Stigma discrimination of the use of iron hammers in the production of flakes. The case of the Pla de la Guitarra d'en Roig (Ulldemolins, Tarragona)

Abstract

The morpho-technical analysis of a huge lithic set documented in the archaeological site of Pla de la Guitarra d'en Roig (Ulldemolins, Priorat) has made it possible to discriminate the production of flakes to be configurated into gunflints. The site is situated in an old terrace of the Montsant River that it presents outcrops of evaprotityic flint (Ulldemolins formation) (Colombo, Escarré, 1994) as well as raw material in secondary position transported by the river. All this flint has been used and exploited for millennia. In the superficial levels of this site, we have been documented big set of knapped flint composed by flake cores, discoidal cores, flat cores, and some little and irregular cores. We also recover flakes with wide striking platforms, very marked bulbs, and strong marks on the impact points. These stigmas that have been documented on this flint production are associated with the use of iron hammers. These general characteristics make it possible to link this set to the productions of gunflint, although other historic uses of flint such as tribulum, and lighters cannot be discarded. By an experimental approach, the knapping processes have been replicated with different metal tools, in order to generate an experimental collection that can be used to discriminate the use of the iron hammer and its possible morphology.