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THE LEVALLOIS AS A TOOL

P. Volkov

First published: 2018https://doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2018/2.2/S07.023View metrics

Abstract

A technological analysis of stone knapping process gives rise to a revision of the traditional in archaeology thesis by F. Bordes: "The Levallois is a technology; the Mousterian is a culture "."The phenomenon of Levallois" is interpreted in this article as a sacral, nonutilitarian process, which stands out among various technologies employed in the Middle Palaeolithic. The Levallois can be considered a phenomenon that marks the beginning of a new stage in our history, when a sacred status was attributed to an act rather than to an object. The artefacts found suggest the subject of the activity was no longer an ape, but a human. Why all Mousterian cultures succeed the Levallois seems clear? One can try to obtain several similar blanks instead of a single “tortoise” Levallois flake. In other words, it is possible to produce a desired number of alike blanks for making tools instead of or after performing a “tortoise” knapping. This approach is both logical and natural. Such a process, however, is not “the Levallois”. Giving rise to a utilitarian technology of the Mousterian, the Levallois remained independent of the latter. “The Levallois” refers to the process of obtaining a single, “tortoise” flake, which was expected in a specific act of knapping. All other manipulations aimed at producing series of “sub-oval”, “multi-plate”, etc. flakes are procedures within the framework of various Mousterian cultures.

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Publication details

Title
THE LEVALLOIS AS A TOOL
Authors
P. Volkov
Proceedings
5th International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conference on Social Sciences and Arts SGEM 2018
Publisher
STEF92 Technology
Year
2018
Pages
183-190
SWS Citekey
Volkov20187183190
ISSN
2367-5659
ISBN
978-619-7408-53-9
Language
en
Publication type
Proceedings Paper
Keywords
archaeologythe Levalloistechnologyuse-wearuse-wear.
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