Experimental assessment of trampling effects on obsidian artifacts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31048/1852.4826.v13.n1.23826Keywords:
experimental archaeology, obsidian, trampling fragmentation potential, lithic taphonomyAbstract
This paper presents the results of a trampling experiment on obsidian artifacts conducted as part of a larger archaeological program aimed at assessing the effects of postdepositional processes on lithic artifacts. Flaked artifacts were made from obsidian nodules from Huenul source (Neuquén, Argentina) and were laid on two plots –hard and soft substrate. Here we report the breakage frequency and artifact metric variables relevant for fracture occurrence. Following the methodological proposal to assess the Trampling Fragmentation Potential (TFP), we apply the data mining technique known as decision tree to analyze the experimental obsidian datasets. Results show that fracture ratio is significantly higher on hard substrates, and that the value of maximum fracture thickness shows no variations in obsidian. Finally, including the obsidian dataset to the decision tree showed that certain raw materials may modify the relevant variables and/or their influence on the TFP.
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