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Nucleus Prehistory

Nucleus Neolithic recent - Leugny France - Museum of Toulouse

As part of the study of lithic industries , prehistoric or not, the term nucleus refers to a block of material that was cut to detach the chips in a broad sense (flakes, blades or lamellae). The chips here are the desired products and the nucleus is a by-product.

The posting of chips can be made either by percussion (using a hard hammer stone, a hammer softer wood plant or antler , etc..) or by pressure.

Within certain methods of cutting such as Levallois or knapping , the nucleus is made with precision so as to predetermine the precise morphology of the fragments which will be posted ^{Different types of nuclus}

Nucleus for knapping - Gravettian - Brassempouy ,, France - Museum of Toulouse
Nucleus spike - Middle Paleolithic - Valley of the Kings , Egypt - Museum of Toulouse
Micronucleus pyramid for microliths - Sorde-l'Abbaye - France - Museum of Toulouse

References

Inizan, ML., Reduron-Ballinger, M., Roche, H. and Tixier, J. (1995) - Prehistory of the New Stone - t. 4: Technology of carved stone, Meudon, CREP, 199 p.