洛南盆地的薄刃斧

Cleavers Collected from the Open-air Sites in Luonan Basin,China

薄刃斧是旧石器时代早期阿舍利(Acheulian)石器工业的代表性器物之一,以前的研究结论认为在东亚地区的旧石器早期遗址中缺乏薄刃斧,有的学者经过细致的甄别后从华北一些旧石器遗址中发现了它的踪迹。近年来在中国南方的旧石器遗址中也不乏薄刃斧发现的报道。尽管如此,如同对手斧的认识一样,在实际的研究工作中仍然存在对该类器物认识模糊的问题,另外,国内报道的薄刃斧的数量偏少、含薄刃斧的遗址分布范围有限、制作方面也不如西方典型。本文简单梳理了西方学者对薄刃斧的认识,在此基础上对1995─2004年期间在陕西省秦岭山地东部洛南盆地南洛河及其支流两侧阶地63处旷野类型旧石器地点发现的119件薄刃斧进行了系统的研究。

Like the presence of hand-axes, cleavers in the Luonan Basin, Shaanxi Province, also challenge many of the preconceived ideas about the distribution of Acheulian technology＇. Many questions remain, particularly over an accepted definition of cleavers and whether or not there are ＂real＂ cleavers in Pleistocene China compared to western parts of the Old Continents. This article focuses on the definition of cleavers in order to identify this kind of tool found in China. On the basis of the definition by Tixier （1956）, a cleaver should be a kind of tool that it is invariably a flake tool with a transverse cutting edge at the distal end. Generally this cutting edge is natural or in other words the distal cutting edge is unmodified by intentional retouch and the side edges and proximal end is usually bifacially produced by convergence surfaces. Based on this definition, 119 cleavers were identified from 63 of 268 open-air sites found from 1995 to 2004 in the Luonan Basin, Shaanxi Province, China. Most of the cleavers are classic ＂U-＂ or ＂V-＂ shaped outline in their overall appearance. This article describes cleavers＇ raw materials and provides a brief typo-technological analysis. Metrical analysis attempts to provide an objective typological description for these artifacts rather than merely limiting the discussion to arbitrary cleaver morphology. Early hominids in the Luonan Basin chose seven kinds of raw materials to make cleavers. The most common is cream quartzite （N = 54,45.38%）, then dark grey quartzite （N = 25, 21.01%）. greywacke （ N = 13, 10.92% ）, red quartzite （ N = 11,9.24%）, and fine sandstone （ N = 14, 11.77 % ）. Quartz （ N = 1,0,84 % ） and sandstone （ N = 1,0.84 % ） are rare. Metrical analysis shows that the mean length of this sample of cleavers is 159.32 mm, average width is 113.84 mm., mean thickness is 52.36 mm,and mean weight is 1 059.5 g. Mean size as measured by three ratios： （width/length）× 100 equals 73.49 （thickness/length） × 100 equals 33.64 and （thickness/width）× 100 equals 48.39 Attribute analysis shows that cleaver forms, as well as the relative size index were significantly affected by raw materials. The most common position of retouching flake removals on the cleavers is bifacial （N = 50, 42.02% ）. Retouch on the exterior surface and interior surface, as well as alternating modification are also common. Alternate removals on the cleaver＇s exterior and interior surfaces are uncommon. Parallel retouched scar pattern is the most common feature （ N = 66,55.46 % ）, although sub-parallel, stepped, and scale patterns are also frequent. In an examination of retouch, half of the cleavers have long retouch extension （N = 58, 48.74%）, while cleavers with short retouched scars （N = 29, 24.37%） or invasive pattern （N = 27,22.69% ） is infrequent. Only five cleavers have retouch covering the whole surface. Measurement of the cleaver edges shows that acute edge angles are predominant （N = 74, 62.18% ）,although frequently about 1/3 have an abrupt edge. The cleavers also have a semi-abrupt, steep edge angle, but these are very uncommon.