The Effect of Fire in the Distribution of Lithic Assemblages: An Experimental Approach

ABSTRACT

Lithics are thrown or fall into the fire in different situations. When exposed to sudden high temperatures, they tend to fracture in an explosive manner, and fragments can be expelled outside the hearth. In this paper, we present our experimentations aimed at understanding the distribution of lithics thrown into a fire. We analyze if the size of the flakes affects the distributional pattern generated after the thermal alteration. Furthermore, we examine if debris recovered inside and outside hearths have similar or contrasting thermal traits. Results show that small flakes have a low fragmentation rate and that shatters always stay in the hearth. In contrast, big flakes fracture extensively, and some of the shatters are expelled outside the hearth. There are no significant differences in the thermal traits recorded in fragments found inside and outside the hearths. Based on the results, we present expectations for different burning situations.

KEYWORDS:

• Thermal alteration
• distribution
• size
• flint
• glass

Acknowledgements

Jerónimo Ruiz Díaz and. Matías Benavidez kindly lent us the place where we lit the fires. Andrés Iparraguirre and Josefina Haidar helped us during some of the experimentations. Anne Gustavsson corrected the English of the paper. Two anonymous reviewers made valuable suggestions which improved the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, ADF, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Universidad Nacional de La Plata [grant number N943] and CONICET [grant number PIP0785].

Notes on contributors

Ariel D. Frank

Ariel D. Frank is researcher of the National Research Council and La Plata University. His archaeological research revolves around lithic technology, rock art and the use of fire between the Final Pleistocene and the Middle Holocene in Southern Patagonia, Argentina.

Juan Baridón

Juan Baridón is a student of Anthropology at La Plata University. His research interests are experimental archaeology, lithic technology and rock art.