In pursuit of an agreement on basic aspects for the taphonomic study of lithic assemblages
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31048/1852.4826.v13.n1.24089Keywords:
Archaeology, Taphonomy, Lithic, Formation Processes, ExperimentationAbstract
In recent years the application of taphonomy to the study of the lithic archaeological record has increased and it proved to be a significant contribution to the understanding of past human behavior. Within this context, the present paper synthesize a four-stage proposal for taphonomic studies focused on the lithic record: 1) definition of the research problem which includes the identification of: the specific research question, the archaeological context, the taphonomic agents and the scales of analysis, among others; 2) analysis of lithic samples and the definition of new hypotheses; 3) testing of hypotheses; and 4) interpretation. Also, the role of experimentation as a key actualistic element for the development of taphonomic approach is emphasized.
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