The Organization of Chipped-Stone Economies at Piedras Negras ...

pressure of blade removal also helps stabilize the core. This technique can result in an
exhausted core that retains original percussion scars on the “back” side of the core. The
exhausted core can have a lenticular or “flat” cross section, similar to those found at
Piedras Negras and other Mesoamerican sites. Pelegrin (2003) and Pastrana (personal
communication 2004) have come up with similar techniques using wooden blocks of
various kinds that produce similar results.
Later stages of core reduction also can be carried out in the hand, especially when
the core diameter is less than 4 centimeters (Flenniken and Hirth 2003). The viability of
various hand-held techniques has been demonstrated by Wilke (1996) and more recently
by Flenniken and Hirth (2003). It is difficult, however, to archaeologically determine if
handheld methods were used. The typical exhausted core at Piedras Negras is ~4 cm long
(Figure 6.1), but other, smaller blade-cores also are in evidence. It is likely that these
smaller “bullet cores” or microcores (3 cm long or less) were made by further reducing
exhausted flat and cylindrical cores in the hand. In a few cases, microcores feature a flat
distal end, suggesting they were made from exhausted prismatic-blade cores, which had
been sectioned (Figure 6.1, lower row). These cores were small enough that it would be
virtually impossible to immobilize them with the feet. Antler pressure-flakers may have
been used for this kind of reduction, but a smaller bone or wood implement could have
worked also (cf. Flenniken and Hirth 2003; Wilke 1996). A few possible pressure-flakers
made of antler were found at Piedras Negras (Figure 6.2). The core platform was only
lightly ground before blade detachment, but small platform-faceting flakes were removed
by pressure as discussed by Wilke (1996) and also Flenniken and Hirth (2003).
213