Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch Issue

Stone tools can, apart from human-made retouch, exhibit traces of damage due to post depositional processes. As a result of post depositional factors, whether animal, human or natural in origin, this damage can sometimes be interpreted as human-made retouch, even though it is actually the so called ...

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Main Authors: Katarina Šprem, Katarina Gerometta, Ivor Karavanić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EXARC 2020-05-01
Series:EXARC Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10500
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author Katarina Šprem
Katarina Gerometta
Ivor Karavanić
author_facet Katarina Šprem
Katarina Gerometta
Ivor Karavanić
author_sort Katarina Šprem
collection DOAJ
description Stone tools can, apart from human-made retouch, exhibit traces of damage due to post depositional processes. As a result of post depositional factors, whether animal, human or natural in origin, this damage can sometimes be interpreted as human-made retouch, even though it is actually the so called pseudo-retouch. Due to the problems arising in differentiating these two wholly opposite things, the last few decades have shown an increase in trampling experiments, the goal of which was to separate and recognize real retouch from pseudo-retouch. This article is going to show three such experiments executed by the authors, their methodology and results, as well the comparison to the results of the pseudo-retouch analysis done on lithic finds from a Middle Palaeolithic site of Mujina pećina in Croatia. The third experiment also consisted of taking a sample for soil micromorphological analysis which provided even more insights into this complex topic.
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spelling doaj.art-8b7578ddd67843b7b4371233326e47e32024-02-26T15:06:27ZengEXARCEXARC Journal2212-89562020-05-012020/2ark:/88735/10500Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch IssueKatarina ŠpremKatarina GeromettaIvor KaravanićStone tools can, apart from human-made retouch, exhibit traces of damage due to post depositional processes. As a result of post depositional factors, whether animal, human or natural in origin, this damage can sometimes be interpreted as human-made retouch, even though it is actually the so called pseudo-retouch. Due to the problems arising in differentiating these two wholly opposite things, the last few decades have shown an increase in trampling experiments, the goal of which was to separate and recognize real retouch from pseudo-retouch. This article is going to show three such experiments executed by the authors, their methodology and results, as well the comparison to the results of the pseudo-retouch analysis done on lithic finds from a Middle Palaeolithic site of Mujina pećina in Croatia. The third experiment also consisted of taking a sample for soil micromorphological analysis which provided even more insights into this complex topic.https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10500toolsstone workingtool tracespost depositional processpalaeolithiccroatia
spellingShingle Katarina Šprem
Katarina Gerometta
Ivor Karavanić
Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch Issue
EXARC Journal
tools
stone working
tool traces
post depositional process
palaeolithic
croatia
title Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch Issue
title_full Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch Issue
title_fullStr Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch Issue
title_full_unstemmed Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch Issue
title_short Trampling Experiments – A Contribution to the Pseudo-Retouch Issue
title_sort trampling experiments a contribution to the pseudo retouch issue
topic tools
stone working
tool traces
post depositional process
palaeolithic
croatia
url https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10500
work_keys_str_mv AT katarinasprem tramplingexperimentsacontributiontothepseudoretouchissue
AT katarinagerometta tramplingexperimentsacontributiontothepseudoretouchissue
AT ivorkaravanic tramplingexperimentsacontributiontothepseudoretouchissue