Description
DATA EXERCISE:
For this week’s data exercise, please conduct the following stone tool experiment and discuss your results. The purpose of this exercise is to distinguish tools from naturally occurring broken rock. For this experiment you will need:
goggles
protective gloves
rocks or bricks
a hard surface, such as a sidewalk or asphalt driveway.
To complete this exercise, please do the following (READ CAREFULLY):
Watch this videoLinks to an external site..
And this oneLinks to an external site..
Put on goggles or other protective eye wear. Shards from this exercise can cut your eyes.
Put on protective gloves. Leather or heavy cloth work gloves or gardening gloves will do. This experiment can result in cut or bruised hands or fingers.
Select a breakable rock; this will be your tool stone. If possible find two of the same rock that are about the same size. Chalk rock or sand stone may be too soft for this experiment. Granite or quartz will be too hard and will not produce the fractures seen in ancient stone tools. In a pinch brick or even an old ceramic dish or broken toilet piece will work; but don’t use glass at this point in your flint knapping career. Be aware that dishes will produce very sharp shards. Have your glasses and gloves on!
Select a second, more durable rock with which to strike the first. Rocks used to break other rocks are called hammer stones.
Place the breakable rock (tool stone) against a firm surface, such as a cement garage floor, sidewalk, or curb OR hold it in your gloved hand. Do not do this experiment on a nice wall, tiled surface, or staircase or your landlord may be upset with you. Do not do this against your knee or leg unless you have a thick piece of leather to drape over your leg. You have MAJOR arteries near the surface your legs. If you cut one of these arteries you will bleed to death in 3 minutes; Bay Area 911 ambulances can take 30 minutes to arrive.
Holding the tool stone by one end with your non-dominant hand, take the hammer stone or hammer in your dominant hand and break some flakes off the EDGE of the breakable rock. Do not hit hard in the center, but gently around the edges. Set your tool stone and the flakes you knocked off to the side.
Now take the second breakable rock or brick. Standing on a chair or ladder, reach up and drop the rock on the sidewalk or cement floor you used to flake the first rock. If you drop it on your head or fall off the ladder we will all laugh at you, so be careful. Gather up the pieces.
Compare the flakes and rock from step 6 to the pieces from the rock you dropped in step 7. Note how they are different. Note the differences in shape.
Write a paragraph, 175 words or more, explaining these differences. Or you may also take a photo and point out the differences in the photo. If you like to sketch, please sketch two pieces to show the differences. Sketching artifacts is a good skill to have in archaeology because photos do not always show as much detail.
Photo showing the relative positioning of hammer stone (in his right hand) and the tool stone in his left hand.
I hope you had fun with this week’s experiment.
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