Skill and the Substance of Stone

Abstract

Examinations of lithic skill signatures in non-flint materials are conditioned by conventional approaches that have tended to emphasize the exotic and overlook the variability within a given raw material class. This paper considers approaches and implications for Arran pitchstone, a distinctive volcanic glass within the context of Scottish lithic studies. Case study material from later pre-historic sites on Arran is presented to highlight the value of using core biographies. The need for a more holistic approach that considers materiality and acknowledges the variability within a particular raw material class is advocated in order for the manifestations of skill to be fully appreciated and explored.