3D shape analysis and balance in Acheulean bifacial tools

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to present a new methodology designed to identify and quantify the location of the Center of Mass (CM) in Acheulean bifacial stone tools. Experimental protocols and new methodologies, made possible due to recent technological advances are outlined, and the importance of balance as one of the design variables behind bifacial tool morphology is briefly discussed. The location of the CM is determined by using a novel protocol for analysing the relationship between the Center of the Bounding Box (CoBB) of the three-dimensional (3D) model of a bifacial tool, and the tool’s CM. Although the methodology was initially designed for examining the role that balance might have played in Acheulean bifacial tool design, it can be adapted for use in analysing patterns in the location of the CM in numerous other categories of 3D objects.