Experimental assemblages.

<p><b>Clactonian notch conjoined with small flake that was detached during the knapping.</b> The flake was placed with the ventral surface on an anvil and struck on the dorsal surface with chert pebble hammerstone.</p

The lithic production scheme at Bizat Ruhama.

<p>The lithic production scheme at Bizat Ruhama.</p

Schematic representation of the experiment in anvil-supported knapping of the flakes.

<p>a. The flake is rested with the ventral surface on the anvil. When the hammerstone hits the flake, small flakes are detached by an anvil impact from different edges of the flake. Because of the large contact area with the anvil, the removed flakes have large butts. Because of the relatively acute angle between the ventral and lateral surfaces the flakes have prominent bulbs of percussion caused by the anvil impact. At the contact between the hammerstone and the dorsal surface of the flake signs of impact are visible; b. View from above. c. View in the section. The flake that is actually converted into a core can change its shape during the knapping sequence from Clactonian notch to pointed piece etc., until the edges become too abrupt.</p

Descriptive statistics of small flakes from experimental and archaeological assemblages.

<p>Descriptive statistics of small flakes from experimental and archaeological assemblages.</p

Adaptive Flexibility of Oldowan Hominins: Secondary Use of Flakes at Bizat Ruhama, Israel

<div><p>The lithic assemblage of the Early Pleistocene site of Bizat Ruhama, Israel demonstrates the earliest evidence for systematic secondary knapping of flakes. The site, dated to the Matuyama chron, is one of the earliest primary context Oldowan occurrences in Eurasia. According to the experimental replication of the stone-tool production sequence, the secondary knapping of flakes was a part of a multi-stage operational sequence targeted at the production of small (<2 cm) flakes. This sequence included four stages: acquisition of chert pebbles, production of flakes, deliberate selection of flakes of specific morphologies, and their secondary knapping by free-hand or bipolar methods. The results suggest that flakes with retouch-like scars that were produced during this sequence and which commonly are interpreted as shaped tools are unintentional waste products of the small flake production. The intentional manufacture of very small flakes at Bizat Ruhama was probably an economic response to the raw material constrains. Systematic secondary knapping of flakes has not yet been reported from other Early Pleistocene sites. Systematic secondary knapping for small flake production became increasingly important only in the lithic industries of the second half of the Middle Pleistocene, almost a million years later. The results from Bizat Ruhama indicate that Oldowan stone-tool production sequence was conceptually more complex than previously suggested and offer a new perspective on the capabilities for invention and the adaptive flexibility of the Oldowan hominins.</p></div

Experimental assemblages.

<p><b>Secondary knapped flakes.</b> The “retouch” was accidentally produced by an anvil impact. Pieces 1,2,3,4,5,8,10 exhibit signs of the hammerstone impact on the dorsal faces. <u>Morphology:</u> 2,3,5,6,9,10– Pointed pieces; 1,7– Clactonian notches; 8– Flake with retouch-like scars.</p

Secondary knapped flakes with the signs of dorsal impact in Bizat Ruhama assemblages.

<p>1. Pointed piece with (a) point of percussion, crushing and crack-lines on the dorsal surface; 2. Broken flake with (a) signs of impact and crushing directed from the dorsal surface, (b) signs of impact and crushing directed from the ventral surface; 3. Clactonian notch with (a) opposite point of percussion and crushing on the dorsal surface; 4. Flake with retouch-like scars with (a) opposite scars and crushing on the dorsal surface directed from the ventral surface.</p

Thickness of complete flakes and secondary knapped flakes in Bizat Ruhama archaeological assemblages.

<p>Thickness of complete flakes and secondary knapped flakes in Bizat Ruhama archaeological assemblages.</p

The experimental assemblage.

<p>Signs of an anvil impact.</p

The size of the scars on cores-on-flake, bipolar and exhausted cores and Clactonian notches.

<p>The maximum length of the largest scar was measured.</p