Measuring Reduction Intensity in Laminar Cores: An Experimental Approach and Archaeological Application

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Reduction intensity analysis plays a key role in understanding the formation of lithic assemblages and the occupation patterns of Paleolithic sites. Furthermore, technological variability and core classifications can be better understood if the diachronic component of the reduction is taken into consideration. The Volumetric Reconstruction Method (VRM), developed by one of us (DL), has allowed to explore the technological behaviors of hominins in early contexts such as Gran Dolina in Sierra de Atapuerca (Spain). Here, we present a variation of the VRM specifically designed to assess the reduction intensity of laminar cores. In order to test the accuracy of this adaptation, we designed a sequential experiment that consisted in knapping several nodules following the reduction strategies described in the early Upper Paleolithic record. We recorded all stages of the reduction sequence using a 3D-scanner and compared the results obtained through the VRM with other approaches such as the Scar Density Index, the angles between core surfaces or the percentage of non-cortical surfaces. The good inferential potential of the methods allowed us to investigate core reduction intensity in the Protoaurignacian assemblage from Fumane Cave (Italy) to address raw material management strategies and technological behaviors at the onset of the Upper Paleolithic.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36490.0