Finding flint - A technical analysis of a flint assemblage of varying quality from Skateholm I
(2026) ARKM34 20261Department of Archaeology and Ancient History
- Abstract (Swedish)
- This thesis compares two qualities of flint, one more fine-grained and one more coarse-grained, from the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle site Skateholm I in Scania, Sweden. This in order to investigate what roles the different qualities of flint had in the technological organisation relating to raw material acquisition, choice of technology, and end-product goals. Through a technical analysis of the flint, differences and similarities across various attributes were discovered. The analysis of these results is structured through the framework of the Chaîne opératoire (operational chains). The differences in operational chains are understood as representing different underlying operational schemata which structure the technical organisation and... (More)
- This thesis compares two qualities of flint, one more fine-grained and one more coarse-grained, from the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle site Skateholm I in Scania, Sweden. This in order to investigate what roles the different qualities of flint had in the technological organisation relating to raw material acquisition, choice of technology, and end-product goals. Through a technical analysis of the flint, differences and similarities across various attributes were discovered. The analysis of these results is structured through the framework of the Chaîne opératoire (operational chains). The differences in operational chains are understood as representing different underlying operational schemata which structure the technical organisation and strategies. The main results include a more expedient operational schema connected to the coarse-grained flint, characterised by local procurement of smaller nodules, lower investment and knowledge of raw material constraints. In contrast, the same schema for the fine-grained flint is characterised by possibly both local and non-local procurement, higher investment in planning, retouch, and maintenance and is largely governed by anticipated end-product goals. Interpretations of the general technological strategies are understood as flexible, since both qualities of flint were used in an expedient and curated manner pointing to the usage of flint varying depending on context and end goals. However, non-expedient use of the coarse-grained flint is scarcely represented by some retouched flakes and one formal tool. The differences and similarities in the treatment of the two qualities of flint are discussed as stemming from factors such as the perceived value of the flint and knowledge about the intrinsic material properties of the flint. Further, the quality of the flint is not always interpreted as being the main factor for the differences in the material; rather, different technological choices and variation in treatment of the flint are understood as context-dependent and embedded in social structures. The general technical impression of the analysed assemblage is one of mostly expedient use, which fits within the bigger context of the Ertebølle culture. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9235434
- author
- Arvidsson, Elna LU
- supervisor
-
- Åsa Berggren LU
- organization
- course
- ARKM34 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- flint, lithic technical analysis, Chaîne opératoire, operational chains, lithic technological organisation, Ertebølle culture, Late Mesolithic, Scandinavia, Skateholm.
- language
- English
- id
- 9235434
- date added to LUP
- 2026-07-14 09:44:36
- date last changed
- 2026-07-14 09:44:36
@misc{9235434,
abstract = {{This thesis compares two qualities of flint, one more fine-grained and one more coarse-grained, from the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle site Skateholm I in Scania, Sweden. This in order to investigate what roles the different qualities of flint had in the technological organisation relating to raw material acquisition, choice of technology, and end-product goals. Through a technical analysis of the flint, differences and similarities across various attributes were discovered. The analysis of these results is structured through the framework of the Chaîne opératoire (operational chains). The differences in operational chains are understood as representing different underlying operational schemata which structure the technical organisation and strategies. The main results include a more expedient operational schema connected to the coarse-grained flint, characterised by local procurement of smaller nodules, lower investment and knowledge of raw material constraints. In contrast, the same schema for the fine-grained flint is characterised by possibly both local and non-local procurement, higher investment in planning, retouch, and maintenance and is largely governed by anticipated end-product goals. Interpretations of the general technological strategies are understood as flexible, since both qualities of flint were used in an expedient and curated manner pointing to the usage of flint varying depending on context and end goals. However, non-expedient use of the coarse-grained flint is scarcely represented by some retouched flakes and one formal tool. The differences and similarities in the treatment of the two qualities of flint are discussed as stemming from factors such as the perceived value of the flint and knowledge about the intrinsic material properties of the flint. Further, the quality of the flint is not always interpreted as being the main factor for the differences in the material; rather, different technological choices and variation in treatment of the flint are understood as context-dependent and embedded in social structures. The general technical impression of the analysed assemblage is one of mostly expedient use, which fits within the bigger context of the Ertebølle culture.}},
author = {{Arvidsson, Elna}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Finding flint - A technical analysis of a flint assemblage of varying quality from Skateholm I}},
year = {{2026}},
}