Flaked Lithic Debitage

Part of the Dolores Archaeological Program project

Creator(s): Carl J. Phagan

Year: 1985

Summary

The Reductive Technologies Group (RTG) was responsible for supporting the broad research goals of the DAP through the implementation of a mid-level research design governing the collection and analysis of data from “artifacts which were manufactured by reductive, or subtractive techniques” (Phagan 1986a:79). Independent datasets for each of the four preliminary analysis systems reflect the technological distinctions made between flaked lithic tools (FLT10a and FLT10b); the debitage created in their manufacture (DEBTG10); modes of tool production incorporating pecked, polished, or ground techniques (NFLT10, MANO10, and METAT10); and finally, culturally modified bone and shell (WBONE20). The RTG defines debitage as "the residual lithic material from the controlled manufacture of lithic tools by flaking" (Phagan and Hruby 1984:64). A distinction was drawn between angular debris produced in the early stages of lithic reduction, usually from irregularities or weaknesses in the lithic material and flakes and flake fragments exhibiting “expressions of various kinds or degrees of control over the fracture process” (Phagan and Hruby 1984:67). Owing to the difficulty of consistently differentiating angular debitage produced in a cultural system from naturally occurring chunks or fragments, the RTG gave little interpretive value to this class of debitage (Phagan and Hurby 1984:65-67). Their count and weight were totaled for each field specimen number and in most cases these items have not been included in statistical analysis. Flakes and flake fragments are unique examples of debitage in that they “display one of several possible characteristic ventral or inner fracture surface configurations, and/or a recognizable locus of force application at the margin of that surface” (Phagan and Hruby 1984:67). Since it was anticipated that grain-size categories were well suited for making inferences about tool production and maintenance from debitage-to-tool comparisons, flakes and flake fragments from a single field specimen number were divided into four grain-size groups prior to analysis. Variables therefore represent summed values for a single lot of these items.

Variables for the flaked-lithic debitage dataset have been described by Wilshusen et al. (1999); see especially the section "Flaked Lithic Artifacts" by Sarah B. Barber in chapter 3. In most cases, her descriptions are suitable for use as metadata and have been repeated almost verbatim here. See also Chapter 11, "Technology: Lithic Tools," by Carl Phagan, in the Final Synthetic Report. Selected resources from the collection of published and unpublished DAP reports may have been used for clarification in some cases and will be appropriately referenced.

Cite this Record

Flaked Lithic Debitage. Carl J. Phagan. 1985 ( tDAR id: 6145) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8MC8XXT

Data Set Structure

Measurement Column
Count Column
Coded Column
Filename Column
Integration Column (has Ontology)

Table Information: dap-debtg10

Column Name Data Type Type Category Coding Sheet Ontology Search
medwfn This variable specifies the total number of complete medium-grained flakes assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
fgno This variable indicates the total number of fine-grained flakes and flake fragments for each field specimen number in a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
nonlocl For each field specimen number within a site, this variable indicates the total number of flakes and flake fragments derived from non-local materials.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
totalcor This variable likely indicates the total number of flakes and flake fragments with cortex, assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
totalwfn This variable likely indicates the total number of complete flakes assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
vfgwfn This variable specifies the total number of complete very fine-grained flakes assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
vfgcor This variable specifies the total number of very fine-grained flakes and flake fragments with cortex, assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
totalno This variable likely indicates the total number of flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
totalwt This variable likely indicates the total weight of all flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Measurement (gram) Chipped Stone : Weight none none true
vfgno This variable specifies the total number of very fine-grained flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
ssno The special specimen number values are assigned sequentially within each site to indicate items recovered as isolated finds, or while processing samples such as bulk soil collections.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
site Site number refers only to the sequential position of a site within a single Smithsonian state and county designation. To obtain a full site number for any entry, this value must be appended to the Smithsonian state and county designation.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Horizontal Location none none true
vfgwt This variable indicates the total weight of all very fine-grained flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Chipped Stone : Weight none none true
medcor This variable indicates the total number of medium-grained fakes and flake fragments with cortex, assigned to each field specimen number within a site. In some cases, raw material flaws on the ventral surface of a flake were identified as cortex to indicate a condition that may have affected the fracture process.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
angno Indicates the total number of pieces of angular debitage for each field specimen number in a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
medwt This variable specifies the total weight of all medium-grained flakes assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Measurement (gram) Chipped Stone : Weight none none true
angwt Indicates the total weight of angular debitage for each field specimen number in a site.
BIGINT  Measurement (gram) Chipped Stone : Weight none none true
medno This variable specifies the total number of medium-grained flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
fgcor This variable indicates the total number of fine-grained flakes and flake fragments with cortex for each field specimen number in a site. In some cases, raw material flaws on the ventral surface of a flake were identified as cortex to indicate a condition that may have affected the fracture process.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
fgwt This variable indicates the total weight of all fine-grained flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen in a site.
BIGINT  Measurement (gram) Chipped Stone : Weight none none true
micrwfn This variable indicates the total number of complete microscopic-grained flakes assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
micrcor This variable specifies the total number of microscopic-grained flakes and flake fragments with cortex assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
fgwfn This variable indicates the total number of complete fine-grained flakes assigned to each field specimen number in a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
microno This variable indicates the total number of microscopic-grained flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Count Chipped Stone : Count none none true
microwt This variable indicates the total weight of all microscopic-grained flakes and flake fragments assigned to each field specimen number within a site.
BIGINT  Measurement (gram) Chipped Stone : Weight none none true
caccnid The Anasazi Heritage Center has given each specimen three unique codes, including caccnid, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. The first digits of this value indicate the year that it was accessioned.
DOUBLE  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
catno A unique catalog item number used by the RTG, for identification in the laboratory.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
cdept The Anasazi Heritage Center has given each specimen three unique codes, including cdept, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. This variable specifies the tool department to which each record belongs.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
csiteid The Anasazi Heritage Center has given each specimen three unique codes, including csiteid, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. This variable denotes the entry's corresponding Smithsonian site number.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Horizontal Location none none true
stco To obtain a full site designation for any entry, append the Smithsonian site number to this variable.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Horizontal Location none none true
cobjectid The Anasazi Heritage Center has given each specimen three unique codes, including cobjectid, to facilitate management of their DAP collections. Since this variable is used in association with the AHC ARGUS database for tracking the location of a record, it is important for any researcher requesting objects from the curator.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true
pl The point location variable is a subdivision of the field specimen number that denotes an item or group of items of a significant type and/or context.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Provenience and Context : Context none none true
sstype The special specimen type indicates whether items were recovered as isolated finds, or while processing samples such as bulk soil collections.
VARCHAR  Uncoded Value Lookup : Description none none true
fs The most basic type of provenience data recorded for all information obtained during DAP fieldwork is the field specimen number. These values are sequentially assigned to unique vertical and horizontal locations within each site.
BIGINT  Uncoded Value Lookup : Code none none true

Spatial Coverage

min long: -108.59; min lat: 37.47 ; max long: -108.5; max lat: 37.57 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contributor(s): T. Homer Hruby; Gail G. Snyder; Phillip D. Neusius

Lab Director(s): Roger A. Moore; Carl J. Phagan

Source Collections

DAP collections are curated at the Anasazi Heritage Center, Dolores, CO.

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
dap-debtg10.csv 3.00mb Jul 30, 2012 2:44:25 PM Public