Scrapers

Definition

Scrapers are a type of stone tool used for scraping and shaping materials, often employed in the processing of animal hides and other organic materials. They are a common artifact found in archaeological sites related to food procurement and preparation.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Scrapers are typically made from flakes of stone that have been carefully shaped and retouched to create a sharp, straight, or convex working edge.
2. They were commonly used in the processing of animal hides, such as removing fat, flesh, and hair, as well as in the shaping of wooden and bone tools.
3. The shape and size of scrapers can vary depending on their intended use, with larger scrapers used for more heavy-duty tasks and smaller ones for more delicate work.
4. Scrapers are often found in association with other lithic tools, such as knives and projectile points, indicating their role in a broader suite of food procurement and processing activities.
5. The presence and distribution of scrapers in archaeological sites can provide insights into the subsistence strategies and technological adaptations of past human populations.

Review Questions

• Explain the role of scrapers in the processing of animal hides and their significance in the context of food as a material artifact.
  • Scrapers were an essential tool in the processing of animal hides, which were a critical resource for clothing, shelter, and other purposes in many past human societies. By using scrapers to remove fat, flesh, and hair from hides, people could prepare them for use in a variety of ways, including as food containers, clothing, and even as a source of food themselves. The presence of scrapers in archaeological sites related to food procurement and preparation suggests that they played a key role in the broader suite of activities involved in the acquisition and processing of food resources.
• Describe how the shape and size of scrapers may have been influenced by their intended use, and how this can provide insights into the technological adaptations of past human populations.
  • The shape and size of scrapers were often tailored to their specific uses. Larger scrapers were typically used for more heavy-duty tasks, such as removing thick layers of fat and flesh from large animal hides, while smaller scrapers were better suited for more delicate work, such as shaping wooden or bone tools. The diversity of scraper types found in archaeological sites can provide insights into the technological adaptations of past human populations, as they reflect the range of materials and tasks that were important in their subsistence strategies and broader lifeways. By analyzing the distribution and characteristics of scrapers, archaeologists can gain a better understanding of the specific ways in which past societies organized their food procurement and processing activities.
• Evaluate the significance of scrapers as a material artifact in the context of understanding the broader cultural and technological adaptations of past human populations, particularly in relation to their food acquisition and processing practices.
  • Scrapers are a significant material artifact in the context of understanding the cultural and technological adaptations of past human populations, particularly in relation to their food acquisition and processing practices. As a ubiquitous tool found in many archaeological sites associated with food procurement and preparation, scrapers provide valuable insights into the ways in which people interacted with and transformed their environments to meet their subsistence needs. By analyzing the distribution, characteristics, and associations of scrapers, archaeologists can gain a deeper understanding of the technological strategies, social organization, and broader cultural adaptations of past societies. The presence and diversity of scrapers can shed light on the specific methods and materials used in the processing of animal hides, the shaping of wooden and bone tools, and the broader suite of activities involved in the acquisition and preparation of food resources. This information is crucial for reconstructing the lifeways and adaptations of past human populations and for understanding the complex interplay between material culture, subsistence strategies, and broader cultural developments.

Related terms

Lithic Tools: Lithic tools are any tools made from stone, including scrapers, knives, projectile points, and other implements used for various tasks.

Hide Processing: The process of treating animal hides to prepare them for use as clothing, shelter, or other purposes, often involving the use of scrapers to remove fat, flesh, and hair.

Butchery: The process of cutting up and preparing animals for food, which may involve the use of scrapers to remove meat from bones and clean the carcass.