Knappingflakes

Knappingflakes are the small lithic fragments produced as a core is reduced during knapping, the process of shaping stones into tools. In archaeology and experimental archaeology, the term refers to the debitage or waste flakes that result from deliberate removal of material to create sharp edges or new tool forms. Flakes vary in size from microflakes to larger blades and are typically found scattered around knapping sites or integrated into tool assemblages.

They form through conchoidal fracture when a toolmaker strikes a core with a hammerstone or uses pressure to detach a flake. Key features include the platform where the flake detached, the bulb of percussion, and the dorsal surface with flake scars. The presence or absence of cortex on the flake helps distinguish primary flakes from later removals. Measurements of length, width, and thickness, along with cortex and platform type, inform interpretations of technique, material quality, and the stage of reduction.

Classification of knappingflakes usually separates cortical (with cortex) from non-cortical flakes, and further distinguishes flake types by the method of detachment (direct percussion, indirect percussion, or pressure). Analysis of scar patterns, dorsal surfaces, and platform morphology reveals information about core preparation, flaking angles, and maintenance of the tool-making sequence.

The study of knappingflakes provides essential evidence about lithic technology, including raw material selection, reduction sequences, workshop organization, and cultural practices. They are routinely analyzed together with completed tools and cores to reconstruct past technologies and behavior at archaeological sites. The term knappingflakes is often used interchangeably with flake debris or debitage in scholarly contexts.