A cylindrical blade core has two opposing platforms. One end often serves as the main platform for the removal of blades - the opposing platform is frequently used only to straighten the face of the core and correct knapping errors. Removals are taken from around the full circumference of the platform. Frequently, preparation flakes are removed from the platform to adjust the angle of detachment (Coulson 1986 21).Although this core type is considered to be primarily for the manufacture of blades, numbers of flakes are also produced during the core preparation and correction stages.
A straight ridge is necessary to guide the removal of the first blade from a core. If a natural ridge is not present, one can be produced by flaking on the core face. Such a ridge is created by extensive flaking perpendicular to the length axis of the core. The removal of this primary ridge blade, or crested blade, leaves straight scars on the core face which serve as guides for further blades (see Owen 1982, 3).
Crested blades have also been described as follows:
"First blade removed from a core. Bears bi-directional flake scars on the dorsal surface, the result of the worker preparing a ridge to guide the blade" (Crabtree 1982,, 41).
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Internet Archaeology
Last updated: Thu Mar 20 1997