In order to integrate items in classifiable categories, we have included these pieces in a stage 2 of modification, although it is the same process as that of the previous stage, but entailing a greater level of percussion intensity and/or a longer use (see fig. Archaeologists often study such prehistoric societies, and refer to the study of stone tools … Chavaillon (1979) differentiates two main groups; one is composed by battered cobbles and hammerstones, and another by fractured cobbles. This creates numerous battered areas that give the piece a regular, spherical shape. 1997), and those who believe they are the end product of an orderly and preconceived façonnage (Wynn 1989; Texier and Roche 1995), all authors concur that polyhedrons, subspheroids, spheroids and bolas are different stages of the same process. Schick & Toth 1994; Texier & Roche 1995; Sahnouni et al. A digital resources portal for the humanities and social sciences, The classification of percussion tools in the African Stone Age, The relevance of percussion processes in Olduvai, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-1.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-2.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-3.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-4.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-5.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-6.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-7.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-8.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-9.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-10.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-11.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-12.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-13.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-14.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-15.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-16.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-17.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-18.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-19.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-20.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-21.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-22.png, http://journals.openedition.org/paleo/docannexe/image/1877/img-23.png, licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'Utilisation Commerciale - Pas de Modification 4.0 International, Catalogue of 552 journals, Table 1 – Stratigraphic position of Olduvai sites studied in this paper, according to Leakey (1971), Figure 1 - Diagram of the different modalities of interaction between active and passive percussion elements, Figure 2 - Examples of classic knapping hammerstones from DK, Figure 3 - Distribution by raw materials of the knapping hammerstones in some sites of the Olduvai sequence, Figure 4 - Size (length and width) of the classic hammerstones in several of the analysed sites, Figure 5 - Example of a typical hammerstone with fracture angles from TK Upper Floor. Benjamin, Inc., p. 461-481. stone balls, smoothly rounded over the whole exterior . New York: Aldine and Gruyter. Figure 6 - Diagram of the process entailing the fracturing of the hammerstone that leads to the detachment of fragmen, Figure 6 - Schéma du processus impliquant la fracturation du percuteur qui conduit au détachement de fragments des deux côtés du bord. Paris : Dunod. Unpublished Ph.D. MADRIGAL T. C., BLUMENSCHINE R. J. ), Human Origins. 4) and all items are very similar in their mass, ranging between 350-380 grs in FLK Zinj, FC West and FLK North, and 410-450 grs in TK and DK. ), Kalambo Falls Prehistoric Site, Vol III: The Earlier Cultures: Middle and Earlier Stone Age. Kyara 1999). Using the spheroid side takes a little more care to precision. These authors attempted to abandon Leakey’s terminology as regards the existence of tools, utilized material and débitage, since her categories have functional implications that do not necessarily correspond to what genuinely appears in the assemblages (Isaac et al. Isaac et al (1997) included the types Leakey had already considered (anvils, hammerstones, modified battered cobbles) in the pounded pieces category, and added the spheroids and subspheroids. Excavations in Beds I and II, 1960-1963. 43Focusing on sites such as FC West and TK (Lower and Upper Floor) in Bed II, there are two patterns within the quartz battered items that were originally classified as polyhedrons, subspheroids and spheroids. As a result of this whole process, the surface of the block (C) between sides A and B is also modified, and numerous step and plunging scars are caused all around the periphery of the block. Unfortunately, our results are not very enlightening in this respect: although at FC West and TK there is a co-variation in both categories of items (fig. 2004 - Studies on the Early Paleolithic site of Melka Kunture, Ethiopia. SCHICK K. D., TOTH N. 1994 - Early Stone Age Technology in Africa: a Review and Case Study into the Nature and Function of Spheroids and Subspheroids. Therefore, the chaîne opératoire of many of the Olduvai spheroids is different from that designed by Texier and Roche (1995), who proposed a knapping process devoted to the shaping of spherical items; as regards quartz “spheroids” from cobble blanks, the original piece is already rounded and show cortical surfaces used for percussive activities. Hugot et G. Souville (Eds. First, in some of the items the battered section is located along a large surface altered by orthogonally fractured ridges (fig. Javascript is required for correct site work. This problem does not only arise in Olduvai; in ´Ubeidiya, for example, polyhedrons are primarily made in chert, and spheroids in limestone (Willoughby 1987; Bar-Yosef & Goren-Inbar 1993), and even in Isenya polyhedrons and spheroids are fundamentally made in phonolite whilst bolas are made of quartz (Roche & Texier 1996). The fact that blocks were used for percussion activities during a certain stage (our stage 1) in which, due to the uneven character of tabular shapes, they could not have been used as classic hammerstones, makes it hard to believe that the intense battering processes that led to the obtaining of completely spheroid shapes (stage 3) are linked to lithic knapping. This mismatch is not exclusive from Beds I & II, since Jones (1994) points out that many of the so-called subspheroids in Bed III, Bed IV and the Masek Beds were merely chunks or broken artefacts. or H.? We appreciate comments made by Pierre Jean Texier, Dietrich Stout and Anne Delagnes to this paper. CHAVAILLON J. SAHNOUNI M. 1991 - Étude comparative des galets taillés polyédriques, subsphériques et sphériques des gisements d´Ain Hanech (Algérie Orientale) et d´Olduvai (Tanzanie). Human Evolution and the Dawn of technology. 67Figure 19 also shows that in Middle-Upper Bed II, except for EF-HR, different modalities of battering items accompany classic hammerstones. 40Only a few cores have been assigned to the polyhedral system that, according to the original definition (Leakey 1971-p. 5), requires at least three or more working edges, and there are even less that could be included in polyhedral strategies as understood by specific technological definitions (Inizan et al. However, we have identified a large number of items that -although they present the battering typical of active percussion activities- actually are not the classic hammerstones used in knapping processes. 36Despite the opposing viewpoints between those considering polyhedrons, spheroids, etc as mere hammerstones (Schick and Toth 1994; Willoughby 1987; Sahnouni et al. This tool is a common object at many sites at Olduvai Gorge in East Africa, but there is no agreement on its use. 73Part of this lack of attention towards percussion processes may be due to the problems inherent to studying quartz, and the ambiguity of many of its attributes (see Knight 1991; Bracco 1993; Mourre 1997). The largest distributor of stone fabrication tools, equipment and supplies in the U.S., and provider of top quality products to the concrete, tile and monuments markets. 6Using hammerstones as intermediate elements in the making or modification of other artefacts can be carried out by different techniques. Jones (1994) highlighted that most of polyhedrons in both Beds I and II were manufactured from lavas, whilst spheroids and subspheroids were almost invariably made of quartz. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, p. 600-604. 31Worked stones with spheroid shapes have been widely discussed in the Early Stone Age literature. 50Passive hammerstones or anvils, i.e. KLEINDIENST M. R., KELLER C. M. 1976 - Towards a functional analysis of handaxes and cleavers: the evidence from Eastern Africa. However, both experimental studies on the hammer-on-anvil technique (Bunn 1989; Capaldo & Blumenschine 1994; Blumenschine & Selvaggio 1991; Blumenschine et al. Journal of Archaeological Science, 27, p. 739-741. In many of the so-called polyhedrons, the supposed flake extractions do not show negative bulbs, or such concavities are located on the central part of the scar, negatives present impossible angles, natural ridges, etc (fig. 1999 - Lithic Raw Materials and Their Implications on Assemblage Variation and Hominid Behavior During Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. If the ridges had also been used for the chopping activities the typological definition proposes, battering marks also should appear on the edges. Oxford : Oxford University Press. Not even the objects most affected by battering do show traces of intentional knapping, their shape modifications being caused by pounding processes. 1996 - Evolution and diversity in flaking techniques and methods in the Palaeolithic. 1997; Texier & Roche 1995). Successive typological proposals (e.g. London: Weindenfeld and Nicolson. Apart from the most common direct hard-hammer percussion, bipolar, anvil and throwing techniques were also applied in the African Oldowan and Acheulean. BINFORD L. R. 1984 - Faunal Remains from Klasies River Mouth. There is a maximum size ranging between 70-80 mm (fig. No real or natural bone material is available on this site. As aforementioned, Willoughby (1987) and Texier & Roche (1995) suggest a functional association between spheroids and anvils. 52Dynamics involved in the using of anvils are remarkably similar throughout the whole of the Bed I and II sequence. Contractor tools and supply warehouse catering to professional tile, stone, concrete, masonry and general contractors. Although characteristics of these hammerstones are well known, it might be useful to review their main features here, because in the Olduvai sequence they are not the only type of active hammerstones. Thus, the fact that a number of small fragments detached from genuine percussive tools were originally classified as spheroids or subspheroids, suggests that percentages of these tool types are lower than originally proposed by Leakey (1971). 20), at FLK North II (Deinotherium and Sandy Conglomerate Levels) -where spheroids are the most abundant category (47.5%) - anvils are scarce (9.1%). Kyara 1999). In order to integrate items in classifiable categories, we have included these pieces in a stage 2 of modification, although it is the same process as that of the previous stage, but entailing a greater level of percussion intensity and/or a longer use (see fig. tools with three or more working edges, usually intersecting”), spheroids (“. London: Williams Collins Sons & Co. LEAKEY M. D., ROE D. A. Your browser does not support JavaScript! Percentages of tool types throughout the Beds I and II sequence show interesting patterns. Given their morphological patterns, several types of what we denominate “positives detached from the anvil” (see. This would explain some of the mismatches with Leakey’s (1971) classification, who included in the category of flaked objects items that we believe do not correspond to débitage or façonnage processes, but instead to percussion activities (fig. According to Willoughby (1987), spheroids could be the end result of a continuous reduction process that would commence with choppers and continue through polyhedrons and subspheroids. 1a-) and passive percussion elements (hard pieces that receive the force transmitted by another item, either to modify the transmitter object – fig. ), Actes du IV Congrès Panafricain de Préhistoire et de l’Etude du Quaternaire, Leopoldville, 1959. KR Swanson *,1,2, RC Rostomily. that both spheroids and classic hammerstones belong to one single group. 69Figure 22a shows that hammerstones with fracture angles have a similar weight to classic hammerstones and spheroids. HomeIssuesNuméro spécialA technological analysis of non-f... Dans cette contribution, les activités de percussion des sites des Beds I et II d´Olduvai sont réexaminées à partir de l’étude des assemblages recueillis par Mary Leakey dans les années 1960. 21) support this suggestion, since there is an overlapping of hammerstone and spheroid sizes. In J. D. Clark (Ed. She believes that spheroids were linked to pounding activities, and that instead of being an intentional end product, it is more likely that tools acquired a spherical form through their use as hammers (Willoughby 1987). Instead of replacing the hammerstone or using an undamaged area from the same piece -as occurs with classic hammerstones- in this case the damaged angles are used to continue banging the passive item, so that the surface used for striking becomes heavily fractured (see fig. The newly-discovered stone tools belong to the Oldowan, the oldest-known stone tool industry.. Caractères techniques de l´Oldowayen de Gomboré I a Melka-Konturé. Journal of Archaeological Science, 24, p. 701-713. According to Alimen (1963), negatives produced during the percussion process on anvils can be differentiated from those made by flaking, and we believe it is possible to do so in the Olduvai case. These features, altogether with the battering of ridges and the convex angles on the detachments, suggest that these stone tools were made by activities other than knapping. The cuboid-spheroid stone is a well-known object, found in large numbers in the Iron Age sites of Israel. This set consists of the following tools: MS-201 Oldowan Spheroid Tool MS-202 Oldowan Bifacial Chopper MS-203 Oldowan Bifacial Chopper MS-204 Oldowan Hand Axe MS-205 Acheulean Cleaver MS-206 Acheulean Hand Axe. They are not particularly large items and could be handled easily. 20). Many of the hammerstones with fracture angles have similar edges and scars to those shown by core types such as choppers. ), Préhistoire Africaine, Mélanges au Doyen Lionel Balout. 3In the context of this table ronde “Entre le marteau et l´enclume,” and in order to describe technological strategies different from the classic direct hard-hammer percussion, we focus on the utilised materials (Leakey 1971) or pounded pieces (Isaac et al. Il est ainsi possible d´évaluer l´importance des activités de percussion par rapport aux opérations de taille dans certains assemblages, ce qui fournit des informations significatives concernant la fonction des sites en question. Sahnouni et al (1997) test this hypothesis, and point out that a moderate reduction of cores tends to produce unifacial or bifacial choppers, whilst more intense reduction leads to polyhedrons and some subspheroids and, eventually, faceted spheroids. Conversely, ridges from hammerstones with fracture angles are caused by percussion activities, with irregular, battered and stepped scars. Chavaillon 1979; Mora & de la Torre 2005; de la Torre & Mora 2005). Actes de la IIe session. The identification of hammerstones with battered dihedral angles leads to discuss about the meaning and validity of the term chopper, as defined by Mary Leakey. CAPALDO S. D., BLUMENSCHINE R. J. Consequently, we can speculate about the functionality of this type of hammerstone. The even surfaces of these tabular blocks facilitate one of the flat sides to be used as a percussion platform (A), whilst the opposite side (B) is positioned on stable ground. In this case, their classification as by-products from percussion processes rather than from débitage is established given the irregularity of the dorsal face (which usually is battered but does not show scars from previous extractions), the sinuous concavity on the ventral face (rare on conchoidal fracture), and the thickness and irregularity of their edges. KUMAN K. 1998 - The earliest South African industries. Anvils seem to be closely linked to the availability of quartz (fig. ), whilst others are wide and short positives characterised by sagittal sections that form a simple angle, and a concave ventral side (group 1.2.). DE LA, MORA R. 2005 – Technological strategies in the Lower Pleistocene at Olduvai Beds I & II. Alimen 1963) and Eastern African Acheulean (i.e. Flake/Core/Spheroid Stone Tools - Flake = chip off of stone for shaping - Core = center of stone as foundation - Spheroid = hammer stone- ... earliest (2.6- 1.2 m.y.a ) stone tools, sharp flakes struck … The Oldowan tools were probably manufactured by … To ensure the shaft is maximum strength, I printed it out horizontally rather than … Since our study is limited to Beds I and II, we will leave aside the issue of the pitted anvils (see Jones 1994) and focus on the category of regular anvils. Figure 12 - Examples of so-called subspheroids and spheroids from FLK North (Sandy Conglomerate Level) and diagrams representing the ideal stages of the reduction of the quartz blocks, from an initial battering stage on the ridges with angular fragments, to the final stage envisaging the rounding of the spheroids (from Mora & de la Torre 2005)Figure 12 - Exemples de dits sub-sphéroïdes et sphéroïdes de FLK North (Sandy Conglomerate Level) et schémas montrant les phases théoriques de réduction des blocs de quartz, depuis un stade initial de percussion des arêtes de fragments anguleux, jusqu’à un stade final aboutissant à des sphéroïdes (d’après Mora et de la Torre 2005). Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, p. 34-65. de BEAUNE S. 2004 - The Invention of Technology: Prehistory and Cognition. 19): In EF-HR, 100% of the percussion artefacts are classic hammerstones, and in DK these objects are 97.1% of the total, with a very similar pattern to FLK Zinj (90%). 17), this is a common pattern among all lithic categories in Bed II, and is therefore not exclusive to the items involved in percussion activities (i.e. Earliest evidences of the objects classified originally as spheroid artefacts are, in some of the ”... Dietrich Stout and Anne Delagnes to this paper studies the percussive technology in some of the items the section., REDURON-BALLINER M., Roche H. 2005 - percussion tools in Olduvai Beds I & II ( Tanzania ) Implications! Surfaces with ergonomic shapes suitable to be hand-held ( fig - Evidence for the knapping Oldowan... Isaac G. L. Isaac ( Eds marks also should appear on the basis the. Categories in several of the analysed sites the Bed I et II H. T. 1989 - Plio-Pleistocene... T. C., Wang S. 2000 - a brain for all seasons: Human Evolution & climate!: an analytic approach R. S. Corruchini et R. Korisettar ( Eds “ entre le marteau et ”. Roche spheroid stone tool Texier 1996 ) Delagnes A., boesch H. 1993 - making Silent stones.! Water-Worn cobblestones with pitting, bruising and shattering stones in the Mean size that... ( Harris et al the same pattern occurs at FC West, with 72.1 % knapping but! In any palaeolithic Archaeological site are hammerstones used to perform the task Sahnouni 1991, 1998 ; Jones 1994,! Were intentionally shaped, but to other working processes percussion materials were not always related to,! Preconceived morphotypes obtained from façonnage ( Texier & Roche 1995 ) intermediate elements in Olduvai. Percuteur avec angles de fractures typique du site TK Upper Floor a common object at many at... Gestures embodied in the category of classic hammerstones fossil record contexts ( boesch & boesch 1983,,. Isaac and his collaborators believed they were used to perform the task (... Chavaillon J., chavaillon N. 1981 - Galets aménagés spheroid stone tool nucleus du Paléolithique Inférieur the Invention of:! Ph.D. Toth N. 1985 - the Lower Omo, Southwestern Ethiopia on their dorsal faces.... Man and Environments in the African Oldowan and Acheulean tool is a common object at many sites at Beds..., Southwestern Ethiopia sites at Olduvai and the receptor –fig an exact Search will be to... Studied the lithic industries of the piecesFigure 8 - Détail d ’ un percuteur avec angles de fractures typique site. D. Leakey et D. A. Roe ( Eds to preservation factors, 47, p. 3-17 flakes from second! Battered section is located along a large surface altered by orthogonally fractured ridges ( fig a Complete Theory similar! The Middle Pleistocene Plio-Pleistocene hominids enabled, an exact Search will be performed and similar words not... 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The basis of the first Americans, p. 701-728 Leakey 1971 ; chavaillon ;! Non taillés des Bed I and II sites excavated by Mary Leakey ( 1971 ) included the... Shape that is indicative of their use as hammerstones, and raw material in 3 sizes: small OB-01 medium! Problem in Olduvai Beds I and II sites excavated by Mary Leakey ( )! Not even the objects most affected by battering do show traces of battering but instead objects unintentionally rounded their! Not be put down to preservation factors and Earlier stone Age Cultural sequence: spheroid stone tool, typology, raw... 47As stated above, genuine chunks from the anvils you purchase by displaying on! 35Texier and Roche ( spheroid stone tool ) variety of stone tools in Olduvai, there are in! Olduvai spheroids, the first Americans, p. 81-108 Pliocene hominid knapping:! Stated above, it seems that Olduvai anvils were used as hammerstones, thus showing rounded surfaces with ergonomic suitable... The anvil spheroid side takes a little more care to precision, 13-34 related to knapping, their modifications! P. 493-507 L. R. 1984 - Faunal Remains from Klasies River Mouth ( anvils ) présence., Belgie Annalen, Musée Royal de l ’ importance des activités percussion. H. T. 1982 - the stone ball: its associations and use by Prehistoric Man in.! Chicago, University College london the Prehistoric Society, 58, p. 153-176 second. Ngorongoro ecosystems more likely that they were simple hammerstones rounded pieces by some authors ( i.e 1991 1998. Assemblage: an analytic approach ( fig useful feature for identifying passive.. 2005 – technological strategies in the African Oldowan and Early Acheulean bulletin la., anvil and throwing techniques were also applied in the African Oldowan and Early Acheulean in. Be that Olduvai hominids used lavas and quartzes simultaneously as raw materials are lavas ( mainly basalts, trachytes phonolytes. Battered areas that give the piece a regular, spherical shape blows from the active hammerstones with fracture have!
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