Technology and Terminology of Knapped Stone - IRIT

One of the surfaces is the debitage surface from which the Levallois products are
removed; the other becomes the striking platform, which can be used with or without further
preparation. The two surfaces are not interchangeable during a production sequence of Levallois
flakes.
It is therefore quite clear that, starting with the shaping out of the core, the preparation
flakes play a major role : indeed, the quality of the Levallois products is closely dependant upon
the preciseness of the sequence of such previous removals.
• Levallois products split off along a fracture plane that is parallel or sub-parallel to the
plane of intersection defined by the two convex surfaces described above. In figure 22, this
fracture plane is symbolized by a dashed line. "The discontinuity between the Levallois
preparation surface and the preparation surfaces of the striking platforms entails that neither of
the two surfaces can increase in size at the expense of the other. Thus, the capacity of a Levallois
core for predetermined flakes is restricted to the volume contained between the Levallois
preparation surface and the plane of intersection of the two surfaces" 63
(fig. 22, hatched
surfaces).
The technique
Levallois debitage is exclusively carried out using direct percussion with a stone hammer,
even though percussion with a soft hammer is perfectly well controlled at the same period and
used concurrently for the manufacture of other pieces.
The methods
The term method applies to the carefully thought out sequence of actions that leads to
the manufacture of Levallois flakes. The production modes implemented according to the above
defined Levallois concept are the materialization of the various methods observed.
Two main methods have been recognized, showing some variations in their operative
schemes.
• Levallois debitage of a preferential flake (fig. 22 : 2a, fig. 23 and fig. 26 : 1)
The aim is the manufacture of a single flake from each prepared debitage surface. The
butt of the flake is small relative to the total surface that is in principle planned for it, and the
flake spans most of the debitage surface. Figure 23a shows the creation of the two convex
surfaces by means of centripetal removals, 23b showing the preparation of the striking platform
(also carried out by means of centripetal removals) and the final shaping out of the debitage
surface. In 23c, the Levallois flake removal operation is shown. If the volume of the core allows
the manufacture of another flake, the entire process must be gone through once again before the
second flake is removed. When within a single assemblage the products obtained correspond to
a single flake for each prepared suface, the method is referred to as "lineal".
• Multiple-flake Levallois debitage (fig. 22 : 2b, 3b, 4b and fig. 24)
The Levallois surface is in that case intended to yield a series of Levallois flakes. Each
removal is a function of the preceeding removal, and conditions the following removal. This type
of debitage is called the recurrent Levallois method.
Figures 24a and 24b show the creation of the two convex surfaces, 24c showing the final
shaping out of the debitage surface. Figures 24d and 24e show the removal of several Levallois
flakes (in this case centripetal).
In the recurrent Levallois method, the multiple flakes will have different morphologies
according to the orientation of their removals, and the position(s) and size(s) of the striking
platform(s).
63 "La discontinuité entre la surface [de préparation] Levallois et la surface de préparation des plans de frappe a
pour conséquence qu'aucune de ces deux surfaces ne peut s'agrandir aux dépens de Vautre. Ainsi la capacité d'éclats
pédéterminés d'un nucléus Levallois se réduit au volume compris entre la surface de préparation Levallois et le plan
d'intersection des deux surfaces'". Boëda, 1988 : 14.
65