The precolonial knapped picks of Gran Canada (Canary Islands). A case study of craft specialization at the stone grinders quarry of Montaña Quemada

Abstract

In this paper we present the study of chipped stone picks. These instruments were employed to work rocks in several ways (working in quarries, excavating mine galleries and other enclosures, manufacturing tools, etc.). The artifacts were recovered in the excavation of a quarry for the production of rotator milling stones (Montana Quemada, Gran Canaria). In the quarries intensive productive processes were developed, where picks were submitted to strong mechanical and fictional stresses, which caused frequent accidents requiring continuous repairs. These circumstances made it necessary to develop a type of artifact with technical feature s that allowed reshaping and resharpening tasks in order to extend its active life. A combination of morphotechnical and functional studies, along with the refitting results, have enabled us to reconstruct their knapping and use strategies, showing a high level of skill. In addition, this analysis has involved defining, for the first time, the different categories of byproducts generated during the process of the configuration and reconfiguration of the picks. Their detailed description will make it possible to recognize them in other archaeological contexts.