History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c10.s1.t6.40

v1.c10.s1.t6.40

(4) By-products : This group of flakes frequently occurs in the Pebble tool industries. The stone hammer direct percussion technique, whenever applied for manufacturing crude implements like chopper and chopping tools, produces a number of these flakes. But, the separation of by-products from the small intentionally detached flakes of the third group, needs caution. Though it may not always be possible to group them with confidence, this author has suggested a tentative method (Jayaswal 1978, pp. 7, 17). It was observed that the by-products are usually much smaller than those flakes of an industry which have either been converted into finished tools or were seemingly meant to be so. These are comparatively smaller than the biggest scar appearing on the artifact of an industry. Often they are not retouched and do not carry definite marks of preparation. It may be mentioned that some of the flakes with partially flaked dorsal surface and flaked but unfaceted striking platforms also belong to the by-product categories.