Archaeology Lab
ANTL 207
Lithics Exercise 3b – Lithic Debitage
19 & 21 September 2011
Exercise 3c is designed for you to examine and record attributes of lithic debitage.
Debitage can be defined as the debris resulting from the manufacture of chipped or
flaked stone artifacts. You will be recording as much information as you can on each
flake using a separate piece of paper for each. Exercise 3c is due by the end of class on 4
February 2010.
Select any three lithic flakes from the Lithics Lab. Choose different sized flakes.
1). Assign a number to each of your flakes and draw each. Examining one flake at a
time you are to create as detailed a drawing as possible. Make the drawing as
detailed as possible, showing as many attributes as you can. Also, draw a profile of
your flake. Label each side ‘dorsal’ or ‘ventral.’ As always, use a pencil for your
drawings and keep it sharpened. Start by tracing the outline of each flake. Next,
begin drawing all of the flake scars you see – the major and minor ones as well. See
how many flake scars you can draw. Use a hand lens to identify the flake scars.
2). Label all of the various parts of each flake as shown in the class handout “Anatomy
of a Flake.” If you can’t define each part why not? Is a striking platform or bulb of
percussion not present? If so, label them on your drawings. Does your flake appear
weathered (dull color, grainy texture, etc.)?
3). Identify your flake. Is it a percussion or a pressure flake? If it’s a percussion flake is
it a primary, secondary or tertiary flake? Might it be a notching flake? There are
several ways you can determine what general kind of flake you’ve got. A first step is
to look for the presence or absence of cortex. If it’s got cortex you know you’ve got
a primary percussion flake. If cortex is absent then that tells you something, too.
Take a look at the different resources available in the Lithics Lab to help you out on
this. One set of resources are the glass cases entitled “Percussion Biface Reduction
Stages” and “Projectile point Reduction Sequence.” Another good resource is the
black plastic box labeled “Flake Identification Cards.” Take these cards out and look
closely at the examples attached to each card.
4). Gather quantitative data on each of your flakes. Using the calipers in the Lab take
maximum length, width and thickness measurements on each flake. Show on your
drawings where these measurements were taken (see drawing on Exercise 3a Lithic
Projectile Point handout). Is there a striking platform? Can you get some
dimensions on it? Are there any other dimensions worth recording? Why do you
think so?
5). What kinds of qualitative data can you get on each of your flakes? Can you
determine if it was made through hard or soft hammer percussion (see illustrations
below)? Briefly explain/note what kind of evidence the flake exhibits that led you to
believe it was either a hard or soft percussion flake (if, that is, it is a percussion and
not a pressure flake). Hint – how pronounced are the ripples? Is there an erailleur
scar or not? Remember to use your keen powers of observation! It’s easy to note
things like color, texture, etc. but what other things can do you observe? Make note
of these!