Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis. – Alba Regia. Az István Király Múzeum Évkönyve. 12. 1971 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: C sorozat (1972)

Tanulmányok – Abhandlungen. A Pannonia Konferenciák aktái, I. – Akten der Pannonia Konferenzen I. - Tringham, Ruth: The Function, Technology, and Typology of the Chipped Stone Industry at Bilany, Czechoslovakia. – Bylany (Csehország) pattintott kőeszközeinek formai, technológiai és funkcionális vizsgálata. XII, 1971. p. 143–148.

Palaeolithic specialists is as dangerous as to base the classification only on the function and technology of the tools as has been done by various disciples of S e m e о n о v.

(3) The morphological typologists use functional terms as the basis of their classification systems. Although to a certain extent, and usually by coincidence or accident, they may correct in their identifications, these are based on arbitrary assumption from the evidence of the form of the implement, and cannot be taken as serious attempts at the interpretation of the implements in terms of the functions they actually performed. Much more dangerous are the attempts to interpret these assumed functional types in terms of the actual activities performed on the sites.

(4) The identification of the function of chipped stone implements is the most difficult, time-consuming, and to many people, the most dubious and dangerous aspect of the analysis of chipped stone industries. It is essential, however, to identify the function, if possible, in order to assess the effect on the shape of the tool of the other factors. In order to dispense with subjectivity and preconceived ideas in the identification of an implement, the surface and particularly the cutting edges of the blades are thoroughly examined with the aid of a microscope for traces of wear. Observations of scars, scratches, polish etc. on the prehistoric implements have been and still are being controlled by experimentation in using the blades with a certain action on certain materials and examination of their edges for wear marks. Similar observations have been made of the use, duration of working life and wearmarks of tools used in modern circumstances.

(5) The importance of wearmarks was first pointed out by Semeonov

(6) who pioneered identification of the function by microscopic analysis. A few researchers since have been continuing the experiments.

(7) A series of experiments in the Dept. ganges Mesolithikum —Neolithikum. Alt-Thüringen 2, 1957, 22-47; A. DZIEDUSZYCKA - MACHNIKOWA, Do dyskusji nad metoda statystycznego opracowania proporcji wiórów i narzedzi wiórowych dia neolitu malopolski. APoîski 12, 1966, 165—167. (3) V. I. MARKEYEVlC, Issledovaniya neolita na Srednem Dnestre. Kratkiye Soobsc. Inst. Arkh. 105, 1965, 85-90. (4) L. and S. BINFORD, A preliminary analysis of functional variability in the Mousterian of Levallois fades. American Anthropologist 68, 1966, 238 — 295.; ID. Stone Tools and Human Behaviour. Scientific American 220, 1969, 70-83.; A. BÖHMERS, A statistical analysis of flint artefacts. Science and Archaeology. London 1963, 469 — 481. (5) P. WHITE, The living Stone Age in New Guinea. La Préhistoire. Problèmes et tendences. Paris 1968, 511-516. (6) S. A. SEMEONOV, Pervobitnaya Tekhnika. Mat. i. Issled. po Arkheol. SSSR 54. 1957. (7) G. F. KOROBKOVA, Primeniye methoda mikroanaliza к izuceniyu funktsii kamennikh i kostyanikh orudii. Arh. i estestvenniye nauki. Moskva, 1965, 193-197.; 67. FRISON, A functional analysis of certain chipped stone tools. American Antiquity 33/2, 1968 149-155.; E. WILMSEN, Functional analysis of flaked stone artefacts. American Antiquity 33/2, 1968, 156-161. of Anthropology of University College London which was begun last autumn is attempting to systematically repeat a large number of actions of the flint blades on a variety of materials representing a variety of typical activities which might have been carried on an early neolithic settlement. Before and after the action the cutting edge is photographed under the microscope on both surfaces for traces of wear. Semeonov pointed out that under a microscope two sets of traces are visible ; firstly traces of manufacture caused by technological and cultural factors, including preparation of the striking platform and subsequent modification of the shape by deliberate retouch; secondly, traces of wear caused by the material on which the implement was used and the action with which it was used. At Bylany, an on other early neolithic chipped stone implements, the scars caused by wear are easily distinguishable from scars made by deliberate retouch in that the latter extend further towards the spine of the blade and are larger, more regular, with sharply-defined edges. From the experiments, various general guides to the identification of the function of chipped stone tools are available depending on the distribution and configuration of the scars, scratches, polish etc. For example, a cutting action produces scars distributed unevenly on both surfaces of the blade along the cutting edge. Abrasion in the form of polish may also be distributed on both the dorsal and ventral surfaces. Scratches, when they occur are orientated diagonally away from the cutting edge in particular on the ventral surface. Sawing gives a similar configuration of traces but the scratches are parallel to the cutting edge. Scraping produces a straight cutting edge with scars distributed in a regular row along the edge on the dorsal surface only. The steeper the angle at which the implement has been used, the more oblique will be the angle of the scars to the cutting edge. Generally this corresponds to an increasing hardness of worked material, but not necessarily.

(8) Scraping also produces scratches on the ventral surface perpendicular to the cutting edge. The scars produced by working the implement on soft material such as skin or meat tend to have sharp, fresh unabraided edges; if polish occurs it is distributed over the whole surface of the scar facet. The scars produced by working on hard material such as bone or wood have polish only on the edges of the facet; the edges of the facet become abraided by tiny scratches, and on very hard material such as bone or antler step fractures occur on the cutting edge and with increased use gradually work their way towards the centre, battering the scar edges. Implements used to cut (or scrape) silica-bearing materials such as reeds, wild grasses, but especially cultivated grasses such as wheat, i. e. as sickles, are distinguished by a distinctive configuration of wear traces.

(9) At first the action produces the same scars (8) E. WILMSEN, о. с (9) E. О CURWEN, Prehistoric Flint sickles. Antiquity 4, 1930, 179-186. 10 Alba Regia 145