Technique
Direct percussion This is considering the first technique that is development in the
with hard prehistory by hominids to create Stone tools. This technique is a very
hammerstone simple one and its use to obtain flakes from a core. It consist in hit a
Percussione diretta al block of rock (core) with a hammerstone (usually pebbles or spheric
percussore duro stones)
This technique is not abandoned during the prehistory because its
and indispensable to prepare blocks of rock that later will be work
with other techniques.
Indirect percussion on The indirect percussion on anvil is create at the first phase of the
anvil/Bipolar lower Paleolithic, perhaps even before direct percussion. This
Percussione indiretta technique is used above all for the opening of the block of raw
su incudine material (specially those ones that are totally spheric-with no
Percusión bipolar percussion platform), or to exploitation of medium-low quality raw
materials.
This technique consists in placing the block of raw material on an
anvil and hitting it with a hand hammer.
Always in bipolar percussion the hit of the hammerstone will be
guided by the split fracture, in parallel way of it.
Direct percussion This technique is development during the Acheuleano (1.7 my), and
with organic material is used for the faconnage, and the knapping of bifacial.
Percussion diretta al
percussore organico It allows to detach flakes of quite large and thin dimensions and to
tenero) simplify the problem of impact accuracy: the hammerstone no longer
Percusión directa con hits a precise point but hooks the edge by tangential contact, which
material makes a certain margin of imprecision in the gesture tolerable.
organico/blando
The utilization of this technique can be done only later of a systemic
preparation of the edge of the impact platform (intense abrasion in
direction: future dorsal surface to future butt). This in order to make
it suitable for contact with a organic material.
Direct percussion Identified for the first time in the context of castelperroniano (upper
with soft stone paleolithic), it is very similar to organic direct percussion. The
Percussion diretta experimentation shows how, in fact, the products have similar
Characteristics
1. The impact point is characterized by a limited surface,
because the hammerstone have a rounded shape.
2. The impact point is very visible in the butt
(TALONE/TALÓN)
3. The butt is in most of the case thick
4. The head of the incipient cone shows a visible
fracture.
5. The products (flakes) generally have a very important
thick
1. Presence of double bulb (it is because the big
dimension of area that is in contact with the block on
one side by de hammerstone and in the other, in the
anvil.
2. Presence of a contra-bulb in the opposite side of the
original (or first) bulb. This is due to the rebound of
the shock wave of energy on the anvil.
3. Presence of a big amount of chips or little flakes. It is
because this technique its not a controlled one.
4. The products are characterized by an important thick
5. In rare cases it produces “écaillés”.
1. Absence of an visible impact point on the butt
2. Butt with a reduce thick (some millimeters, butts
usually Linear or punctiform)
3. A pronounced lip and acute angle between the ventral
face and the butt surface
4. Diffuse bulb (not very evident)
5. A visible abrasion on the edge of the dorsal face and
the surface of the butt (because of the preparation of
the impact platform)
6. The general angle of the flake (butt/ axis of the flake)
is generally less than 80°
1. Small butt (linear or punctiform)
2. Diffuse lip (similar at the lip of a percussion with hard
stone
alla pietra tenera characteristics. The technique is developed for the production of 3. A visible abrasion on the edge of the dorsal face and
Percusión directa con small, light and straight blades. the surface of the butt (because of the preparation of
Piedra blanda The most effective soft stone strikers are fine-grained sandstones and the impact platform)
flint nodules with a thick cortex 4. Chipping in the bulb
5. fine and close wrinkles on the lower face of the flake