The influence of raw material qualities in the lithic technology of Gran Dolina (Units TD6 and TD10) and Galería (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain): A view from experimental archeology

A comprehensive analysis of lithic technology from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Atapuerca reveals that raw material qualities significantly influenced knapping techniques during the Lower and Middle Pleistocene. By combining technological analysis with experimental archaeology, researchers demonstrated how specific properties of stone tools—such as texture and fracture behavior—shaped the development of gestures, methods, and techniques over a span of 1.2 million years. The study highlights the adaptability of early hominins in response to material constraints, providing new insights into the evolution of lithic technology at a local scale.

Terradillos-Bernal, M., & Rodríguez-Álvarez, X.-P. (2014). The influence of raw material qualities in the lithic technology of Gran Dolina (Units TD6 and TD10) and Galería (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain): A view from experimental archeology. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 13(6), 527–542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpv.2014.02.002