Comparative Archaeology Database, University of Pittsburgh
URL: http://www.cadb.pitt.edu
Email: cadb@pitt.edu

Quijos Settlement Dataset
Andrea M. Cuéllar



Obsidian Artifacts from Excavations

The data files OBSEXC.TXT and OBSEXC.XLS contain data on all the obsidian artifacts from excavations at Quijos settlements. OBSEXC.TXT is an ASCII text file; OBSEXC.XLS contains the same data in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. Each line represents one artifact. There are 722 lines in the text file, each with 15 variables separated by commas. The variables are, in the following order:

1
Stratigraphic test number
2
Stratigraphic level
3
Color:
1=Gray
2=Green
3=Clear
4=Smokey, translucent gray
4
Sub-color:
1=Black
2=Grey
3=Black in middle, transluscent on edge
4=Bottle clear
5=Bottle clear with clouds
6=Cloudy
7=Banded
8=Smokey (transluscent)
9=Grey, Green/Bluish
10= Cloudy with speckles
11=Mottled Black/Grey
5
Type:
1.1=Decortication Flakes: Primary, Macrodebitage
1.2=Decortication Flakes: Secondary, Macrodebitage
1.3=Platform Preparation Flakes (no facets on dorsal), Macrodebitage
1.4=Macroblades: Whole, Macrodebitage
1.5=Macroblades: Proximal, Macrodebitage
1.6=Macroblades: Medial, Macrodebitage
1.7=Macroblades: Distal, Macrodebitage
1.8=Macroflakes: Whole, Macrodebitage
1.9=Macroflakes: Proximal, Macrodebitage
1.10=Macroflakes: Fragment, Macrodebitage
1.11=Macrocores, Macrodebitage
2.1=Percussion Blades: Whole, Macro Core Reduction
2.2=Percussion Blades: Proximal, Macro Core Reduction
2.3=Percussion Blades: Medial Macro Core Reduction
2.4=Percussion Blades: Distal, Macro Core Reduction
2.5=Percussion Flake: Whole, Macro Core Reduction
2.6=Percussion Flake: Proximal, Macro Core Reduction
2.7=Percussion Flake: Fragment, Macro Core Reduction
3.1=Pressure Blade Cores: Whole, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.2=Pressure Blade Cores: Proximal, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.3=Pressure Blade Cores: Medial, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.4=Pressure Blade Cores: Distal, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.5=Ridge Blade - no cortex, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.6=Platform Trimming/Faceting Flakes, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.7=Platform Trimming/Faceting Flakes: Probable, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.8=Core Trimming Flakes (Face of Core), Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.9=Secondary Crested Blades, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.10=Core Truncation/Section Flakes, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.11=Core Rims: Transversely Struck Off, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.12=Core Rims: Not Transversely Struck Off, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.13=Core Face Flakes: Transversely Struck Off, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.14=Plunging Blades, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.15=Eraillure Flakes, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.16=Bipolar Flakes, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.17=Platforms Removed in Manufacturing Error, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.18=Microblade Cores, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.19=Blade Shatter, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.20=Platform Overhang Flake, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.21=Core Rims from Distals, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.22= Wedge, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.23=Initial Series Blades: Whole, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.24=Initial Series Blades: Proximal, Polyhedral Core Reduction
3.25=Tongued Flake, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Blade Error
3.26=Proximal Blade with Tongue, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Blade Error
3.27=Proximal Blade with Tongue scar, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Blade Error
3.28=Distal Blade with Tongue, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Blade Error
3.29=Distal Blade with Tongue scar, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Blade Error
3.30=Transverse Blade, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Blade Error
3.31=Manufacturing Error Flakes, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.32=Hinge Recovery Blades, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.33=Core Rejuvenation Blade: Whole, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.34=Core Rejuvenation Blade: Proximal, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.35=Core Rejuvenation Blade: Medial, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.36=Core Rejuvenation Blade: Distal, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.37=Lateral Rejuvenation Flakes, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.38=Rejuvenation Flake, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.39=Longitudianal Blade Core Fragments (side of core), Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
3.40=Rejuvenation Blade, Polyhedral Core Reduction–Core Error
4.1=Irregular Pressure Blades: Whole, Prismatic Blades
4.2=Irregular Pressure Blades: Proximal, Prismatic Blades
4.3=Irregular Pressure Blades: Medial, Prismatic Blades
4.4=Irregular Pressure Blades: Distal, Prismatic Blades
4.5=Prismatic Pressure Blades: Whole, Prismatic Blades
4.6=Prismatic Pressure Blades: Proximal, Prismatic Blades
4.7=Prismatic Pressure Blades: Medial, Prismatic Blades
4.8=Prismatic Pressure Blades: Distal, Prismatic Blades
5.1=Blades Retouched to Points, Blade Tool
5.2=Ribbon Blades, Blade Tool
5.3=Unidentified Blades, Blade Tool
5.4=Notched Blades (Tula Point with notch), Blade Tool
5.5=Pressure Flakes, Blade Tool
5.6=Percussion Microblades (heavy rings), Blade Tool
5.7=Stemmed Blades, Blade Tool
5.8=Blade Eccentrics: Bilobal and Trilobal, Blade Tool
5.9=Probable Balde, Blade Tool
6.1=Thinning Flakes, Bifacial Flake Debitage
6.2=Bifacial Reduction Flake, Bifacial Flake Debitage
6.3=Notching/Retouching Flakes, Bifacial Flake Debitage
6.4=Sharpening Flake, Bifacial Flake Debitage
7.1=Projectile Points, Flake Tool
7.2=Unifaces, Flake Tool
7.3=Stemmed Points: Bifacially Flaked Flake, Flake Tool
7.4=Bifacially Flaked Flakes, Flake Tool
7.5=Bifaces, Flake Tool
7.7=Flake Cores: Casual, Flake Tool
7.8=Flake Core with Cortex, Flake Tool
7.9=Microcore, Flake Tool
7.10=Core Fragment, Flake Tool
7.11=Flake used as Core, Flake Tool
8.1=Unidentified Flakes with Platforms, Flake Debitage
8.2=Unidentified Flakes with Platforms: with cortex, Flake Debitage
8.3=Unidentified Flakes without Platforms, Flake Debitage
8.4=Indirect Percussion Flakes, Flake Debitage
8.5=Hinge Removals, Flake Debitage–Flake Error
8.6=Primary Decortication Flake, Flake Debitage
8.7=Secondary Decortication Flake, Flake Debitage
8.8=Chucks/Shatter, Flake Debitage
8.9=Hinge removal with cortex, Flake Debitage
8.10=Hinge removal shatter, Flake Debitage
8.11=Primary Decortication Blade, Flake Debitage
8.12=Secondary Decortication Bade, Flake Debitage
9.1=Unidentified Flake, Undetermined
9.2=Unidentified Flake: Fragment, Undetermined
10.1=Eccentrics, Other
10.2=Other
6
Stage:
1=Macrodebitage
2=Macro core reduction
3=Polyhedral core reduction
4=Prismatic blade
5=Blade tool
6=Bifacial flake debitage
7=Flake tool
8=Flake debitage
9=Undetermined
10=Other.
7
Platform:
1=Single Facet
2=Multi-Facet
3=Ground
4=Scratched
5=Other
6=Unidentified (crushed)
7=Cortex
8
Length (mm)
9
Width (mm)
10
Thickness (mm)
11
Edge wear:
1=Cutting/Slicing–soft (parallel sriations)
2=Cutting/Slicing–hard (crushing)
3=Scraping–soft (luster or sheen)
4=Scraping–hard (irregular flaking)
5=Steep, regular microflaking (scraping)
6=Weathered patch (rubbing)
7=Longtitude striations
8=Retouch
12
Face:
1=Dorsal
2=Ventral
3=Both
4=Undetermined
13
Retouched tool:
1=End scraper
2=Side scraper
3=Uniface
4=Biface
5=Point
6=Punch
7=Spokeshave
8=Undetermined
9=Exp. flake cutting
10=Knife
14
Weight (g)
15
Termination:
1=Step
2=Hinge
3=Feather

The first line of the ASCII text file, for example, looks like this:

VQ001,1,1,3,8.7,8,1,31,38,9,5,3,2,10,1

This indicates that the artifact is from stratigraphic test VQ001, level 1. Its color is gray, and its sub-color is black in the middle with translucent edges. It is a secondary decortication flake (debitage). The platform has a single facet. The length of the flake is 31 mm; the width, 38 mm; and the thickness, 9 mm. Edge wear is steep, regular microflaking (scraping), on both faces. The tool is classified as a side scraper. Its weight is 10 g, and the termination type is step.

The last (721st) line of the ASCII text file is:

VQ030,12,1,1,8.8,,,21,16,8,5,4,2,2.3,

This indicates that the artifact is from stratigraphic test VQ030, level 12. Its color is gray, and its sub-color is black. It is classified as chunks and shatter (flake debitage). The stage is undetermined, and the platform is unidentified (crushed). The length of the artifact is 21 mm; the width, 16 mm; and the thickness, 8 mm. Edge wear is steep, regular microflaking (scraping), on an undetermined face. The tool is classified as a side scraper. Its weight is 2.3 g. The termination type is undetermined.

Click here to download the file OBSEXC.TXT (54 KB) or the file OBSEXC.XLS (117 KB).


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