Termination type
Encyclopedia
In lithic reduction
, termination type is a characteristic indicating the manner in which the distal end of a lithic flake
detaches from a core
(Andrefsky 1998:18). Common types include:
Lithic reduction
Lithic reduction involves the use of a hard hammer precursor, such as a hammerstone, a soft hammer fabricator , or a wood or antler punch to detach lithic flakes from a lump of tool stone called a lithic core . As flakes are detached in sequence, the original mass of stone is reduced; hence the...
, termination type is a characteristic indicating the manner in which the distal end of a lithic flake
Lithic flake
In archaeology, a lithic flake is a "portion of rock removed from an objective piece by percussion or pressure," and may also be referred to as a chip or spall, or collectively as debitage. The objective piece, or the rock being reduced by the removal of flakes, is known as a core. Once the proper...
detaches from a core
Lithic core
In archaeology, a lithic core is a distinctive artifact that results from the practice of lithic reduction. In this sense, a core is the scarred nucleus resulting from the detachment of one or more flakes from a lump of source material or tool stone, usually by using a hard hammer percussor such...
(Andrefsky 1998:18). Common types include:
- Step/snap termination – these occur when a flake snaps or breaks during removal, resulting in an abrupt right-angle break.
- Hinge termination – results when the applied force rolls away from the core or objective piece, creating a rounded or blunted distal end.
- Overshot/outrepasse/plunging termination - occurs when the applied force dips and removes a section of the opposite margin of the artifact or the distal end of the core. Also referred to as a reverse hinge termination.
- Perverse termination - "twisting" breaks resulting from when the applied force is redirected through the material in a helical fashion;
- Feather/monotomic termination – a smooth termination that results in a feathered distal end. The distal ends of these flakes are only a few molecules thick, are extremely sharp, and indicate a flawless detachment. These are the intended results of some lithic reduction techniques, and are very desirable for opportunistic tool use that does not require retouchingRetouch (lithics)Retouch - the work done to an edge of a flint implement in order to make it into a functional tool, or to reshape a used tool. In the case of a core-tool, such as a hand-axe, retouch may simply consist of roughly trimming the edge by striking with a hammerstone, but on smaller, finer flake or blade...
or sharpening.