Use-wear characteristics of the obsidian experimental artifacts

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2024.0023

Abstract

Abstract:

In order to completely understand the use-wear of obsidian lithic artifacts under Dark and Bright Field, the utilization experiments of obsidian were carried out on various processed material, such as meat, hide, gramineous plants, wood, bone, antler and ochre. Four items were recorded: micro-scarrings, abrasion, striation, and polish. Various of use wear patterns have be concluded in this project, including: 1) Smooth, continuous polish and sleek striation, related to hide work. 2) Rolled-over micro-scarrings, continuous and bright polish, associated with processing gramineous plants. 3) Rolled-over micro-scarrings, rough polish with comet-like pits, and intermittent striations, associated with wood work. 4) Continuous micro-scarrings with hinged and stepped termination, caused by contacting with bone and antler work. 5) Fern-like striations without polish, associated with processing non-organic material. 5) Metal luster, associated with processing ochre.

The effect of processed material, edge angle, action and processing time on microwear patterns were also discussed. The results showed that: 1) The hardness of processed material had great effect on the microwear patterns. With the hardness increasing, the size of micro-scarrings became larger; the abrasion and polish on the ridges grew from smooth to rough; and the striation changed from sleek form to intermittent or rough-bottomed form. 2) The angles of lithic artifact edge and actions also mattered. When cutting with thin-edged tools, discontinuous polish and strong striations will be formed. The striation are always parallel to or oblique to the ridge. While scraping with thick-edged tools, continuous polish and weak striations will be formed. The striations are perpendicular to the ridge. 3) The length of processing had a weak effect on use wear patterns. Various typical microwear patterns were developed in a very short time.

The microwear patterns of obsidian and flint were compared briefly in this study. The results indicated that obsidian and flint share same wear patterns on samples which were used for processing hide, gramineous plants, wood and ochre. However, the wear pattern of bone and antler work have great difference between obsidian and flint.

This paper identified different obsidian use-wear patterns about various processed materials and compared the patterns with the results of other scholars. The results are reproducible and consistent with the conclusion of Hurcombe and and other scholars. The data will support the further research on the function of archaeological obsidian lithic artifacts and the subsistence strategies of hunter-gatherers in Northeastern and Xizang region in China.

Key words: obsidian, experimental archaeology, microwear, polish

CLC Number:

K876.2

LI Yao, CHEN Hong, XU Ting. Use-wear characteristics of the obsidian experimental artifacts[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2024, 43(05): 727-743.

Figures/Tables 9

References 38

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标本号ID	类型Type	刃角Edge angle	硬度Hardness	材料Materials	动作Action	阶段时长Times(min)
001	琢背小刀	36	软性	猪肉	切	10, 15
002	端刮器	76	软性	鞣制麂皮	刮	5, 10, 20, 30
003	琢背小刀	49	软性	鞣制麂皮	切	10
004	琢背小刀	31	软性	干狗尾草	切	5, 10, 20, 30, 40
005	端刮器	76	中性	鲜柞木	刮	5, 10, 20, 30
006	琢背小刀	33	中性	鲜柞木	切	5, 10, 20, 30
007	琢背小刀	34	中性	干柞木	切	5, 10, 20, 30
008	琢背小刀	23	中性	干柞木	刮	5
009	端刮器	72	中性	干柞木	刮	10, 20, 30
010	琢背小刀	45	硬性	鲜猪肩胛骨	切	5, 10, 20, 30
011	刮削器	41	硬性	干牛骨	切	5, 10
012	端刮器	89	硬性	干牛骨	刮	5, 10, 20, 30, 40
013	琢背小刀	41	特硬性	鹿角	切	10
014	端刮器	70	特硬性	鹿角	刮	5, 10, 20, 30
015	刮削器	89	特硬性	赭石	刮	5
016	琢背小刀	20	多种物质	鲜猪肩胛骨	肢解剔肉	15
017	刮削器	84	特硬性	石锤	硬锤修理	0.16
018	刮削器	65	特硬性	石锤	修磨刃缘	0.16, 1
019	端刮器	68	特硬性	砂岩	磨制	20
020	石片	46	软性	皮革	切	20
021	琢背小刀	45	软性	干狗尾草	切	20
022	石片	62	中性	干柞木	刮	20
023	琢背小刀	70	硬性	干牛骨	刮	20
024	琢背小刀	55	特硬性	鹿角	切	20
025	刮削器	82	特硬性	赭石	刮	5

标本号ID	类型Type	刃角Edge angle	硬度Hardness	材料Materials	动作Action	阶段时长Times(min)
001	琢背小刀	36	软性	猪肉	切	10, 15
002	端刮器	76	软性	鞣制麂皮	刮	5, 10, 20, 30
003	琢背小刀	49	软性	鞣制麂皮	切	10
004	琢背小刀	31	软性	干狗尾草	切	5, 10, 20, 30, 40
005	端刮器	76	中性	鲜柞木	刮	5, 10, 20, 30
006	琢背小刀	33	中性	鲜柞木	切	5, 10, 20, 30
007	琢背小刀	34	中性	干柞木	切	5, 10, 20, 30
008	琢背小刀	23	中性	干柞木	刮	5
009	端刮器	72	中性	干柞木	刮	10, 20, 30
010	琢背小刀	45	硬性	鲜猪肩胛骨	切	5, 10, 20, 30
011	刮削器	41	硬性	干牛骨	切	5, 10
012	端刮器	89	硬性	干牛骨	刮	5, 10, 20, 30, 40
013	琢背小刀	41	特硬性	鹿角	切	10
014	端刮器	70	特硬性	鹿角	刮	5, 10, 20, 30
015	刮削器	89	特硬性	赭石	刮	5
016	琢背小刀	20	多种物质	鲜猪肩胛骨	肢解剔肉	15
017	刮削器	84	特硬性	石锤	硬锤修理	0.16
018	刮削器	65	特硬性	石锤	修磨刃缘	0.16, 1
019	端刮器	68	特硬性	砂岩	磨制	20
020	石片	46	软性	皮革	切	20
021	琢背小刀	45	软性	干狗尾草	切	20
022	石片	62	中性	干柞木	刮	20
023	琢背小刀	70	硬性	干牛骨	刮	20
024	琢背小刀	55	特硬性	鹿角	切	20
025	刮削器	82	特硬性	赭石	刮	5