Author, as appears in the article.: Hortolà, P.
Department: Història i Història de l'Art
URV's Author/s: Hortolà i Gómez, Policarp
Keywords: Aboriginal anthropology Antropologia aborigen Arqueologia prehistòrica Art Chaine-operatoire approach Conservation science Cultura material Diepkloof rock shelter Identification Knowledge Material culture Prehistoric archaeology Raw-material Residue analysis Residus orgànics Southeast-asia Stone-age sequence Traceologia Use-wear Use-wear analysis Western cape
Abstract: In research on prehistoric and aboriginal technology, terms such as 'replica', 'reproduction' or 'imitation' are still used as generic labels for (non-original) experimental objects, their intended meaning becoming potentially confusing. Because the implementation of a standard terminology is required in order to allow individuals involved in research on prehistoric and aboriginal technology to speak the same language, an experimental artefact terminology, based on alpha-taxonomy and the chaîne opératoire, is presented. In this terminology, alpha-taxonomy takes into account three stages of the operational scheme of the chaîne opératoire as couplets: (1) the raw material used, (2) the method employed for shaping a given object, and (3) its resulting final shape. Additionally, a registry code suitable for labelling experimental artefacts is also presented. Although the lexicon presented in this paper does not intend to solve all the problems related to experimental artefacts in prehistoric and aboriginal technology, it represents a user-friendly approach to experimental realities, by establishing a shared language¿which, to date, has still not been implemented¿for experimental items. While this terminology and code system are primarily addressed to prehistoric and aboriginal technologists concerned with experimental work, they are equally relevant to museum curators and can also be of value to individuals involved in many other human endeavours, from the contemporary-art trade to the mechanics industry.
Thematic Areas: Anthropology Antropología Antropologia / arqueologia Archaeology Archeology Archeology (arts and humanities) Ciencias humanas Ciencias sociales Geociências Geosciences, multidisciplinary Historia
licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
Author's mail: policarp.hortola@urv.cat
Author identifier: 0000-0003-2867-6531
Record's date: 2023-02-18
Papper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
Link to the original source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-016-0332-1
Papper original source: Archaeological And Anthropological Sciences. 10 (1): 31-40
APA: Hortolà, P. (2018). Experimental artefacts in research on prehistoric and aboriginal technology: a standardised terminology and registry code based on alpha-taxonomy and the chaîne opératoire. Archaeological And Anthropological Sciences, 10(1), 31-40. DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0332-1
Licence document URL: http://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
Article's DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0332-1
Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Journal publication year: 2018
Publication Type: Journal Publications