Bifacial reduction sequences observed on the Solutrean large ‘laurel leaves’ from Volgu (Rigny-sur-Arroux, Saône-et-Loire)
Takashi Inada · Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française · 2016
This paper follows up our previous contribution on the ‘ laurel leaves’ from the Volgu site (Inada, 2014), and further enriches the attempt of reconstructing realistic images of the final phase of bifacial point production through two approaches : analyzing the chronological contexts of removal groups on the central ridges and marginal edges of the fifteen ‘ laurel leaves’, and then establishing as hypothesis the technological concepts of working procedures such as unifacial and bifacial removal stages, and ‘ analog’ and ‘ digital’ reduction sequences. Three types of removal position shifts (A : alternate, B : bifacial, O : opposite) can be used for reducing the four sides of a bifacial piece. However, in order to complete the four sides, two of these three types must be generally combined as six working procedures (OB, AB, AO, BO, BA and OA — except for the case of overshot flaking), that can further be apprehended in a hypothetical general diagram arranging a total sum of twenty-four working procedure aspects. By comparing the results of chronological analysis of removal groups of the pieces with the procedure aspects of this diagram, we were able to discern that the Volgu ‘ laurel leaves’ were produced respectively along the bifacial removal stages according to their specific regularized working procedure aspects. The digital reduction sequence (consisting of this regularized working procedures recognized especially on central ridges), certainly hold a main role in achieving symmetry both in outline and in section of Volgu pieces, a role enabled by the support of the analog reduction sequence (including all phases of reduction observed generally on edges such as visible or hidden normal removals, provisional or complementary removals and even platform preparations). We hope the proposed concepts and diagrams concerning working procedures and removal stages will serve to promote comparative studies among the results of analysis of finished objects, researches into refitted pieces and experimental replications.