapping of a vein quartz block will produce mostly shatter and small, undiagnostic pieces with few artifacts exhibiting previously suggested markers. An integrated approach, considering physical features of individual quartz pieces, along with assemblage composition, characteristics and context more broadly, is therefore crucial. The dataset created for this study is freely available, providing the first example of an open-access dataset to aid study of flaked quartz assemblages worldwide.
Complex Comparative Tests on Historic Stone
International Journal of Heritage in the Digital Era, 2012
This paper presents an abbreviated review of the potential capacities of the project on Non-destructive and Considerately (Medium) Destructive Methods for Testing Historic Stone, developed within the 7 th EC FP STONECORE project. These methods include ultrasonic tests, peeling tests, drilling resistance and water uptake by various approaches. The material characteristics acquired by means of these methods are compared with the characteristics measured by destructive standard tests, and the observed correlations are discussed.
Quartz morphostructural groups and their mechanical implications
… e Naturalista, Annali dell'Università degli …, 2008
Quartz is one of the main raw materials used by the prehistoric communities from the Lower Paleolithic to the Neolithic. Due to the low morphological standardization of the products, traditional typological studies have usually rated quartz as a secondary lithic source and linked it to opportunistic and little complex strategies. Our research shows that quartz petrological features and formation processes are closely related with the morphostructural varieties and the mechanics of flaking.