A Trampling Experiment to Assess Fractures and Edge Damage in Quarry’s Lithic Assemblages

Abstract

We present a trampling experiment aimed at evaluating the overall morphological modifications on stone artifacts discarded forming big piles of lithic materials like the ones in intensive quarrying contexts. In this experiment, in contrast with most of the many trampling experiments developed so far, we laid orthoquartzite and silicified limestone artifacts in a nine- layered pile that included cores, flakes, different tools, and chunks. In this research, we focused on breakage and analyzed fracture rates and fracture types. Also, we contrasted the metric characteristics of fractured specimens against the model proposed for trampling fragmentation potential. The preliminary analysis presented for edge damage considered amount, distribution, location, scars width and length, and the identification of pseudo-tools. Results suggest that trampling over lithic artifact piles – a hard, irregular, and highly dynamic substrate – produces very high frequencies of modifications in lithic artifacts especially edge damage, including the production of pseudo-tools.