ADVANTAGES OF SCAR-PATTERN ANALYSIS IN THE STUDY OF PALEOLITHIC СORES

Abstract

Scar-pattern or working step analysis is one of the main components of technological analysis. This analysis is usually applied to reconstruct the technological sequence of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic bifacial tools. In addition to bifacial implements, the scar-pattern analysis is applied to geometric microliths and to macro-implements made on large flakes, such as Quina scrapers. However, the potential of this analysis is much wider. Here we present the basic approaches and algorithm for the application of scar-pattern analysis to core analysis. The analysis algorithm includes five main research activities: determining the directions of all negatives, determining the mutual sequence of adjacent negatives, combining negatives into “technological units”, determining the mutual consistency of the groups of combined negatives and complicating of scheme. As an example, two carinated technological sequences in the Kulbulakian from Western Central Asia are provided. Scar-pattern analysis applied to reconstruct the technological sequences of the cores is devoid of the disadvantages inherent in this analysis applied to bifacial tools. We believe that scar-pattern analysis is the most promising in Paleolithic technological reconstructions.

Keywords

• scar-pattern analysis
• working step analysis
• cores
• technology
• knapping