Abstract
Raw material selection and transport behaviours are important constraints on
Oldowan lithic production strategies. While patterns in toolstone preference at Oldowan sites
suggest that physical properties relating to fracture mechanics played a key role in
determining selectivity, the durability of rock types was also a critical concern. However, few
studies have examined the influence of raw material performance, during subsistence
activities, on procurement strategies in the Oldowan industry. Here we report on an
actualistic butchery experiment used to measure attrition rates in quartz and quartzite flakes
for the purpose of examining raw material selectivity in Oldowan sites from South Africa...