The Multi-Classification Concept in Paleolithic Tool's Typology
C Zhang · 1999
I.The illogicality in current stone artifacts'classification and nomenclature. I) The current typology is a mixture of different classification principies and different classification criteria;thus a lot of misguided terms are created and have been widely used.While some functional terms as handaxe,scrapers and choppers,etc.,are thought having no functional implications by some American Scholars (J.D.Clark,1974,p.71～72),some morphological terms as points and spheroids,etc.,are thought to be the classification according functional criteria by some Chinese scholars (Zhang Sengshui,1987) and some European scholars (F.Bordes,1954). The adoption of different criteria in classification is the the major reason for the variabiity of the definition of many typological categories.The authors of the present paper quite agree with J.D. Clark's methods of adoption only morphological criteria which have close relation with retouching ways in classification,but also think that keeping some functional terms in his morphological classification system instead of creating some new morphological terms is easy to cause misguidance for many other scholars,especially the alien scholars. II) Handaxe,a so important category widely used as a representative of a unique trait ,still has no fixed definition.The main reason is also that we usually adopt different classification criteria simultaneously.That is why the authors of the present paper advocate the adoption of several selfindependent classification systems (i.e.,functional classification system and morphoiogical classification system,etc.)in tool typology. III) Coreaxe,corescraper and cobbleaxe are really misguided terms.The authors of the present paper object such kind of word formation through the junction of differnet kinds(morphological and functional) of terms in tool nomenclature,which usually leads to the adoption or misinterpretation of different criteria in classification at the same time. IV) Pickaxe is also a kind of misguided terms.When hyphen creates a new concept as well as a new word,it is difficult to give a clear division between the new concept (e.g.,pickaxe) and the old concepts (e.g.,pick and axe)and it will make trouble for further subdivision (no matter under pick or axe). So,it is best to avoid using hyphen in tool nomenclature. II.The importance and possibility of developing an international rule on stone artifacts' classification and nomenclature. I) The negative effect of the chaos in tools' classification and nomenclature∶a) difficult to get correct information through paper reading;b) hindering scholarly communication between different researchers;c) hindering further conclusive studies. II) The terms and their definition are thought having got official recognition only when they are recommended and approved by a universally accepted “commission on nomenclature and terminology”. III) It is absolutely necessary now to create an organization of “International Committee on the Classificatopm and Nomenclature ofPaleolithic Toolsas same asCommission on Nomenclature and Terminology of the PanAfrican Congress on Prehistory and Quaternary Studies”. III.The authors of the present paper suggest that the following principles should be obeyed in stone artifacts's classification and nomenclature∶ I) Adopt several selfindependent classification systems (i.e.,furnctional classification system and morphological classification system,etc.)in tool typology ,and gradually replace the functional terms with morphological terms in current prevalent morphological classification system.It should also be avoided to use the morphological terms in functional classification system. II) The nomenclature given first to a certain category has the priority over the other nomenclatures and should be the only one correct name to be employed. III) All typological terms should have clear and fixed definition and have no overla