Characteristics of Lithic Sound to Assess a Rock's Predictability of Flaking. (3rd July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: DeForest, David S.; Lyman, R. Lee
• Is Part Of: Lithic technology. Volume 47:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 221
• Page End: 230
• Publication Date: 2022-07-03
• Subjects: Heat treatment and sound -- lithic material type and sound -- predictability of flaking -- sound variability -- sound when struck; Stone implements -- Periodicals; Tools, Prehistoric -- Periodicals; Antiquities, Prehistoric -- Periodicals; 621.9009012
• DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2022.2029284
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0197-7261

Abstract

ABSTRACT: It has been suggested that a lithic resource's candidacy for predictability of fracture when knapped, and whether or not a stone has been heat treated, can be assessed by the duration, pitch, and loudness of sound made when a stone is struck. A hammer stone machine held and struck specimens of 16 lithic types. Acoustic information was processed with a Kay Computer Speech Laboratory. Differences exist in sound duration, pitch and loudness between lithic types, un-heat-treated and heat-treated stone, and stone of the same type but of high and of low quality. Heat treated samples conduct sound waves of longer duration than unheated samples, and heat-treated samples' sounds were louder than un-heat-treated samples. An ancient knapper could use perceptible differences in sound produced by a nodule when tapped with a hammerstone to select or discard nodules or flakes of one lithic type over another based on anticipated predictability of flaking.