Tool stone

Not to be confused with Stone tool.
This article is about tool stone in archeology. For diamond tool stone, see diamond tools.

In archaeology, a tool stone is a type of stone that is used to manufacture stone tools,[1] or stones used as the raw material for tools.[2]

Generally speaking, tools that require a sharp edge are made using cryptocrystalline materials that fracture in an easily controlled conchoidal manner.[1] Cryptocrystalline tool stones include flint and chert, which are fine-grained sedimentary materials; rhyolite and felsite, which are igneous flowstones; and obsidian, a form of natural glass created by igneous processes. These materials fracture in a predictable fashion, and are easily resharpened. For more information on this subject, see lithic reduction.

Large-grained materials, such as basalt, granite, and sandstone, may also be used as tool stones, but for a very different purpose: they are ideal for ground stone artifacts. Whereas cryptocrystalline materials are most useful for killing and processing animals, large-grained materials are usually used for processing plant matter. Their rough faces often make excellent surfaces for grinding plant seeds. With much effort, some large-grained stones may be ground down into awls, adzes, and axes.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Andrefsky Jr., William (2005). Lithics: Macroscopic Approaches to Analysis (Second ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-61500-3.
  2. ↑ Daniel S. Amick (1999). Folsom lithic technology: explorations in structure and variation. International Monographs in Prehistory. ISBN 978-1-879621-27-5. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
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