TOOLS UNDERFOOT - HUMAN TRAMPLING AS AN AGENT OF LITHIC ARTIFACT EDGEMODIFICATION

A series of eight replication experiments tests the proposition that h uman trampling of stone flakes can produce edge damage that mimics del iberate retouch. Retouchlike edge damage, breakage, and other farms of macroscopic mechanical damage were observed on large numbers of piece s in all trampled sets. Experiments measured the relative contribution s of three variables-raw material, artifact density, a,ld substrate-in generating damage. Results indicate that while all three factors cont ribute to some degree, substrate plays the most decisive role, and tha t artifacts are mure likely to exhibit damage if trampled on art impen etrable substrate. It was further found that trampling transforms flak es into pseudo-tools that can be classified as formal tools using a st andard typology. Many of these are notched and denticulate pieces, ind icating that special caution is needed in behavioral interpretations b ased on these tool types, and that the European Paleolithic Denticulat e Mousterian industry requires critical reassessment.