A new method for accurately and precisely measuring flake platform area

Muller, Antoine; Clarkson, Chris

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.06.015

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…This is something Birds and Rhoads recognise (p. 128), but it may impact their results more than they realise. Indeed, Muller and Clarkson (2016) found similar results with flake platforms, where rectangles drastically over-estimated size in only two dimensions. A division of these two values (latter/former) is used by Bird and Rhoads to generate the estimated number of nodules responsible for assemblage production.…”

supporting

confidence: 64%

Global Social Archaeologies: Making a Difference in a World of Strangers By Koji Mizoguchi and Claire Smith. Routledge, New York, 2019 ISBN: 978‐1‐62958‐307‐5 (paperback). Pp. 298. AUD 231.00 (hardback), 62.99 (paperback), 28.48 (ebook)

Flexner

2020

Archaeology in Oceania

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supporting

confidence: 64%

Global Social Archaeologies: Making a Difference in a World of Strangers By Koji Mizoguchi and Claire Smith. Routledge, New York, 2019 ISBN: 978‐1‐62958‐307‐5 (paperback). Pp. 298. AUD 231.00 (hardback), 62.99 (paperback), 28.48 (ebook)

Flexner

2020

Archaeology in Oceania

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“…This ongoing work largely established the hierarchical importance of platform dimensions and exterior platform angle in driving size variation, relative to the lesser effects of some other variables. However, when these controlled experimental results are applied to actual archaeological assemblages, there remains a significant amount of unexplained variability, particularly when assemblages are considered on a flake by flake basis (Dogandžić et al 2015;Muller and Clarkson 2014;Muller and Clarkson 2016). While it is possible that this unexplained variability in the archaeological record is a result of measurement error on certain key variables (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A geometric morphometric relationship predicts stone flake shape and size variability

Archer

Pop

Režek

et al. 2017

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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The archaeological record represents a window onto the complex relationship between stone artefact variance and hominin behaviour. Differences in the shapes and sizes of stone flakes-the most abundant remains of past behaviours for much of human evolutionary history-may be underpinned by variation in a range of different environmental and behavioural factors. Controlled flake production experiments have drawn inferences between flake platform preparation behaviours, which have thus far been approximated by linear measurements, and different aspects of overall stone flake variability (Dibble and Rezek J Archaeol Sci 36:1945-1954 Lin et al. Am Antiq 724-745, 2013; Magnani et al. J Archaeol Sci 46:37-49, 2014; Rezek et al. J Archaeol Sci 38:1346-1359, 2011. However, when the results are applied to archaeological assemblages, there remains a substantial amount of unexplained variability. It is unclear whether this disparity between explanatory models and archaeological data is a result of measurement error on certain key variables, whether traditional analyses are somehow a general limiting factor, or whether there are additional flake shape and size drivers that remain unaccounted for. To try and circumvent these issues, here, we describe a shape analysis approach to assessing stone flake variability including a newly developed three-dimensional geometric morphometric method ('3DGM'). We use 3DGM to demonstrate that a relationship between platform and flake body governs flake shape and size variability. Contingently, we show that by using this 3DGM approach, we can use flake platform attributes to both (1) make fairly accurate stone flake size predictions and (2) make relatively detailed predictions of stone flake shape. Whether conscious or instinctive, an understanding of this geometric relationship would have been critical to past knappers effectively controlling the production of desired stone flakes. However, despite being able to holistically and accurately incorporate three-dimensional flake variance into our analyses, the behavioural drivers of this variance remain elusive.

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“…Additionally, digital recording methods like two-and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) photogrammetry have markedly improved our ability to morphometrically compare experimental lithic specimens (Eren et al 2008;Grosman 2016;Heighway 2011;Muller and Clarkson 2016a;Sumner and Riddle 2008). Finally, the application of 3D scanning to lithic technology and experimentation is a burgeoning technique which has improved our ability to accurately measure lithic attributes (Clarkson 2013;Clarkson and Hiscock 2011;Clarkson et al 2014;Grosman 2016;Grosman et al 2014;Lin et al 2010;Muller and Clarkson 2014;2016b;Richardson et al 2014;Sholts et al 2012;Shott and Trail 2010;Zaidner and Grosman 2015) and make comprehensive analyses of complex technologies (Archer and Braun 2010;Grosman et al 2011a;Grosman et al 2011b;Grosman et al 2008;Li et al 2015;Shipton 2016;Shipton and Clarkson 2015a;2015b). These methods, among others, contribute to increasing the precision and accuracy of lithic experimentation, in part addressing the concerns raised by critics.…”

Section: Addressing Criticisms: Hypothesis Testing and Recent Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As was discussed in Chapter 2, the use of 2D and 3D photogrammetry and geometric morphometrics have increasingly played a role in lithic experimentation (Archer and Braun 2010;Clarkson 2013;Clarkson and Hiscock 2011;Grosman 2016;Grosman et al 2011a;Grosman et al 2014;Grosman et al 2011b;Grosman et al 2008;Li et al 2015;Lin et al 2010;Muller and Clarkson 2014;2016b;Richardson et al 2014;Shipton 2016;Shipton and Clarkson 2015a;2015b;Sholts et al 2012;Shott and Trail 2010;Zaidner and Grosman 2015). Undoubtedly, these analyses will only grow more complex with the introduction of more refined 3D methods and the application of machine-learning algorithms to archaeology.…”

Section: Avenues For Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous attempts at quantifying reduction intensity have relied on flake geometry (Eren et al 2005;Eren and Sampson 2009;Hiscock and Clarkson 2005;Kuhn 1990;Morales et al 2015), quantity and invasiveness of flake scars (Andrefsky 2006;Clarkson 2002;Clarkson et al 2014), platform attributes (Braun et al 2008a;Clarkson and Hiscock 2011;Davis and Shea 1998;Dibble 1995;Dibble and Pelcin 1995;Dibble and Rezek 2009;Dibble and Whittaker 1981;Dogandžić et al 2015;Lin et al 2013;Magnani et al 2014;Muller and Clarkson 2014;2016b;Pelcin 1997a;1997b;1997c;Rezek et al 2011;Shott et al 2000), and flake allometry (Blades 2003;Goldstein 2014;Quinn et al 2008). This ongoing pursuit of universal and tool-specific reduction measures has resulted in lithic analysts having a diverse suite of reduction intensity metrics at their disposal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of experimental knapping in empirically testing key themes in the evolution of lithic technology: reduction intensity, efficiency and behavioural complexity

Muller¹

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Experimental knapping has complimented and stimulated lithic analyses for over a century.Throughout this period, the discipline has witnessed an increase in the scientific rigour and theoretical grounding with which these studies are conducted. This thesis charts these key trends and in doing so establishes a best-practice model of experimental knapping, the veracity of which is in turn tested using four new lithic experiments. These case-studies employ experimental knapping to advance our understanding of flake platform measurement, reduction intensity, technological efficiency, and behavioural complexity.The first case-study, Chapter 3, offers a more accurate and precise calliper-based method of flake platform measurement that relies on simple geometric approximations of platform shape rather than the inflexible and unreliable existing method of multiplying platform width by thickness. In Chapter 4, a new reduction intensity metric for backed blades, a hitherto overlooked tool-type, is developed and tested on the backed blades from an early Neolithic site in Turkey. This new metric allows a reconstruction of the raw material consumption patterns at the site, finding that the backed blades These four case-studies, coupled with a consideration of existing knapping experiments, allow an understanding of how experimental knapping is embedded in the broader archaeological research process, and ultimately tests the efficacy of a best-practice model of experimental knapping. This model identifies the initial scope, methodological control, and breadth of interpretations as the key variables dictating the validity of an experiment. While knapping experiments may differ markedly in their scope and control, they do not necessarily vary in their validity. Instead, it is the interplay of these variables that dictates the validity of experimentation. Within this best-practice model, lithic experiments are most robust when the scale of the initial scope, methodological control and ensuing interpretations are congruent, and when they involve explicit and falsifiable hypothesis testing.iii

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A new method for accurately and precisely measuring flake platform area

Cited by 13 publications

References 49 publications

Global Social Archaeologies: Making a Difference in a World of Strangers By Koji Mizoguchi and Claire Smith. Routledge, New York, 2019 ISBN: 978‐1‐62958‐307‐5 (paperback). Pp. 298. AUD 231.00 (hardback), 62.99 (paperback), 28.48 (ebook)

Global Social Archaeologies: Making a Difference in a World of Strangers By Koji Mizoguchi and Claire Smith. Routledge, New York, 2019 ISBN: 978‐1‐62958‐307‐5 (paperback). Pp. 298. AUD 231.00 (hardback), 62.99 (paperback), 28.48 (ebook)

A geometric morphometric relationship predicts stone flake shape and size variability

The role of experimental knapping in empirically testing key themes in the evolution of lithic technology: reduction intensity, efficiency and behavioural complexity

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