Experimental insights about giant core flaking débitage: The case of the late Acheulean of central Iberian Peninsula
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2218/jls.9573Keywords:
giant core; Acheulean; experimental archaeology; workshop site; débitageAbstract
Traditionally, Acheulean assemblages are characterized by the presence of LCT (Large Cutting Tool) and particularly bifacial pieces. In this context, the existence of large flakes as blanks for those tools is the main criteria for a chrono-geographical approach of the variability inside this technocomplex. During the time span in which Acheulean occurs, a wide variety of systematized methods for blanks production were applied probably as a response to particular raw material constraints and even to cultural traditions or constraints.
In the case of the Iberian Peninsula, the quarries and workshops recently excavated in the region of Madrid, demonstrate the complexity of the flaking and shaping strategies during the second part of the Middle Pleistocene. Particularly, examples as Charco Hondo 2 (located in Los Ahijones area) or Cantera Vieja (located in Los Berrocales) both located in Madrid, demonstrate the existence of specific giant core flake exploitation, and exploitation adaptation to the blanks.
In this contribution, experiments based on archaeological materials from Charco Hondo 2, are produced and studied in order to understand the existence of particular strategies in the large flake production. Concepts as predetermination or just adaptation to particular raw material constrain (even the combination of both concepts) arise when experiments were produced. In any case, those tests provide us with an excellent tool for both quantitative and qualitative understanding of reductions sequences and human intentions.
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