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Experiments to explore the Paleoindian flake-core technology in southern Patagonia
During the last decade, I have been carrying out experimental and archaeo
logical research on different core preparation technologies from North and
South America (i.e. Nami 1992; 1995; etc.). To understand the diverse aspects
of those technologies, I have made over a hundred experimental specimens
2003b, Nami et al. 1996; etc.).
In the previous section, I pointed out that in the lithic assemblages from
detached from prepared cores. Thus, to explore this technological hypothe
sis I made several experimental, partially and totally prepared cores to obtain
to illustrate my ideas and observations in detail, I recorded the entire reduc
tion process, from the initial nodule to the exhausted core and including the
Materials, techniques and results
The raw materials employed were different kinds of rocks with diverse lithic
grade, varying from 1 to 5 on the Callahan scale (Callahan 1979:16). Bifa
cially prepared cores were made out of obsidian from Mono Lake (Califor
nia, U.S.A.), Glass Buttes from Idaho (U.S.A.), industrial glass from Buenos
Aires (Argentina) and chert from the Río Negro area (Republic of Uruguay).
In the experimental piece described here I used an obsidian nodule from
of 1 kg from Alaska (U.S.A.), a small soft calcareous hammerstone of 125
g from the loessid deposit existing in the subsoil of Del Viso in the Buenos
Aires province and a larger one of sandstone (790 g) from the Vinchina
River, La Rioja province, Republic of Argentina (Fig. 1). Finally, I employed
a neoprene piece as a pad and a soft granitic stone as an abrasive.
ler billet with the core pressed against the outside of the thigh (cf. Waldorf
(Fig. 3c, 4b). During the core and platform preparation, I employed anvil
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