EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS ON SOME NON-OPTIMAL MATERIALS FROM SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA

NAMI, H. G.

Honolulu, Hawai

Simposio; 78th Annual Meeting of the Society for American. Archaeology (SAA); 2013

Society for American Archaeology

Historically, lithic analysis and studies were based on the attributes and characteristics on artifacts derived from flint and/or flint-like materials. However, during the last decades, emphasis has been put on another rocks used for manufacturing stones tools; among other, quartzite, quartz and other rocks with diverse fractures. Over the years, a number of experiments using varied flaking techniques and strategies were conducted in the Americas. In this endeavor diverse non flint-like materials were used to replicate varied core and bifacial reduction strategies. Among others, crystal quartz as well varied acid and black volcanic rocks were flaked. The experimental observations allowed observing that several show subtle but different flaking qualities as well formal macroscopic attributes on the resulting products and by-products. Then, this paper presents and discusses some flaking qualities and attributes observed on some non flint-like materials from South America.