湖北郧县余嘴2号地点砍砸器的实验研究

2009年在湖北郧县余嘴2号旧石器地点的发掘过程中, 我们利用文化层中出土的砾石原料与从该地点附近地表采集的砾石原料进行复制与使用实验。各复制样本50件, 并根据原料类型、大小与刃角选取样本进行了使用实验, 最后与出土标本进行对比。实验结果表明, 燧石最适合用作砍砸器的原料, 砂岩最不适合; 遗址出土砍砸器原料却以相对丰富的角页岩、石英岩为主, 这表明古人选取原料的策略是以方便与适度为原则。实验还显示, 碰砧法制作砍砸器非常有效, 但是出土标本却表现为以锤击法为主, 导致这种差别的原因可能是古人的上肢有更强大的打击力和图方便的目的。另外,实验还表明, 砍砸器的使用有最佳的力轴与握姿以及最佳的边刃长度, 考古标本的观察也印证了这一点。在此基础上, 我们对砍砸器的性质、传统以及作为一种文化适应所代表的意义进行了探讨。

An Experimental Study of Choppers from the Yuzui Paleolithic Locality 2,Yunxian, Hubei Province

Experimental study is a fundamental method in lithic analysis to understand the strategy behind exploitation of raw materials,technological process,and past lithic functions.It is particularly useful to conduct experiments with raw materials from the cultural strata and neighboring areas of the archaeological site.In this paper,replication and use experiments of choppers were done at the Yuzui Paleolithic Locality 2 during the excavation season.In terms of replication we made 100 choppers from local gravels(from the cultural strata N=50;and from nearby site surfaces N=50).Then,we using the replicated choppers we cut fresh boughs according to raw material,chopper size and cutting edge angle.We then compared experimental results with artifacts.This work produced several interesting conclusions.First,sandstone was not a useable raw material for chopper manufacture,flint was much better.Interestingly,ancient peoples used more hornfel and quartzite,which were relatively abundant in the local area.Second,our replication experiments suggest that the anvil technique is fairly effective in chopper manufacture,but many site artifacts showed examples of free-hand percussion.The difference in technique probably related to the larger muscle strength of ancient people.Third,the use experiment indicated that there was an optimal axis of force and holding posture,as well as an optimal length of cutting edge.Examination of archaeological choppers confirmed our observation of this optimal holding posture and cutting edge with the used length of cutting edges usually no more than 6 centimeters.Based on this research,we further discuss the meaning of so-called chopper tradition and the functional interpretations of choppers.As a type of expedient tool,the chopper is characterized by a form of simple technology.As shown at the Yuzui Paleolithic Locality 2,free-hand percussion was used rather than anvil technique.The priority in ease in acquiring raw materials indicated that choppers were not a type of tool with a long use life.At same time,this tool had an limited temporal and spatial distribution from the earliest Paleolithic into the late Neolithic.Because of this distribution,we do not believe that it can be called a lithic tradition.Its dominance in south China and southeast Asia was very likely associated with rich resources of organic tools such as bamboo,hard wood and bone,as Pope argued.Other lithic tools were replaced by these organic tools as they were not preserved in the sites,which then led to chopper-dominated lithic assemblages.