POSITION OF RETOUCH



position of retouch
The following terms are used to define where retouch is found, or to indicate the position of the retouch, with regard to the surfaces of a flake, blade or microblade: these are direct retouch position, inverse retouch position, alternate retouch position, alternating retouch position, bifacial retouch position and invasive retouch position. These terms are used by Tixier 1974, 14, 15, 3, 4 and 21) Tixier, Inizan and Roche 1980, fig.41 and p. 87, 100) and Brézillon 1977, fig. 20 and p.110-111). Another set of terms are used to describe the type, morphology and technology of retouch.

See retouch types

direct retouch
Direct retouch position has been defined as "retouch in which the...removals start from the ventral or bulbar surface. Also called normal retouch" (Tixier 1974, 14). It is called normal retouch as it is the most common retouch found and is the easiest to apply - the knapper works from the ventral surface, which forms a flat striking platform, onto the convex dorsal surface. As illustrated it can only be seen from the dorsal surface and leaves no traces on the ventral face.

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inverse retouch
Inverse retouch position is the opposite of direct retouch position in that it is formed "when removals start from the dorsal surface" (Tixier 1974, 15). It is more difficult to apply than direct retouch in that the knapper must work from a convex surface on to a flat surface. No traces of it can not be seen from the dorsal face - it is only visible from the ventral surface.

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alternate retouch
Alternate retouch position is "retouch which is worked along part or all of both edges of a piece, starting from the dorsal surface on one edge and from the ventral surface on the other edge" (Tixier 1974, 3). It can also be described as a combination of the use of direct retouch position along one edge of a blank and inverse retouch position along the other edge.

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alternating retouch
The term alternating retouch position was introduced by Bordes 1961, 29 to describe the retouch found on a group of side scrapers. It has been defined by Tixier 1974, 3 as "retouch which starts alternately from one surface then from the other on the same edge of a flake, blade or bladelet. When identifying this retouch it is essential to assure that it is consistently regular and continuous. As Bordes 1961, 45 warns, this is the most common form of ´retouch´ to be found on pseudo-tools. Strips of edge damage also often appear to alternate from one side of an artifact to the other.

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bifacial retouch
Bifacial retouch position is produced when direct retouch and inverse retouch are applied along the same section of the same edge of an artifact (in opposition to alternate retouch, where this combination is found along opposite edges). It has been defined by Tixier 1974, 4 as "retouch worked on both surfaces of an object, covering each surface partially or totally." It is possible to ascertain the last surface to be worked by determining which set of retouch scars are complete and which set are cut by these detachments.

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invasive retouch
Invasive retouch position is the term used to describe the application of retouch that covers most, or all, of an artifact. In the lower Palaeolithic handaxes are produced with invasive bifacial retouch using direct percussion. In later periods invasive retouch is often achieved by using the long flake removals of parallel retouch and/or sub-parallel retouch, which are thought to be applied by pressure flaking. It differs from other retouch positioning in that it is applied with the purpose of shaping the entire artifact - others are restricted to modifying the edges. Invasive retouch can be applied unifacially, bifacially or can be limited to selected areas of an artifact.

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