Abstract
In 2012, during a field survey to locate primary outcrops of cherts in the Carrodilla Mountain Range (Huesca, Spain), abundant remains of chert-knapping were found next to nodular cherts in primary and sub-primary position from the Garumnian limestones. Chert knapping evidences were discovered in Tozal de la Mesa mount, near the town of Alins del Monte (Huesca, Spain), in the first prepyrenean foothills of the province of Huesca.In order to define the features of the workshop and to determine their limits, in 2015 we conducted a field survey. Due to these works, it has been possible to define the perimeter of the chert workshop as well as to collect abundant lithic remains of chert and other rocks (e.g., ophites) that may have been directly related to chert exploitation.In this paper we are going to present the results obtained after the textural, micropaleontological, petrographic and mineralogical characterization of these cherts as well as the results of the techno-typological and traceological analyses. Moreover, we will define the features of the chert workshop and its functionality.The first approach to contextualize the recovered materials of Tozal de la Mesa workshop area has allowed determining an exploitation of the Garumnian cherts that has lasted until the late nineteenth century according to some recovered products (e.g., pottery) and to oral sources.
Highlights
Chert was one of the most used stones for making lithic tools since Prehistory due to its concoidal fracture and mechanic characteristics: homogeneity and isotropy, tenacity, elasticity and hardness (Tarriño 2006).Journal of Lithic Studies (2016) vol 3, nr. 2, p. xx-xx doi:10.2218/jls.v3i2.1859Published by the School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh ISSN: 2055-0472
In the last two decades, studies based on the early stages of the Chaîne Opératoire Lithique have increased, with important examples concerning the NE Iberia (Mangado 2005; Terradas 1996)
The last evidences of traditional chert knapping in NE Iberia are related to making threshing stones, activity in use until the mid-twentieth century in certain areas of the NE Iberian Peninsula
Summary
Chert was one of the most used stones for making lithic tools since Prehistory due to its concoidal fracture and mechanic characteristics: homogeneity and isotropy, tenacity, elasticity and hardness (Tarriño 2006).Journal of Lithic Studies (2016) vol 3, nr. 2, p. xx-xx doi:10.2218/jls.v3i2.1859. Chert was one of the most used stones for making lithic tools since Prehistory due to its concoidal fracture and mechanic characteristics: homogeneity and isotropy, tenacity, elasticity and hardness (Tarriño 2006). Journal of Lithic Studies (2016) vol 3, nr. In the last two decades, studies based on the early stages of the Chaîne Opératoire Lithique (procurement and management of lithic raw materials) have increased, with important examples concerning the NE Iberia (Mangado 2005; Terradas 1996). Otherwise not surprisingly, these analyses have mainly focused on studies concerning prehistoric periods, where chert remains are abundant in the archaeological record. The last evidences of traditional chert knapping in NE Iberia are related to making threshing stones, activity in use until the mid-twentieth century in certain areas of the NE Iberian Peninsula
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