Experimental Flake Scatter-Patterns: a New Interpretative Technique

Abstract

Scatters of flint waste flakes are among the commonest finds on prehistoric sites. To understand how such patterns are formed, we made a series of Neolithic axe roughouts and other tools and recorded the distribution of waste flakes. The most important variable affecting the size and shape of flake scatter patterns seems to be the knapper's position. The applications of these experiments to prehistoric data are considered.