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Obsidian Blades from La Blanca, a Changing Lithic Industry on the South Coast of Guatemala

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

C. Roger Nance  and
Katharine A. Kirk
C. Roger Nance
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294
Katharine A. Kirk
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics and Biomathematics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294
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Abstract

In a study of Middle Preclassic (Conchas phase) ceramics from the site of La Blanca, Love (1989) derived a sequence of four subphases. Here, the focus is on 431 prismatic obsidian blades excavated from the same deposits in order to discern if patterns of change can be discovered in this lithic industry. For each blade, recorded attributes describe blade dimensions and edge wear, as observed through low-power microscopy. Chronological controls were set by ceramic associations. Through the sequence, blades became smaller and more fragmentary, due, we hypothesized, to an increasing scarcity of obsidian. As predicted from these trends, we found that wear patterns became more pronounced through time, and use of a bipolar technology became increasingly important for removing (rejuvenating) worn lateral edges. A definite obsidian-blade sequence emerged, which was investigated through linear discriminant-function analyses.

En un estudio de la cerámica del Preclásico Medio (fase Conchas) del sitio de La Blanca, Love (1989) derivó una secuencia de cuatro subfases. Aquí, el enfoque es sobre 431 navajas prismáticas de obsidiana, excavadas de los mismos depósitos para percibir si pueden descubrirse patrones de cambio en esta industria lítica. Para cada navaja, los atributos anotados describen sus dimensiones y el desgaste de filo, tal como son observados bajo microscopía de bajo-aumento. Controles cronológicos fueron fijados por asociaciones cerámicas. A lo largo de la secuencia, las navajas se hacían más pequeñas y más fragmentarias, debido, postulamos, a una creciente escasez de obsidiana. Como fue predicho con base en estas tendencias, encontramos que los patrones de desgaste se hacían más pronunciados a lo largo del tiempo, y el uso de una tecnología bipolar se hacía cada vez más importante para eliminar (rejuvenecer) los filos laterales desgastados. Salió una bien definida secuencia de navajas obsidianas, lo cual fue investigado a través de análisis de función lineal descriminante.

Type
Reports
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 2 , Issue 4 , December 1991 , pp. 371 - 383
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1991

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References

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